US asks Greece to deny Russian flights to Syria

Date

9/7/2015 11:48:11 PM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

The file photo shows Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem (back to camera) attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow Russia June 29 2015. (Reuters)

ATHENS: The United States has asked Greece to bar Russian supply flights to Syria from its airspace a Greek official said Monday as Moscow vowed to continue arming the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

"We received the (US) request on Saturday and are examining it" a Greek foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Washington is concerned that Moscow could be increasing its military support to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad an issue raised by US Secretary of State John Kerry to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the weekend.

The New York Times has reported that Russia has sent a military advance team to Syria and was taking other steps that Washington fears may signal plans to vastly expand its military support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia has asked Greece to permit the passage of two planes between September 1 and 24 the Greek official said.

Moscow has dismissed American concerns saying its aid to al-Assad is nothing extraordinary.

AFP

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