Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 1 June 2018

Syria's Assad threatens to attack area under US-backed Kurds

By PHILIP ISSA Lieberman's Russian coun-
Associated Press terpart, Sergei Shoigu, said
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian Presi- the two would discuss the
dent Bashar Assad threat- situation in southwestern
ened to attack a region Syria, along its border with
held by U.S.-backed Kurd- Israel.
ish fighters in northeastern The Syrian government's
Syria, saying in an interview plans to recapture rebel-
broadcast on Russia Today held parts of the region
channel on Thursday that have raised Israeli concerns
American troops should that its backers — Iran and
leave the country. the Lebanese militant
The remarks reflect that de- group Hezbollah — could
spite pressure on multiple take up positions along the
fronts, Assad is seeking to frontier.
consolidate control after Russian news reports said
seven years of civil war. Moscow wants to cut a
With military backing from deal that would see Russian
Russia and Iran, he has re- military police deployed
claimed most of the territo- to areas near Israel. The
ry lost to rebels in the wake agreement envisages Ira-
of the popular uprising that nian forces pulling out from
swept the country in 2011 the entire area and Syrian
and quickly descended In this file photo released May 10, 2018, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian rebels there surrendering
into all-out civil war. But President Bashar Assad speaks during an interview with the Greek Kathimerini newspaper, in heavy weapons.
large patches of territory Damascus, Syria. Associated Press The Observatory said Thurs-
remain beyond his control, day that Iranian troops and
including the expansive re- The United States, which structure separate from the war through a network of Hezbollah fighters are pre-
gion north of the Euphrates supports the Kurdish-led Syrian government. Israel in activists on the ground, paring to withdraw from
River that is administered Syrian Democratic Forces, recent months ramped up says at least 68 Iranian and southern Syria, namely the
by the Syrian Kurds. operates air bases and out- its strikes on alleged Hez- pro-Iranian forces have regions of Daraa and Qu-
Speaking to the Russian posts in the Kurdish-admin- bollah and Iranian positions been killed in Israeli strikes neitra near the Israeli-occu-
channel, Assad said he has istered region. and weapons depots in- since April. pied Golan Heights.
opened the door to nego- "The Americans should side Syria, sparking fears of Assad said Israeli strikes A Syria-based official with
tiations with the Kurdish-run leave," Assad said. "Some- a regional war. destroyed a "big part" of the Iran-led axis of resis-
administration while also how, they are going to In the TV interview, Assad Syrian air defenses, but tance, however, denied
preparing to "liberate by leave." maintained there are no added they have been re- the report saying it is "un-
force." The Syrian president is also Iranian troops in Syria, only built, "stronger than before, true." The official, who
Forces loyal to Assad and under pressure from Israel Iranian officers advising thanks to Russian support." spoke on condition of an-
the Syrian Kurds have over growing Iranian influ- the Syrian army. He denied Israeli Prime Minister Benja- onymity because he was
clashed sporadically over ence in Syria. Iran, in con- reports that Iranians have min Netanyahu has said his not authorized to speak to
the eastern oil province junction with the Lebanese been killed in Israeli strikes. government won't accept the media, gave no further
of Deir el-Zour. Last year, militant group Hezbollah, "Actually, we had tens of a permanent Iranian pres- details.The U.S. and Russia,
they led rival campaigns now operates a network Syrian martyrs and wound- ence anywhere in Syria. while backing rival sides in
against the Islamic State of militias recruiting from ed soldiers," he said. Also Thursday, Israeli De- Syria's war, have coordinat-
group, and maintain a pro- across the Mideast to fight The Britain-based Syr- fense Minister Avigdor Li- ed their maneuvers in Syria
tracted front against each on Assad's behalf and ian Observatory for Human eberman visited Moscow and largely avoided direct
other along the Euphrates. maintains a command Rights, which monitors the for talks focusing on Syria. confrontation.q

Japan, Vietnam agree on maritime safety cooperation

cooperation in maritime militarization of the South for a "free and open Indo-
safety and defense, and China Sea and warned Pacific strategy" of promot-
expressed shared concerns against any unilateral ac- ing peace, stability, pros-
over China's growing activ- tions changing the status perity and cooperation in
ity in the South China Sea. quo. the region amid China's
Vietnamese President Tran "Diplomatic efforts will lead increasing maritime influ-
Dai Quang and Japanese to non-militarization," Abe ence.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "We shared an under- The two leaders also
agreed during talks in To- standing that it is important agreed to strengthen co-
kyo to strengthen defense to fully comply with interna- operation in economy,
cooperation in areas in- tional law and contribute trade, energy and human
cluding military training, to achieving a peaceful development, and stressed
equipment and technol- and stable South China the importance of a free
ogy. Sea." and open multilateral
Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang, left, and Japan's Prime Quang is in Japan on a Vietnam is especially con- trading system in line with
Minister Shinzo Abe attend their joint press conference in
Tokyo on Thursday, May 31, 2018. state visit marking the 45th cerned about Chinese ef- World Trade Organization
Associated Press anniversary of the coun- forts to establish sovereign- rules — a policy that Japan
tries' diplomatic ties. ty over islands that both has emphasized in recent
Associated Press ers of Japan and Vietnam In a statement after their countries claim. trade disputes with the
TOKYO (AP) — The lead- agreed Thursday to bolster talks, they called for a non- Abe has also been pushing United States..q