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Russia ready for dialogue on Syria with all interested countries — diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the ceasefire was holding in most of Syria

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to cooperate on Syria with all interested countries, including the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement, commenting on US Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn’s allegation that Moscow and Damascus sought to complicate the fight against terrorism.

"We confirm our willingness to cooperate on Syria with all interested countries, including the US, particularly in the fight against terrorism. We are open to any initiatives aimed at building contacts between the relevant agencies. It would be really helpful," Zakharova pointed out. "We strongly urge our international and regional partners to boost joint efforts on Syria in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 instead of sabotaging these efforts, making groundless accusations and empty political chants," she added.

According to the Russian diplomat, "this is not the first time that the Russian and Syrian military are facing such allegations as part of a campaign led by the US and its allies, which is aimed at spreading fake news." "Meanwhile, it was Russia that played a key role in delivering a crushing blow to international terrorism in Syria," Zakharova stressed.

She also noted that the ceasefire was holding in most of Syria. "Government troops, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, respond to all armed provocations that militants from illegal armed groups stage along the Idlib de-escalation zone," Zakharova said. "Members of the IS [the Islamic State terror group outlawed in Russia - TASS] holed up there keep carrying out raids against Russian troops. The fight against terrorists on Syrian soil will on on until they are eliminated," the diplomat concluded.

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