Russia has dismissed US concerns about an alleged Russian military build-up in Syria which US Secretary of State John Kerry said could lead to escalation of the conflict in the war-torn country.
Kerry made his views known to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a telephone conversation on Saturday, after President Vladimir Putin denied Russia's involvement in military operations against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, reported Xinhua.
According to a statement by the US Department of State, Kerry "made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict".
The two discussed different aspects of the situation in Syria, as well as the objectives of the fight against the IS and other terrorist groups.
Both talked about "cooperation" between Moscow and Washington in "supporting UN efforts aimed at launching a political process in Syria".
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