President Obama may cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria

(Baonghean.vn) - The administration of US President Barack Obama has proposed a new agreement on Syria with Russia, which includes increased military cooperation between the two sides in the fight against terrorist groups. In return, Russia will influence the Assad government to stop bombing US-backed forces.

US-backed opposition groups may be spared government air strikes. Photo: Pakistan Today.

According to information published by Independent on June 30, the US side sent this proposal to Russia on June 27 after many weeks of bilateral negotiations as well as discussions within the Obama administration.

Key to the deal is a US commitment to share targeting information and coordinate Russian air force bombing campaigns against Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, which is fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The agreement, which was personally approved by US President Barack Obama with the support of Secretary of State John Kerry, will see the US and Russian militaries cooperate at the highest level ever – something Russia has long wanted. In return, Russia agreed to pressure the Assad regime to stop bombing opposition groups that the US has not listed as terrorists.

Under the agreement, the US will not provide Russia with precise information about the locations of these opposition groups, but will delineate geographical areas considered safe from airstrikes by the Assad regime.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter opposed the new agreement. Mr. Ashton Carter said that for Russia, the agreement is not simply a solution to the Syria problem, but also demonstrates Russia's important role in regional issues, gradually breaking the isolation of Russia that the West has tried to create since the Ukraine crisis. However, in the end, Mr. Ashton Carter had to follow the President's decision.

Thuy Ngoc

(According to Independent)