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Islamic State: Putin says Assad 'could work with rebels against IS' Islamic State: Putin says Assad 'could work with rebels against IS'
(about 2 hours later)
Vladimir Putin has suggested the Syrian government could be ready to work with rebel groups that are willing to fight against the so-called Islamic State.Vladimir Putin has suggested the Syrian government could be ready to work with rebel groups that are willing to fight against the so-called Islamic State.
Mr Putin said he had asked President Bashar al-Assad how he would view such a force during his surprise visit to Moscow on Tuesday.Mr Putin said he had asked President Bashar al-Assad how he would view such a force during his surprise visit to Moscow on Tuesday.
"He answered: 'Positively'," Mr Putin told a conference with foreign dignitaries in southern Russia."He answered: 'Positively'," Mr Putin told a conference with foreign dignitaries in southern Russia.
"We are contemplating this and will try to implement it," he added."We are contemplating this and will try to implement it," he added.
He called for Kurdish groups to join forces with the Syrian and Iraqi governments against IS.He called for Kurdish groups to join forces with the Syrian and Iraqi governments against IS.
Speaking at the Valdai discussion forum in Sochi, Mr Putin also said Russia was close to exchanging data about militant positions in Syria with the West.Speaking at the Valdai discussion forum in Sochi, Mr Putin also said Russia was close to exchanging data about militant positions in Syria with the West.
Analysis - Bridget Kendall, BBC diplomatic editor in Sochi
President Putin's comments were woven through with mixed messages and contradictions.
On the one hand he accused the US and its allies of playing a double game in Syria, attacking some terrorist groups while siding with others for their own ends. He said the West's attempt to divide terrorist groups into "moderate" and "non-moderate" was mistaken.
On the other hand, he also seemed to concede that Russia would need to bring the US-led coalition and Syria's moderate opposition forces on board for any political settlement to work. He said he still hoped the US would agree to work with Russia, and he'd even asked President Assad - who was in Moscow this week - if he could work with moderate opposition forces on the ground.
Mr Putin was clear he is ruling out partition for Syria.
He probably doesn't want Russia's air campaign to last too long, to avoid casualties.
So if he is serious about a peace deal, he may gauge that winning round more partners is the only way for any putative Russian plan for Syria not to fail.
He said the terrorist threat represented an opportunity for Russia and the West to work together.He said the terrorist threat represented an opportunity for Russia and the West to work together.
But he said Russia had no plans to expand its air strikes on the group into Iraq because the Iraqi government had not asked Russia for help.But he said Russia had no plans to expand its air strikes on the group into Iraq because the Iraqi government had not asked Russia for help.
'Red carpet welcome''Red carpet welcome'
Military victory over jihadist groups would not solve all the problems in Syria, Mr Putin argued, but it would enable a political solution to get under way in which Syrians could decide their own fate.Military victory over jihadist groups would not solve all the problems in Syria, Mr Putin argued, but it would enable a political solution to get under way in which Syrians could decide their own fate.
And he chided the West for "dividing terrorists into moderates and non-moderates".And he chided the West for "dividing terrorists into moderates and non-moderates".
"You can't beat terrorism if terrorists are used as an excuse to oust undesirable regimes," he said."You can't beat terrorism if terrorists are used as an excuse to oust undesirable regimes," he said.
But the BBC's Diplomatic Editor Bridget Kendall says Mr Putin appeared to be reaching out to the West.
President Putin said the threat of terrorism represented an opportunity for Russia and the West to work together, following opportunities missed at the end of the Cold War and after the 9/11 attacks.
"The most important thing is to treat each other as allies and be open and frank with each other," he said.
The US criticised Bashar al-Assad's visit to Russia, accusing Mr Putin of putting out a "red carpet welcome" for the Syrian president, who it says used chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.The US criticised Bashar al-Assad's visit to Russia, accusing Mr Putin of putting out a "red carpet welcome" for the Syrian president, who it says used chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.
During his visit, Mr Assad said Russia's involvement had stopped "terrorism" becoming "more widespread and harmful" in Syria.During his visit, Mr Assad said Russia's involvement had stopped "terrorism" becoming "more widespread and harmful" in Syria.
In his speech in Sochi, Mr Putin also called for greater engagement with the Islamic world's spiritual leaders, saying their "moral authority" would help stop the spread of terrorist ideology.