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| Syria crisis: US and Russian defence chiefs discuss conflict | Syria crisis: US and Russian defence chiefs discuss conflict |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Top US and Russian defence officials have held their first talks in more than a year to discuss the Syrian war, the Pentagon says. | |
| Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter discussed with Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu how their two sides can avoid accidentally clashing on the ground, a statement said. | |
| Russia said the talks proved the sides had common ground, state media said. | Russia said the talks proved the sides had common ground, state media said. |
| The US and Russia have disagreed sharply on Syria's bloody civil war. | The US and Russia have disagreed sharply on Syria's bloody civil war. |
| While Moscow has backed the Syrian government, the US sees the removal of President Bashar al-Assad as essential to resolving the conflict. | While Moscow has backed the Syrian government, the US sees the removal of President Bashar al-Assad as essential to resolving the conflict. |
| The US has also been alarmed about reports of a Russian military build-up in Syria, at a time when the Assad government has been losing ground to rebels. | The US has also been alarmed about reports of a Russian military build-up in Syria, at a time when the Assad government has been losing ground to rebels. |
| Both sides however are concerned about the so-called Islamic State, with the US leading a coalition against the militant group. | |
| News of the phone call between Mr Carter and Mr Shoigu emerged shortly after Secretary of State John Kerry said the US hoped military-to-military conversations would take place "very shortly". | News of the phone call between Mr Carter and Mr Shoigu emerged shortly after Secretary of State John Kerry said the US hoped military-to-military conversations would take place "very shortly". |
| The defence chiefs discussed areas where "perspectives overlap and areas of divergence," the Pentagon statement said, describing the talks as "constructive". | |
| Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence correspondent | Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence correspondent |
| The growing Russian military presence in Syria, not least the deployment of surface-to-air missiles to defend the airfield at Latakia, means that Washington and Moscow have a lot to talk about. | The growing Russian military presence in Syria, not least the deployment of surface-to-air missiles to defend the airfield at Latakia, means that Washington and Moscow have a lot to talk about. |
| The phone call between the US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu is only the first step. | The phone call between the US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu is only the first step. |
| The US and a number of its allies are flying strike missions into Syrian air space and they do not want to have any misunderstandings with Russia's forces there. | The US and a number of its allies are flying strike missions into Syrian air space and they do not want to have any misunderstandings with Russia's forces there. |
| The Americans also want to get a clearer idea as to the purpose of the Russian presence in Syria. | The Americans also want to get a clearer idea as to the purpose of the Russian presence in Syria. |
| Is this simply to secure a bridge-head to re-supply Mr Assad? Or does it herald a Russian intervention in the fighting? | Is this simply to secure a bridge-head to re-supply Mr Assad? Or does it herald a Russian intervention in the fighting? |
| Military talks between Moscow and Washington could also facilitate a better understanding on the diplomatic front with Syria likely to be a prominent issue in the crucial contacts on the margins of the UN General Assembly later this month. | Military talks between Moscow and Washington could also facilitate a better understanding on the diplomatic front with Syria likely to be a prominent issue in the crucial contacts on the margins of the UN General Assembly later this month. |
| In the 50-minute conversation, Mr Shoigu told Mr Carter that Russian activities in Syria were "defensive in nature," a US official told Reuters. | In the 50-minute conversation, Mr Shoigu told Mr Carter that Russian activities in Syria were "defensive in nature," a US official told Reuters. |
| The two sides also agreed to further talks, reopening formal contact after relations were badly strained by Russian action last year in Ukraine. | The two sides also agreed to further talks, reopening formal contact after relations were badly strained by Russian action last year in Ukraine. |
| The last conversation between the US defence chief and his Russian counterpart was last August when Mr Carter's predecessor Chuck Hagel held the office. | |
| Meanwhile, Moscow has said that any request from Syria to send troops would be "discussed and considered". | Meanwhile, Moscow has said that any request from Syria to send troops would be "discussed and considered". |
| A Russian human rights body said it has been contacted by Russian soldiers who fear being sent to fight in Syria. | A Russian human rights body said it has been contacted by Russian soldiers who fear being sent to fight in Syria. |
| Any secret deployment of troops to Syria would be illegal, said Sergei Krivenko of the Russian Human Rights Council. | Any secret deployment of troops to Syria would be illegal, said Sergei Krivenko of the Russian Human Rights Council. |