MOSCOW, November 19. /TASS/. Talks between the foreign ministers of Russia and Syria, Sergey Lavrov and Walid Muallem, are expected in Moscow November 27, special representative of the Russian president for the Middle East and African countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, said Thursday.
"We confirm that the talks are scheduled for November 27," Bogdanov told TASS.
Russian deputy FM discusses situation in Syria with Jordan's ambassador
Special representative of the Russian president for the Middle East and African countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Jordan’s ambassador to Moscow Ziad Al-Majali have discussed the results of a meeting in Vienna on Syria and the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group, which is banned in Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
The meeting took place on the Jordanian side’s initiative.
"Urgent aspects of the regional agenda with emphasis on the problems of Syrian settlement were considered in the context of a meeting of the international support group for Syria in Vienna November 14, as well as coordination of international efforts to fight the Islamic State terrorist group," the ministry said.
"A number of issues of Russian-Jordanian relations, including maintenance of active political dialogue, were touched upon," the ministry’s statement said.
Russia’s Aerospace Forces started delivering pinpoint strikes in Syria at facilities of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations, which are banned in Russia, on September 30, 2015, on a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The air group comprises over 50 aircraft and helicopters, including Sukhoi Su-24M, Su-25SM and state-of-the-art Su-34 aircraft. They were redeployed to the Khmeimim airbase in the province of Latakia.
On October 7, four missile ships of the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla fired 26 Kalibr cruise missiles (NATO codename Sizzler) at militants’ facilities in Syria. On October 8, the Syrian army passed to a large-scale offensive.
Over 2,000 terrorist facilities have been destroyed by Russian aircraft since the start of the air operation. The Russian Federation does not plan to take part in ground operations in Syria.
According to UN statistics, fighting between Syrian government troops and militants has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced millions since its start in 2011.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently gave instructions to intensify strikes delivered by Russian aircraft in Syria after Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Alexander Bortnikov reported that the crash of Russia’s A321 airliner above the Sinai Peninsula on October 31 was caused by a terrorist act carried out with the help of a homemade explosive device.
A total of 224 people were killed, making the air crash the largest in the history of domestic aviation. Following the tragedy, Russia suspended flights to Egypt.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin November 17 that Russia has involved strategic and long-range aircraft in strikes against the Islamic State in Syria.
"Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 aircraft of long-range aviation, along with operational and tactical aviation acting from the Khmeimim airfield, have been additionally involved from the Russian territory to destroy gangs," Shoigu said.