UNITED NATIONS, September 24. /ITAR-TASS/. The United States did not tell Russia about its plans to deliver air strikes against Islamic militants in Syria, Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Wednesday.

“No, we were not notified, but they are well aware of our position: we think that this runs counter to all norms and principles of international law and the U.N. Charter. We always said and keep saying this,” he said.

He said the Syrian authorities “from the very beginning” had stated their readiness to cooperate with the international community in combating terrorism. “But the Americans unfortunately said right away that they would not deal with them in any away,” Gatilov said.

It became known on Tuesday that Washington had notified Syria and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the planned operation.

U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Samantha Power said the decision to deliver the air strikes in a sovereign country had been prompted by Damascus’ inability or unwillingness to fight the Islamic State which in Washington’s opinion is threatening not only Syria and Iraq but also other countries, including the United States.