U.S. hopes to resume cooperation with Russia on Syria: State Department

By Azernews

By Gunay Hasanova

The U.S. administration is considering a new possibility of military cooperation with Russia to coordinate the strikes against terrorist groups in Syria.

By summarily shutting down lines of communication last week, the U.S accused Moscow of violating the terms of a ceasefire agreement for the country that had been hammered out just weeks earlier.

Recently, State Department spokesman John Kirby said that the United States expects to resume work with Russia on Syria, RIA Novosti reported on October 12.

"Secretary of State (United States, John Kerry) said very clearly that we have suspended the cooperation, but that does not mean that we stop it forever,” said Kirby at a regular briefing.

He also stressed that that Moscow "does not comply with its obligations” reached under the agreements, and expressed regret on the matter.

"Of course, we want to stop the bombing, but also we want to achieve a nationwide ceasefire,” said Kirby, answering the questions of reporters what the U.S. wants in the first place: to stop bombing in Aleppo or achieving a truce in Syria.

The situation in Syria Aleppo has extremely deteriorated lately as heavy battles are going on in the city and its outskirts.

The U.S. accused the Syrian authorities and the Russian Federation of bombing peaceful civilians and armed opposition. Damascus and Moscow insist that strike blows only at the terrorists and accuses Washington of failing to pressure on the troops of "moderate opposition" so that they separate themselves from the terrorists.

Russia using the veto blocked the UN Security Council resolution proposed by France for the introduction of the ceasefire in Syrian Aleppo. The Russian draft resolution was not accepted, as well.

Previously, the spokesperson of the U.S. State Department John Kirby announced that the United States has suspended “bilateral channel" with Russia created to maintain the ceasefire in Syria.

In addition, the press secretary of the White House Joshua Ernest expressed disappointment over Russia's response to them by suspending the agreement with the U.S. Plutonium Disposition.

In turn, the Russia side stressed that this step made the situation much more complex, pointing to the persistent danger of terrorists spread in Syria and difficulties in the peaceful resolution of the civil war in the country.

The two countries own the world's largest stockpiles of plutonium that can be used for nuclear weapons.

During the April 2010 Nuclear Security Summit, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed a protocol amending the 2000 Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA), which commits each country to dispose of no less than 34 metric tons (MT) of excess weapon-grade plutonium and envisions disposition of more weapon-grade plutonium over time.

The Protocol reaffirms both countries’ commitment to nuclear disarmament under Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by ensuring that excess weapon-grade plutonium is never again used for nuclear weapons or any other military purpose.

However, a Russian presidential decree made public on October 3 says the implementation of the U.S.-Russia Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) must be put on hold, "due to Washington's unfriendly actions toward Russia”.