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Russia’s General Staff Chief holds phone talks with US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff

Gerasimov’s previous telephone contact with Milley took place on October 2, several days after the latter had assumed office

MOSCOW, October 14. /TASS/. The chief of Russia’s General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, has held phone talks with the newly appointed Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mike Milley, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Defense Minister Army General Valery Gerasimov had a telephone conversation with Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mike Milley on October 14, 2019. The sides discussed issues of mutual interest," the ministry said.

Gerasimov’s previous telephone contact with Milley took place on October 2, several days after Milley had taken over as the US top military officer, succeeding US Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford. The two, according to Hayley Sims, a spokeswoman for the Joint Staff, exchanged views on issues of mutual concern and agreed that regular contacts were important to promote transparency and avoid mistakes.

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