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Russia Responds to US Proposal to Coordinate Aircraft Operations Over Syria

WASHINGTON -- Moscow responded to Washington's proposal to coordinate aircraft movements over Syria , in a sign that Russia takes seriously the effort to avert a midair collision and other dangers.
Pentagon officials declined to describe the content of the Russian response to the U.S. military's proposals. They believe a second round of talks between the two militaries could happen as early as Saturday.
" The Department of Defense has received a formal response from the Russian ministry of defense regarding DoD's proposal to ensure safe air operations over Syria ," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said. "Department leaders are reviewing the Russian response, and talks are likely to take place as soon as this weekend."
Concerns over air safety were triggered after Russia began conducting airstrikes over Syria against forces unfriendly to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad late last month.
In recent days, two American fighters that were part of the U.S. airstrike campaign in Syria had to change course when a Russian jet came too close. An American drone and Russian jet also came close to each other, but in that incident, the distance was a few miles, U.S. officials said.
The Pentagon welcomed the Russian response to talk further about how to maintain safe skies over Syria even as they fear a larger diplomatic and military crisis in Syria with Russia's muscular intervention there.
The Pentagon and the Russian defense ministry have communicated little since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, and there is little if any coordination between the two militaries on any other issue.
Given Russia's active airstrike operations over Syria , U.S. officials feared that coalition and Russian aircraft could collide or pose other dangers to one another.
At Moscow's request, the two governments set up a video teleconference Oct. 1 to discuss how they could avoid the same airspace. The U.S. made a series of what American officials described as basic proposals about how to avoid each other's aircraft that are common for any aircraft operating in the same area.
Moscow hinted publicly earlier this week that it sought to cooperate with the U.S., but made no concrete response until Friday.
Write to Gordon Lubold at [e-mail]
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
10-09-15 2113ET
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