Russia Fights Terrorism in Syria, Not Backing Particular Side to Conflict

Russia's presence in Syria is aimed at ensuring national security and fighting terrorism without providing support to any particular side to the Syrian conflict, Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Kosachev added that in the context of combating terrorism Moscow was ready to cooperate with various sides, including those "sometimes holding the opposite views."

"Russia is dealing with the issues related to ensuring our national security in Syria. We are present in Syria not to support one or the other side to the internal Syrian conflict, but to guarantee defeat of terrorism," Kosachev said at a meeting with Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog.

"An obvious example here is the latest agreement within the Russia-Iran-Turkey triangle on facilitating the cessation of hostilities in Syria and securing the ceasefire," Kosachev added.

Russia has been conducting an aerial campaign against terrorists since September 30, 2015 in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad.

Russia, Turkey and Iran acted as guarantors in establishing the latest Syrian ceasefire, which came into effect in late December 2016. The ceasefire was followed by peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, also backed by the three countries, during which Syria's warring sides agreed on a ceasefire monitoring mechanism. The second round of Astana talks was held on February 15-16 and resulted in the agreement to establish a ceasefire monitoring group comprising Iran, Russia and Turkey, that would report to the United Nations.