US could face undesired consequences if talks with Russia about Syria don't resume

Russia has warned the United States of “unintended incidents” if U.S. fails to start direct military-to-military cooperation near Syria. The news comes as the U.S. accuses Moscow of preparing its forces needed to protect Syrian President Bashar-Al-Assad government.

While the U.S. is continuing its airstrikes against Islamic States militants, in Syria, the presence of the Russian forces would escalate the prevailing tensions between the two countries when they face each other at the Syrian battlefield.

According to the U.S. officials, Russia has been involved in building manpower and equipments in a bid to combat the ISIS. While they both see ISIS as the common enemy, Russia favours Assad’s government unlike the U.S..

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russian forces have been deployed in Syria to help Assad’s government fight the Islamic State militants and train Syrian security forces with the proper usage of the equipment.

But Lebanese sources have told Reuters that a few Russian troops have also been involved in combat operations, supporting the Assad government.

Following the standard international law, Russia is involved in building naval drills in the eastern Mediterranean that was planned long before, Lavrov confirmed.

Lavrov said Washington’s decision to cut off direct military-to-military cooperation between NATO forces and Russia following the Ukraine crisis could result in “undesired and unintended incidents,” which otherwise could have been avoided.

"If, as (U.S. Secretary of State) John Kerry has said many times, the United States wants those channels frozen, then be our guest,” he said . On the contrary, U.S. officials say they are unaware of Russia’s intentions in Syria.

As a part of a strategic objective, Moscow, which is an old ally of the Assad government, has maintained its naval base Tartous, which is situated on the Mediterranean coast of Syria.

In the recent past, the demands for Assad to leave Syria have softened, with his staunchest opponents from the European States ready to bargain only in an attempt to end the five-year-long civil war that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.

Earlier this week, Britain, which has been against Assad since the war began, has said that he could stay in power only if it helps to end the Syrian Civil War. Similarly, Austria and Spain are also ready to go into negotiations with the Syrian government if deemed necessary for the war to end.

While western and Arab countries have supported the Syrian opposition that demands Assad’s resignation, Assad has refused to step down, resulting in the continuation of the war for almost five years.

The difference in opinion between the U.S. and Moscow over Assad’s future have prevented them from fighting together to eliminate the Islamic State, which now controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.

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