U.S., Russia Sign Memorandum on Air Safety in Syria

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, October 20, 2015 — Senior U.S. and Russian defense officials signed a memorandum of understanding today on air safety in Syria, the Pentagon's press secretary said.

The memorandum of understanding, or MOU, is aimed at minimizing the risk of inflight incidents among coalition and Russian aircraft operating in Syrian airspace, Peter Cook said at a Pentagon's news conference.

The MOU went into effect with today's signing, he said.

Cook said the MOU includes specific safety protocols for aircrews to follow, including maintaining professional airmanship at all times, the use of specific communication frequencies and the establishment of a communication line on the ground.

Working Group for Implementation Issues

The United States and Russia will form a working group to discuss any implementation issues that follow, he added.

The MOU does not establish zones of cooperation, intelligence sharing or any sharing of target information in Syria, Cook said.

"The discussions through which this MOU was developed do not constitute U.S. cooperation or support for Russia's policy or actions in Syria," he said. "We continue to believe that Russia's strategy in Syria is counterproductive and their support for the Assad regime will only make Syria's civil war worse."

The United States, Cook said, will continue to focus on advancing its interests in Syria, which include fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and supporting a moderate opposition. The moderate opposition is essential for a political resolution in Syria, he said.

The United States will continue to be the "single largest donor in addressing the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and beyond its borders," he said.

Cook said that unlike Russia, the United States is supported by a coalition of 65 partners in its efforts.

U.S., Russian Officials Hold Talks on Maintaining Safe Air Ops Over Syria

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, October 1, 2015 — U.S. and Russian defense officials spoke via video teleconference this morning to discuss ways to maintain safe air operations over Syria, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.

At a Pentagon news conference, Cook said U.S. officials stressed to their Russian counterparts that Russia should be concentrating on defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The announcement came as news reports indicate Russian planes struck targets in Syria for the second straight day. Coalition aircraft also were active, hitting ISIL targets in Syria. U.S. officials noted that the areas Russia has hit so far are not ISIL strongholds.

Crowded Airspace

The airspace over Syria is getting crowded with fighter-bombers, tankers and other support aircraft, so the meeting is to ensure there are no mix-ups or miscalculations, Cook said. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the meetings in New York as part of the U.N. General Assembly session.

“The video teleconference lasted a little over an hour and was cordial and professional,” Cook said. “We made crystal clear that at a minimum, the priority here is the safe operation of the aircrews over Syria. That was the focal point of the discussion today and, I imagine, will be going forward.”

American officials presented an initial plan “to enhance safety, prevent miscalculation and avoid actions, activities or operations that could escalate tensions,” he said. Russian officials outlined their own ideas, and both sides will take the results to their respective ministries for further study, he added.

Emphasis on Aircrew Safety

The press secretary emphasized that the meeting stresses the safety of aircrews in the region. “Some of the steps outlined by the United States include [that] aircrews should follow international rules for safety of flight, ensure navigation through professional airmanship -- including use of appropriate and active communications -- and avoiding actions that could cause unnecessary confrontations,” Cook said.

Cook would not characterize the Russian response, but he did note that the sides agreed to meet again. The coalition has launched 7,184 airstrikes since its anti-ISIL campaign began last year, with 4,604 in Iraq and 2,580 in Syria.

Russia Resupplying Base in Syria, DOD Spokesman Says

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 – A Russian cargo ship reportedly carrying attack helicopters to Syria turned back today when its British insurer canceled coverage, but a Defense Department spokesman said three other Russian vessels will carry supplies and possibly troops to the Russian naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus.

Russian military officials have said the supplies are intended for their own resupply and force protection, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby told reporters today.

Kirby said defense officials support Russia’s decision to stop the cargo ship’s voyage. “We … don't want to see the Assad regime get arms and ammunition or any lethal support that they could use,” he said.

In January 2011, Syrians began protesting against the government of Bashar Assad. The protests spread into a more general uprising, which United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in May had claimed some 10,000 lives. Russia, a Syrian ally, has threatened to veto any U.N. Security Council sanctions against Syria.

President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement yesterday calling for “moving forward on [a] political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system” in Syria.

Kirby said political transition is “the right way forward.”

“I think we can all agree that that's the right answer for Syria and for the Syrian people,” he added.

International diplomatic and economic pressure “needs to continue to be applied to the Assad regime so that they will step down and do what's right for their own people,” the spokesman added.

Kirby noted U.S. defense officials have repeatedly said providing lethal military aid to Assad’s forces is “intolerable and unacceptable.”

“We've been very clear with the entire international community, not just the Russians, about what our concerns are with respect to lethal aid and assistance going to the Assad regime,” he added.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, who also spoke during today’s briefing, said any disagreement over Syria between Russia and the United States hasn’t affected the northern distribution network. The network, which Russia supports, has been the only means of ground transport for NATO supplies headed into Afghanistan since Pakistan closed ground cargo routes to NATO forces in November.

“It's an extremely complicated but essential network for our supplies in and out of Afghanistan,” Little said. “I have heard no indication that the Russians are going to change their participation in that network and would reiterate our thanks to the government of Russia for supporting it.”

“At the same time,” Kirby said, “we've been very clear with them about our concerns about lethal support to the Syrian regime. It's not like we haven't been honest about what concerns us with these arms sales to Assad. We have been.”

Kirby noted U.S. officials are working with the international community “as much and as aggressively as we can to make sure that Assad doesn't have at his disposal the means to kill his own people, or at least limit that ability as much as we can.”