Moscow in Constant Contact With Syrian Kurds, Coordinating Common Interests

Moscow maintains contacts with Syrian Kurds and helps them coordinate their positions regarding the national settlement, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia is in constant contact with different factions of Syrian Kurds, coordinating their approaches to conflict settlement in the country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Friday.

"We have good contacts within the Kurds. We are in touch with them, not only with the Democratic Union Party [PYD] but also with some other organizations, independent actors, even the Kurds arriving from Damascus," Bogdanov told reporters.

The diplomat added that Moscow's aim was to coordinate the range of positions and approaches taken by various Kurdish factions, to help them find a common understanding of what is in Syria's national interest, to aid crisis resolution.

Syria has been mired in civil war since March 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.

Syrian Kurds represent one of the largest ethnic groups in the country. Russian officials have long insisted the peace process in the country must be inclusive in order to reach a long-term political settlement.