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Global

Russia says seeks coordination over Syria to avoid 'incidents'


    MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday coordination was needed between Russia's military and the Pentagon to avoid "unintended incidents" around Syria, where both countries have a military presence.

    Lavrov said Russia would continue to supply weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to help the Syrian armed forces fight against Islamic State militants.

    He told a news conference Russia was conducting military exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, that it had been for some time, and that they were in line with international law.

    He said the Pentagon had suspended operational cooperation with the Russian military, but that this should be resumed since both the U.S. military and Russia's armed forces were operating in and around Syria.

    (Reporting by Christian Lowe; Editing by Andrew Osborn)