Russia Expects More Nations to Work With Anti-ISIL Information Center

According to a senior Russian lawmaker, Moscow is awaiting a response from its international colleagues to its proposal to cooperate with the newly-created Baghdad-based information center in the fight against the Islamic State.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow is awaiting a response from its international colleagues to its proposal to cooperate with the newly-created Baghdad-based information center in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIL) extremist group, a senior Russian lawmaker said Wednesday.

"As the Russian president clearly stated at the UN General Assembly, this format is open to all participants," chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, Konstantin Kosachev, told the Rossiya-24 television channel.

Kosachev said that international leaders were informed about the anti-ISIL information center, a joint project between Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria, during President Vladimir Putin’s bilateral meetings at the UN headquarters this week.

"We are now expecting a response to the proposals," he stressed.

The Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee chair added that the effectiveness of the information center will increase as more countries collaborate with it.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Federation Council approved Putin’s request to conduct airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria, which had turned to Russia for assistance. The US media reported that Moscow had asked Washington to clear Syrian airspace of its planes immediately.