Moscow Has Greek, Iranian Approval For Syria Flights - Russian News Agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Greece granted Russia the right to use its airspace for humanitarian flights to Syria on Aug. 31, TASS news agency quoted a Russian embassy official in Athens as saying on Wednesday.
The Russian agency added that the request covered the period from Sept. 1 to Sept. 24.
Separately, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted a Russian embassy official in Tehran as saying Iran had approved all of Moscow's requests on flights delivering humanitarian aid to Syria.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/World/2015/09/09/Moscow-has-Greek-Iranian-approval-for-Syria-flights--Russian-news-agencies/
U.S. Asks Greece To Deny Russian Flights To Syria
The United States has asked Greece to deny Russia the use of its airspace for supply flights to Syria, a Greek official said on Monday, after Washington told Moscow it was deeply concerned by reports of a Russian military build up in Syria.
The Greek foreign ministry said the request was being examined. Russian newswire RIA Novosti earlier said Greece had refused the U.S. request, adding that Russia was seeking permission to run the flights up to Sept. 24.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would not give any official reaction until there was a decision from Athens.
Russia, which has a naval maintenance facility in the Syrian port of Tartous, has sent regular flights to Latakia, which it has also used to bring home Russian nationals who want to leave.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Saturday that if reports of the build-up were accurate, that could further escalate the war and risk confrontation with the U.S.-led alliance that is bombing Islamic State in Syria.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/07/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-idUSKCN0R70WT20150907
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