Policymakers in Moscow and Washington are searching for ways to bring cooperation between the two countries to a whole new level with regard to fighting terrorism in Syria, but challenges, particularly the fate of President Bashar al-Assad, complicate these efforts, former US envoy to Syria Richard Murphy told Radio Sputnik.




"The leak suggests a serious effort in�Moscow and Washington to�find some greater common ground on�targeting the terrorists," he said, referring to�unconfirmed media reports that the Obama Administration proposed a new deal with�Russia on�Syria.


Under the agreement, the United States and Russia will join forces to�improve targeting and conduct an "expanded" bombing campaign against�al-Nusra Front, the Washington Post reported earlier this week, citing an unnamed official.

Both countries consider al-Qaeda's offshoot in�Syria to�be a terrorist organization. But they differ on�some other rebel groups, who coordinate their attacks with�al-Nusra Front. Washington views some of�them as "moderate" and does not want Russian aircraft to�launch airstrikes against�them. For its part, Moscow has repeatedly asked the US to�convince such groups to�leave territories where al-Nusra Front is active.

The deal, if true, will bring cooperation between�the two militaries to "an unprecedented level."

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="735"] Russian warplanes at Hemeimeem air base in Syria[/caption]

The Kremlin refrained from�commenting on�the issue, but�Russian leadership has long called on�Washington to�join efforts to�combat Daesh once and for�all. For its part, the White House has been reluctant to�accept Moscow's offer.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Syria is the key battleground when it comes to�tackling international terrorism. "It is in�Syria that the fight against�terrorism is being decided," hesaid.

Putin praised Russian service personnel and diplomats for�doing their best to�handle terrorist groups and bringing peace to�the war-torn country. "At the same time, acting together with�the United States and other partners, we succeeded in�putting in�place a ceasefire in�parts of�Syria," he noted, adding that global challenges could only be resolved if major stakeholders work together.
"Both sides are looking to�enlarge the common ground to�work together, but�they are still suspicious of�each other," Murphy said. It is "unfortunate because we know that Russia has no interest in�assisting [Daesh], just the opposite. Certainly that's the American attitude."


This suspicion has been partially fueled by�a difference of�opinions on�the fate of Bashar al-Assad.


Russia views him as "a safeguard against�the collapse of�Syrian institutions," the former US Assistant Secretary of�State for�Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs noted. Washington sees things differently. For US policymakers, al-Assad's continuation in�office and inflexibility at�the negotiating table are detrimental to�Syrian government institutions, he explained.
The Syrian government and the opposition need to�come up�with "a new formula, a new relationship between�the government and the people to�bring this horrible situation to�an end or to�start getting towards�an end."


By Sputnik News