Putin, Hollande agree to 'coordinate' military, security services on Syria: Kremlin

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and French leader Francois Hollande have agreed to step up cooperation between their military and intelligence services in Syria after the attacks in Paris and bombing of a Russian plane, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

"It has been agreed to assure closer contact and coordination between the military and security service agencies of the two countries in actions against terrorist groups by Russia and France in Syria," the Kremlin said in a statement following a phone call between Putin and Hollande.

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered the Russian navy in the Mediterranean to establish contact with its French counterparts and work together "as allies" in a campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria

Putin has also instructed his military to work out a joint Russian-French action plan against IS militants as he pushes the idea of establishing a broad anti-IS coalition that would involve both Russia and the West.

"It's necessary to establish direct contact with the French and work with them as allies," Putin told the military top brass at a meeting after French President Francois Hollande said the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.

"It's necessary to work out with them a plan of joint actions both at sea and in the air," Putin said, adding that both the chief of the general staff and the defense ministry had received orders to that effect.

Putin and Hollande will further discuss the fight against terrorism in a meeting in Moscow on November 26, the Kremlin said...
 AFP
 i24news.tv
17/11/15
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