Leaked proposal shows US offering Russia military pact in Syria

PARIS — A leaked proposal shows the US offering Russia a new military pact against the Islamic State and al-Qaida in Syria.

The document published by The Washington Post calls for joint bombing operations, a command-and-control headquarters and other synchronised efforts.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will discuss the proposal in Moscow later on Thursday (July 14).

Such a partnership would undercut months of US criticism of Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

And it would put the US alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad’s chief international backer, despite years of American demands for Assad to leave power.

Russia would be getting what it has wanted. Washington previously rebuffed such cooperation with Moscow, accusing the Russians of using anti-terrorism as a pretext to protect Assad.

US officials say no agreement has yet been reached.

Meanwhile, Mr Assad said in an interview broadcast on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has never talked to him about leaving power, despite pressure from Washington for Assad to step down.

“They never said a single word regarding this,” Mr Assad told NBC News when asked whether Mr Putin or Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had talked to him about a political transition in Syria, where a civil war has raged since 2011.

Assad also said he is not concerned that Mr Putin and Mr Kerry will make a deal in Moscow that would force him from power.

“Because their politics, I mean, the Russian politics, is not based on making deals. It’s based on values,” Mr Assad said.

Mr Kerry faces strong opposition from US defence and intelligence officials who argue that Washington and Moscow have diametrically opposed objectives in the country. AGENCIES