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Russian and Serbian army chiefs of staff discuss cooperation, international security

MOSCOW, August 12 /TASS/. The Russian Army Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and his Serbian counterpart Ljubis Dikovic met on Friday to discuss international security and bilateral military cooperation, the Russian Defense Ministry press service told journalists.

"The sides exchanged views on urgent problems of international and regional security and discussed bilateral military and military-technical cooperation," the ministry’s press service said adding the talks had passed in a friendly atmosphere.

The dialogue "confirmed mutual determination to consistently develop Russian-Serbian contacts", the press service went on to say.

The Russian Defense Ministry explained that the Russian and Serbian chiefs of staff had met each other in the run-up to a working meeting between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shogiu and his Serbian counterpart Zoran Djordjevic who arrived in Russia to attend the closing ceremony of the Army-2016 Games.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that it hoped for the Chinese and Serbian assistance in carrying out a humanitarian operation in Aleppo.

Moscow and Damascus launched a joint humanitarian operation in Aleppo on July 28.

A three-hour humanitarian window will open in northern Aleppo daily from 10 am to 1 pm. The Syrian army has pledged to halt all military hostilities - on ground and in air - during that time to allow the relief aid into the besieged city. The Syrian authorities have offered all international humanitarian organizations to use this time interval and corridor to deliver food to Aleppo.

The Castello Road is used to supply food, water and medicines to Aleppo. A road, which runs through northern and southern farms to Castello outskirts, is open to car traffic.

This road is also open for militants with arms who want to leave Aleppo’s southern outskirt.

Previously, it was reported that seven safe corridors have been set up in Aleppo to evacuate civilians and deliver food, medical supplies and essentials to the city. For now, more than 400 people, including 90 militants who have surrendered under the Syrian government’s amnesty, have fled the besieged city via the safe corridors.