Russia has proposed to the US-led coalition that they stage joint air strikes on Syrian rebels, including militant Islamist group Nusra Front, who are not observing a ceasefire, but the United States responded coolly on Friday.
Such action would begin as of May 25 and be coordinated with the Syrian government, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told a Defence Ministry meeting broadcast on state television on Friday, adding Moscow reserved the right to stage strikes unilaterally.
He said joint air strikes should also target convoys carrying weapons and ammunition crossing into Syria from Turkey.
"We believe the adoption of these measures will allow a transition to a peaceful process to be achieved in the entire territory of Syria," he said. "Of course, these measures have been coordinated with the leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic."
Shoigu said discussions with US military experts based in Jordan and other counterparts in Geneva had begun on Thursday.
But the United States made clear on Friday it had little interest in the idea, noting Russia has floated similar proposals in the past and stressing that it expected Moscow to pressure its ally the Syrian government and to avoid unilateral strikes.
Western officials suggested that the proposal, which the Pentagon said had not been formally presented to the US Defence Department, was an attempt by President Vladimir Putin to raise Russia's profile on the international stage.
"There is no agreement to conduct joint air strikes with the Russians in Syria," said US State Department spokesman John Kirby.
He added that the United States believed that the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad was responsible for most of the violations of the fitful ceasefire that began on February 27.
"We look to Russia to end such (government) violations, which includes strikes that have hit civilians and civilian facilities," he said.
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