Russia wants anti-IS alliance with US, France and even Turkey

Image
AFP Paris
Last Updated : Nov 25 2015 | 2:42 PM IST
Russia would be prepared to "create a joint staff" to fight the Islamic State in which Moscow would work with France, the United States and even Turkey, the Russian ambassador to France said today.
"We are prepared to... Plan strikes on Daesh (IS) positions together and create a joint staff with France, the US, with all the countries who want to be in this coalition," said Alexander Orlov.
He told Europe 1 radio that despite rising tensions after Turkey downed a Russian military jet on Tuesday, "if the Turks want to be in (the joint staff) as well, they are welcome".
Speaking following talks at the White House between French President Francois Hollande and Barack Obama yesterday, the US president said it would be "enormously helpful" if Russia would work with the US and others to bring about an end to the war in Syria.
But Obama cautioned that US forces could only work with Russian forces if Moscow concentrated its bombing in Syria on Islamic State jihadists, and not on other rebel groups opposed to Moscow's ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Addressing the downing of the Russian jet by a Turkish air-to-air missile, Obama also said that if Russia focused on hitting IS targets "some of those conflicts or potentials for mistakes or escalation are less likely to occur".
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 25 2015 | 2:42 PM IST

Next Story