Syria’s President Assad ready for early elections – Russian delegation to Damascus

October 25, 2015 By administrator

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad

The Syrian President Bashar Assad has agreed to hold preliminary elections in the country, on the condition the move has the backing of the population, a member of Moscow’s Parliamentary delegation has told the TASS news agency.

Russian Communist party MP Aleksandr Yushenko mentioned from Syria that the president “is ready to discuss amendments to the constitution, hold parliamentary elections and, if the people of Syria deem necessary, expressed a readiness to hold presidential elections.”

According to Yushenko, who met the Syrian president in Damascus, Assad “is absolutely confident of his chances [of victory],” should the elections take place.

During the meeting, the Syrian leader stressed that “the fight against terrorism will become the foundation for a new and just world based on sovereignty and cooperation.” The president also told Syrian media that “eliminating terrorist groups will lead to the political solution we aim for in Syria and Russia.”

The Syrian president also said he is expecting a visit from Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, the Duma speaker Sergey Naryshkin and chair Valentina Matvienko.

The news comes after last Saturday’s message to the Syrian leadership from the Russian members of parliament.

Turkish Terrorist “FSA” begging Russia to hold talks on Syrian crisis in Cairo – official

October 25, 2015 By administrator

REUTERS/Hosam Katan

Representatives of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel group have sent Russia a proposal to hold talks on Syrian crisis in Cairo, Egypt, one of the founders of the FSA told RIA Novosti, adding that the opposition is ready for the dialogue with Moscow.

“The Free Syrian Army is ready for dialogue with Russia. We need to organize a new meeting, so that we can present our position and discuss our collective actions,” said Fahad Al-Masri, the coordinator of National Salvation Front.

According to the FSA representative, both sides will discuss how exactly Moscow can help the Free Syrian Army during the meeting.

“We have proposed to hold the meeting in Cairo, Egypt, but haven’t received an answer yet. We haven’t proposed any dates but announced our readiness for the meeting. And I believe that it is in the interests of Russia and FSA to hold this meeting as soon as possible,” the FSA representative said.

However, despite calls for negotiations, Masri accused Russia of carrying out airstrikes on “Syrian provinces, in particular the Homs province, where there are many FSA divisions.”

Masri stated that if Russia “continues the bombing,” it will “weaken“ the FSA and will “strengthen” terrorists and Islamists.

Moscow launched airstrikes targeting positions of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants in Syria on September 30 following a formal request from President Bashar Assad. As of October 23, the Russian air force has destroyed 819 IS targets in 934 sorties, according to Defence Ministry.

Russian Air Force cuts off ISIS supply lines by bombing bridge over Euphrates

October 23, 2015 By administrator

Russia’s airplanes cut off routes used by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) to deliver supplies to Syria from Iraq by bombing a bridge over the Euphrates River, the Russian General Staff said.

The bridge over the Euphrates River near [the Syrian city of] Deir ez-Zor was a key point of the logistics chain [of IS]. Today Russian pilots carried out a surgical strike against the object,” the deputy chief of the General Staff of Russia, Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov, said on Thursday during a news briefing, adding that the terrorist group’s armament and ammunition delivery route had been cut off.

Kartapolov also stressed that the strike was delivered in a region that, according to the US military, was fully controlled by IS militants.

Since the beginning of the Russia’s operation in Syria, Moscow’s air forces have destroyed 819 IS targets in 934 sorties.

Armenia and Russia to set up joint air defense system

October 23, 2015 By administrator

The Government of the Russian Federation (RF) has approved the agreement on establishing, in the Caucasus collective security region, a joint regional air defense system with Armenia.

The aforesaid is noted in a Russian government release.

“The RF Government draft decision on this matter is adopted,” the government decision also states.

This document will now be sent for the approval by the Russian president, reported the Gazeta news site of Russia.

Putin: No need to distinguish between ‘moderate’ & other terrorists

October 22, 2015 By administrator

RT There can be no “moderate” terrorists, President Putin said, speaking about the situation in the Middle East at the Valdai discussion forum.

Why play with words dividing terrorists into moderate and not moderate. What’s the difference?” Putin told the forum.

A whole “snarl” of terrorist groups act in the region, who fight also against each other for “sources of income” and not for ideology, Putin said, adding that the weapons provided to “moderate” opposition in the region had ended up in the hands of terrorists.

Some countries are playing a double game, the Russian president said, adding that while they fight against terrorism they also “place figures on the board” in their own interests.

“Success in fighting terrorists cannot be reached if using some of them as a battering ram to overthrow disliked regimes,” Putin told the forum, saying that this way the terrorists would not go anywhere. “It’s just an illusion that they can be dealt with [later], removed from power and somehow negotiated with,” he added.

Saying that the efforts of the Russian military in Syria will positively affect the situation in the country, helping to provide conditions for political settlement, the Russian president also stressed that defeating terrorists will not solve all the problems in Syria.

“I’d like to stress once again that [Russia’s operation in Syria] is completely legitimate, and its only aim is to aid in establishing peace,” the Russian president said in Sochi, adding that the decision to deploy the Air Force was made following a request from the Syrian government.

Moscow has been seeking to exchange data about the positions of Islamic State militants in Syria with western countries for weeks, and now such cooperation is close, Putin said.

Countries should perceive one another as “allies in a common fight, and act honestly and openly,” Putin said, adding that only in this way can victory against terror be guaranteed. “Syria… can become a model for partners… of how to solve problems that affect everyone.”

The main task is “not to let terrorists move their activity into other regions,” the Russian president said, adding that to prevent such an outcome all forces in Syria and Iraq, including state armies, Kurdish militia and various opposition groups, should be united.

The “hypothetical nuclear threat” allegedly posed by Iran has never existed, the Russian leader told the Valdai Discussion Club. Washington was just trying to “destroy the strategical balance,” Putin said, adding that the US aimed “not to just dominate, but be able to dictate its will to everyone – not only geopolitical opponents, but also allies.”

Russia and the whole world have been “misinformed” and even “deceived” by the US regarding Iran’s suggested nuclear threat, Putin said. Even after Tehran has agreed with the world on the peaceful nature of its uranium enrichment program, missile defense systems are still being tested by Washington far away from its borders – now in Europe.

Syria-Update Combat report: Russian Air Force carries out 53 sorties, strikes 72 terrorist targets in Syria

October 22, 2015 By administrator

Seventy-two terrorist targets have been hit in six Syrian provinces over the past 24 hours, Russia’s Defense Ministry reports.

During over 50 sorties, the Russian Air Force attacked militants’ locations in such Syrian provinces as Hama, Idlib, Latakia, Aleppo, Damascus and Deir ez-Zor, Major General Igor Konashenkov said in an interview with Rossiya 24 channel.

Reporting on its activities in Syria against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) jihadists and other terrorists, Russia’s Defense Ministry denied US allegations that cluster bombs had been used during the operation in areas with civilian population.

The Russian military has provided an opportunity for foreign journalists to observe the work of its air force in Syria, the official said. International reporters were let to the Khmeimim Airbase, where the Russian Air Force is based, he added.

On Wednesday, speaking on the advances of the Russian operation in Syria, the MoD also mentioned that a new challenge had been observed by its intelligence. IS commanders have been in talks with members of other terrorist groups, including Al-Nusra Front, to unite their forces against Syrian government troops, Konashenkov said.

Armenia-Russia, Air defense systems deal with Armenia may be proposed to Putin

October 22, 2015 By administrator

The Russian government on Thursday, October 22, will discuss the transfer to President Vladimir Putin of a proposal to sign an agreement with Armenia to establish a joint regional air defense system in the Caucasus region of collective security, the Cabinet press office reports, according to RIA Novosti.

Earlier, First Deputy Chief of the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces, Lieutenant-General Pavel Kurachenko said a draft agreement to establish such a system with Armenia was being prepared for signing after the internal coordination procedures were completed.

He also added that Russia is currently working on joint regional air defense systems with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

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Syria 80% of Aleppo liberated with Russia’s help, official says

October 22, 2015 By administrator

Syrian troops backed by Russian air strikes have advanced in Aleppo, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Armenia’s Social Democrat Hunchakian Party told reporters Thursday, October 22, Tert.am reports.

“80% of Aleppo is near liberated, with the remaining part to be hopefully freed soon,” Vazgen Mesropyan said.

According to him, the U.S. and European airstrikes were unsuccessful.

“Unable to fight the 1500-member terrorist front, the Syrian army turned to Russia for help. We think Aleppo will thoroughly be liberated in 4-6 months,” Mesropyan noted.

He also said some 7000-8000 Armenian currently live in Aleppo against the over 40.000 Armenians that resided there before the war.

According to him, only some 1000 out of some 10.000 Syrian Armenians have jobs in Armenia.

More than 100 Armenians have been killed in the course of the four-year civil war in Syria, he said, with many more wounded.

Putin: Syria has achieved positive results in fight against IS

October 21, 2015 By administrator

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, which took place in Moscow on Tuesday, that Damascus achieved positive results in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group [banned in Russia].
Assad arrived in Moscow on the first trip abroad since the civil war began in Syria in 2011.
“The Syrian people have been resisting practically single-handedly, fighting with international terrorism for several years now. They are sustaining heavy losses, but recently they have achieved significant positive results in this struggle,” the Kremlin’s website quotes Putin as saying.
During the meeting, the Russian leader cordially welcomed Assad, noting that, in spite of the dramatic situation in Syria, he responded to Moscow’s request and came to Russia. “We made a decision in accordance with your request and are providing effective assistance to the Syrian people in the fight against international terrorism, which has unleashed a real war against Syria,” Putin said.
The Russian president also said Moscow is concerned about the participation of nationals coming from the former Soviet states in the fighting against Syria’s government forces.
“This concerns us, I mean Russia, as unfortunately on the Syrian territory there are descendants of the former Soviet republics with arms in hands against the government forces, there are around 4,000 of them, at least,” the Russian leader said.
Putin noted that “the attempts of the international terrorism to put under control significant territories in the Middle East and to destabilize the situation in the region arouse legal concerns in many countries of the world.”
The Russian leader stressed that Russia’s authorities cannot allow that these people return to the country after receiving combat experience and ideological training
Russia is ready to make its contribution not only to the fight against terror in Syria, but also in the political settlement in contact with other powers and with the participation of all political forces, ethnic and religious groups, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Bashar Assad.
“With regard to the settlement in Syria, we proceed from the assumption that based on the positive dynamics in the combat operations, the long-term settlement can be finally achieved through a political process with the participation of all political forces, ethnic and religious groups,” the Russian leader said as quoted on the Kremlin website. Putin also said that ultimately, “the Syrian people certainly must have the final say.”
The Russian president said that Syria is a friendly country to Russia. “We are ready to make a fair share of contribution not only in the fight against terrorism, but also in the political process — of course, in close contact with the other world powers and with the countries of the region that are interested in the conflict’s peaceful settlement,” Putin said.

Moscow doesn’t recognize PKK or PYD as terrorist organization announces Russian envoy

October 18, 2015 By administrator

Russian Ambassador to Ankara Andrey Karlov announced during an interview that his country does not consider the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to be a terrorist organization, a statement that will likely further exacerbate rising tensions between Turkey and Russia.

“We understand Turkey’s concerns with regard to global terrorism. Especially after the terrorist attack in Ankara the other day. But neither the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) nor the Democratic Union Party (PYD) are considered terrorist organizations by either Russia or the United Nations Security Council,” said Russian Ambassador to Ankara Andrey Karlov during an interview with Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

He added that while Russia had contacted Syrian Kurdish representatives, they did not have any contacts within the PKK.

The comments come at a time of escalating tension between Ankara and Moscow, after Russia initiated an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad three weeks ago.

Having lobbied for Assad’s removal for years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has harshly criticized the operations, as well as the repeated airspace violations by Russian jets since airstrikes began.

Turkey also suspects Russia of lending support to the Syrian Kurdish PYD and its armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), since the air strikes began three weeks ago.

Turkey considers the PYD a terrorist organization, having links to the PKK. Ankara fears that any territorial gains by Kurds in Syria – let alone the establishment of an independent state – might incite similar ambitions from its own Kurdish minority.

“No one can guarantee that arms given to the PYD today won’t fall into the hands of the PKK tomorrow and be used against Turkey,” acting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Wednesday. “Turkey cannot accept any kind of cooperation with terrorist organizations that have declared war against Turkey.”

However, during his interview with Ria Novosti, Ambassador Karlov explicitly denied that Russia had delivered any arms to Syrian Kurds.

Emerging as a reliable force in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the PYD has also garnered the support of the United States, with U.S. officials stating that the PYD is not considered a terrorist organization under U.S. law.

Both Russian Ambassador Karlov and U.S. Ambassador John Bass were summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara earlier this week to hear Turkish concerns over their cooperation with Kurdish forces in Syria.