Pentagon: No more talks with Russia over safety risks for pilots over Syria - Stripes: As Russia finishes its first major airbase in Syria with more than two dozen warplanes and new satellite imagery shows two more bases in the works, the Pentagon said Tuesday that Secretary of Defense Ash Carter does not plan to discuss deconflicting U.S. and coalition aircraft there without more Russian dialogue on political alternatives.
Carter had his first conversation Friday with his Russian counterpart, defense minister Sergei Shoigu. The two spoke at the behest of Russia, which has rapidly built an airbase in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad. On the Friday phone call, the defense leaders discussed their commitment to fight the Islamic State and began the dialogue necessary to reduce the risk to U.S., Russian and coalition pilots flying simultaneous missions over Syria’s skies.
The next discussion on deconfliction would depend on the Russians coming to the table with political options beyond bolstering the current Assad regime, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Friday.
