Tension seems slightly defused between Moscow, Washington following US missile strike on Syria

The tension that has heightened between Moscow and Washington following the later's missile attack on a Syrian air base seems to have been defused, at least slightly, analysts say.


Tension between Russia and the US has heightened following the missile strike launched last Friday by the US against the Shayrat Air Base in central Syria, with Moscow announcing suspending the flight safety agreement with Washington.

The deal ensured flight safety over Syria where both Russian and US planes have been carrying airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) group and other radical groups for years.

The US launched the strike on Syria in retaliation to alleged chemical attack the Syrian air force launched on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province in northwestern Syria.

The Syrian government categorically denied the accusations, which were read by observers as hasty and couldn't be verified in the short time between the incident in Khan Sheikhoun and the launch of the US missile strike.

Also, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution provided by US, Britain and France, amid tension in the venue between the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, and his British counterpart, Matthew Rycroft, over remarks on Syria.

Still, the frenzy of the chemical strike and the possibility of another US strike are now slim, with observers saying the administration of President Bashar al-Assad, and his allies, Russia and Iran, well-absorbed the US strike through a diplomatic attack in the UN Security Council with the Russian veto.
  [Xinhua/globaltimes.cn]
14/4/17