Russia 'would consider Syria deployment'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday denied reports that Russian combat troops were already fighting in Syria, but he said a request by Damascus would be "discussed and considered."

"If there is a request… then in the framework of a bilateral dialogue it would be, naturally, discussed and considered," Peskov told journalists in a conference call. "For now, it's difficult to speak hypothetically."

Russia has supported President Bashar al-Assad since the outbreak of unrest, which turned into a bloody civil war, in 2009. Moscow claims Assad and his regime are a bulwark against the self-styled "Islamic State" (IS) and should be given backing.

The White House said on Thursday that it was prepared to discuss military operations in Syria with Russia. The US claims Russia is staging a military build-up in the country from the Latakia air base, and has warned that helping to prop up President Bashar al-Assad's regime would prolong the conflict.

Need to know 'intentions'

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said he would be open to discussions, but would first want to know what Moscow's intentions were in Syria. Almost all military dialogue between the US and Russia has been suspended since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine In 2014.

Russia's Director of Federal Security Sergei Smirnov was reported as saying on Friday that some 2,400 Russian nationals were fighting with IS. Smirnov also told the RIA news agency that as many as 3,000 nationals from former Soviet republics in Central Asia may have joined up. The security chief added that the number of migrants arriving in Europe from the Middle East potentially posed a "great threat" to Russia.

"The assertion that Moscow's support negatively impacts the situation in Syria - and the flow of refugees in particular - is not true. This is due to the expansion of Islamic State in the region," he said.

Smirnov added that there were "some countries that try to evade" international cooperation on fighting terrorism.

Russia on Thursday urged the US and its allies to engage the Syrian government as a "partner" in the fight against IS.

rc/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)