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WORLD NEWSSaturday 12 December 2015

Putin: Russia provides air cover to Syrian opposition group

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, delivers his speech during a meeting with top military officials Moscow has been ac- tioning the need to coordi-
in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 11, 2015. Putin said the Russian military action helped change the cused by the West of strik- nate with the U.S.-led co-
situation in Syria, supporting the Syrian army offensive. ing moderate rebels to alition and Israel to ensure
back up Assad instead of flight safety.
(Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik/AP) its declared goal, the Is- Speaking on a visit to
lamic State group. Rome, Russian Foreign Min-
V. ISACHENKOV ize Russia’s military and said Army, a Western-backed Russia’s Defense Minister ister Sergey Lavrov offered
Associated Press its forces in Syria will “imme- opposition group fight- Sergei Shoigu said Rus- a rare praise for the U.S.-led
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia diately destroy” any target ing Syrian President Bashar sian warplanes have flown coalition, saying Moscow is
has provided air cover to threatening them, a strong Assad’s army. 4,000 combat sorties in Syr- glad to see it has “intensi-
a leading Western-backed warning to Turkey follow- Several hours later, Putin’s ia since Moscow launched fied its activities,” target-
opposition group in Syria, ing its downing of a Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov its air campaign on Sept. ing oil facilities and trucks
President Vladimir Pu- warplane at the Syrian bor- refuted the president’s 30, destroying 8,000 “ter- in IS-controlled territories.
tin said Friday, calling for der. statement that Russia is rorist” targets. He added He emphasized the need
closer coordination with Speaking at a meeting with sending weapons and sup- that Russia moved 214,000 to shut the Syrian border
the U.S.-allied coalition — top Defense Ministry offi- plies to the FSA. Peskov told metric tons of supplies to with Turkey, saying that Tur-
comments that may reflect cials, Putin said while sup- reporters that Putin meant support the military action key’s downing of a Russian
Moscow’s desire to narrow porting the Syrian govern- to say that Russia is sending in Syria and helped restore warplane amounted to a
differences with the West ment forces, Russia also has weapons and supplies to a tank repair factory in the “cover-up of terrorists.”
over the Syrian crisis. provided air cover, weap- Syrian government forces Syrian province of Homs. The downing of a Russian
At the same time, Putin ons and supplies to some but also provides air cover Without naming Turkey, Pu- bomber by a Turkish fight-
vowed to further modern- units of the Free Syrian to the FSA. tin said the military should er jet on Nov. 24, the first
respond in full force to any time a NATO member shot
further “provocations.” He down a Russian plane in
said the Russian military more than half a century,
base in Syria has been has badly strained the re-
beefed up with additional lations between Moscow
aircraft and air defense and Ankara.
weapons. Turkey said it downed the
“I order you to act in the Russian plane after it vio-
toughest way,” Putin said. lated its airspace for 17
“Any targets threatening seconds despite repeated
the Russian groups of forc- warnings, while Russia has
es or our land infrastructure insisted the plane had re-
should be immediately de- mained in Syrian airspace.
stroyed.” Putin has denounced the
At the same time, he said Turkish action as a “treach-
the military should “de- erous stab in the back” and
velop cooperation with all ordered the deployment
countries, which have a of S-400 long-range air de-
real interest in destroying fense missile systems to a
terrorists,” specifically men- Russian base in Syria. q

Syria’s Assad says he will not negotiate with armed groups

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Arabia that sought to form non-sectarian” transitional capital of Riyadh. and the opposition for any
Syrian President Bashar a unified opposition front government that would set Assad told EFE that Saudi person in the world does
Assad said in remarks pub- ahead of proposed talks a schedule for drafting a Arabia, the U.S. and some not mean armed” groups.
lished Friday that his gov- on ending Syria’s nearly new constitution and hold- Western countries “want The powerful Ahrar al-Sham
ernment will not negotiate five-year conflict. A peace ing a free and fair U.N.-su- terrorist groups to join the group pulled out of the
with armed groups, calling plan agreed to last month pervised election within 18 negotiations table.” He opposition conference in
them “terrorists” and saying by world powers meeting in months. Saudi Arabia has said they want his govern- Saudi Arabia on Thursday in
they will only talk to political Vienna set a Jan. 1 dead- been a key backer of Sunni ment to “negotiate with protest over the role given
opposition. line for the start of talks be- opposition blocs pushing terrorists and this is a mat- to groups it said are close
Assad’s comments to tween Assad’s government for Assad’s ouster, such as ter that I believe no one will to the Syrian government,
Spanish news agency EFE and opposition groups. the hard-line Jaysh al-Islam accept.” signaling continued divi-
were published by Syria’s Within six months, the ne- and Ahrar al-Sham groups The Syrian leader said “we sions among rival factions
state media Friday, a day gotiations are to establish that were at the two-day are ready to start negotia- ahead of the proposed
after a conference in Saudi a “credible, inclusive and talks in the Saudi Arabian tions with the opposition ... peace talks.q