Russia's Halt of Syria Flight Memo Logical Response to US Coalition Actions - MP

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow’s decision to halt its bilateral cooperation with the United States within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in Syria is a logical response to the provocative actions repeatedly taken by the US-led coalition against the Syrian army, Russian State Duma International Affairs Committee Chair Leonid Slutsky said Monday.

On Sunday, a US jet shot down a Syrian Su-22 fighter-bomber near the city of Tabqah. The US-led coalition issued a statement alleging that Syrian aircraft attacked Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions, explaining that the coalition downed the Syrian jet as a part of "collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces." Damascus claimed that the aircraft was carrying out a mission against Daesh (terrorist group banned in Russia).

"The suspension of the memorandum on flights over Syria with the United States by Russia is a logical reaction to provocative actions of the Western coalition toward pro-government forces and the Syrian army. The Syrian fighter aircraft, which was shot down on June 18, became the last straw," Slutsky told reporters.

According to Slutsky, this incident is yet another example of the adverse tendency of international law and sovereignty violations by Western countries in Syria.

"This doesn't go in line with the fight against terrorism, rather it is the other way round," Slutsky  said.

The memorandum on safe flight over Syria was signed by Russia and the United State after Russia launched its air campaign in Syria in September 2015 at the request of Syria's government. The memorandum stipulated an exchange of information regarding the two countries' flights in Syria's skies in order to prevent incidents.

The US-led coalition has been fighting against Daesh in Syria without permission by Damascus. The anti-Daesh coalition is also supporting the Kurdish-led SDF militias advancing on Raqqa.