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Conflict in Syria

Kremlin doesn't expect dialogue with US on Syria to improve instantly under Tillerson

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has pointed out that Russia had never refused to have a dialog over Syria with the United States

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday he cannot consider it possible to dream that the Russian-US dialogue on Syria will improve immediately as soon as Rex Tillerson takes office as the US Secretary of State.

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"It is absolutely illogical to make any forecasts for the future, and moreover to dream that everything will change at once and everything what foot-dragged and was complicated will suddenly start developing under a fascinating successful scenario," Peskov said.

More constructive dialogue with US

Russia has the right to expect a far more constructive dialog with the United States over Syria, Peskov told media, adding that Moscow by no means turned its back on negotiations.

"We believe we are entitled to at least more constructive contacts with each other and better synchronization of positions of different agencies at a time when discussions are in progress," Peskov said.

Asked if Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remark the talks with the US over Syria were fruitless get-togethers heralded a change in Moscow’s policies Peskov answered in the negative.

"Lavrov’s expression was not a figure of speech. Its content was exhaustive enough," Peskov said, adding that there had not occurred a change of priorities by any means.

"Russia has never refused to have a dialogue (with the United States over Syria). Moreover, we have invariably favored a further dialog on Syria," he said.

"It goes without saying that we would like that dialog to be constructive and not fruitless," Peskov said.

Peskov also said that he has no information on possible talks between any official representatives of Russia and Turkey in the near future.

"No, I don’t have any such information," he said.

Earlier some media cited their sources saying that Russia had been holding talks with the leaders of the Syrian armed opposition on a cessation of hostilities in the opposition-hold districts of Aleppo. According to media reports, Turkey has been facilitating the talks while the US was not informed.

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United States Dmitry Peskov Syrian conflict

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