Russia, US Sign Memorandum on Air Safety over Syria
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The United States and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes measures so their pilots steer clear of each other as they conduct separate bombing campaigns in Syria, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the document was signed earlier in the day and took immediate effect.
"There's a series of protocols in place that effectively are intended to avoid any sort of risk of a mid-air incident between our air crews and Russian air crews," Cook said.
He further said: "If they follow these protocols, we should not have the risk of engagement with Russian air crews over Syria."
Moscow also reported that both countries had signed the memorandum.
The Pentagon said Russia had initially asked for "de-confliction" talks with the United States after Moscow launched its air war in Syria on September 30 against "ISIL" terrorist group.
Cook said the memorandum establishes several protocols aimed at maintaining professional airmanship, as well as the use of radio frequencies and the creation of a secondary line of communication on the ground.
However, he was quick to stress that the understanding did not signal broader agreement with Russia's Syria strategy.
"The MOU does not establish zones of cooperation, intelligence-sharing or any sharing of target information in Syria." he said.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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