Russia Restores Flight Safety Memorandum with US on Syria Air Operations
by Stephen Lendman
According to Sputnik News, Russia restored the 2015 agreement, suspended after Trump’s April 7 aggression.
He lawlessly OK’d the terror-bombing of Syria’s Shayrat air base – on the phony pretext of Assad allegedly authorizing the April 4 Khan Sheikhoun CW attack he had nothing to do with.
Citing Izvestia, Sputnik News said Russia acted at the request of Secretary of State Tillerson during his April 11 and 12 Moscow visit, meeting with Sergey Lavrov and Vladimir Putin.
Citing a Foreign Ministry source, Izvestia said the air safety agreement was restored on April 13 – a round-the-clock communication channel between the militaries of both countries to prevent possible aerial clashes or other incidents.
Interviewed on Radio Sputnik, RUDN University Center for Strategic Research and Prognosis director Nikita Danyuk believes restoration of the air safety agreement most likely indicates “the US will no longer make efforts to infringe upon the Syrian state.”
“(M)aintaining” hostile relations with Moscow over Syria “risk(s) exacerbating (an already deplorable) situation.”
Both countries have opposing agendas. Russia is committed to combating the scourge of terrorism Washington supports.
Bilateral trust is virtually nonexistent. Danyuk’s optimism isn’t supported by reality on the ground. US and Turkish troops illegally occupy northern Syria, supporting anti-government terrorists.
At the same time, Russia wants confrontation with Washington avoided. It’s continues going all-out for diplomatic conflict resolution – despite five years of failure, nothing in prospect suggesting what’s been out-of-reach so far is achievable.
In mid-April, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would communicate with Washington on Syria within the air safety framework only “on condition that (US) unpredictable actions aren’t repeated.”
Washington wants regime change. Trump’s rage for war makes future US belligerence likely – in Syria, throughout the region and elsewhere, possibly on the Korean peninsula.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
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