Sputnik - Syrian President Bashar Assad does not consider presence of the US military in Syria as helpful in fight against terrorism.





Moreover, Damascus did not consent to�the US military presence in�the area of�Manbij city, President Assad added.
"No, no, we didn't. Any foreign troops coming to�Syria without�our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one. And we don't think this is going to�help," Assad said in�an interview with�Chinese Phoenix Television, published by�the SANA news agency, in�response to�a question on�where the Syrian government gave a green light to�the deployment.


The United States has deployed a small number of�additional troops to�Syria's Manbij on�a new mission focused on�reassurance and deterrence, US Department of�Defense spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said in�a briefing on�March 6.


"We have made visible actions in�deploying US forces as�part of�the coalition in�and around�Manbij to�reassure and deter, and that is to�deter parties from�attacking any other parties other than�ISIS [Daesh] itself," Davis told reporters.

There is no room yet for�cooperation between�the United States and Syria, despite�common task in�fighting terrorism, Syrian President Bashar Assad emphasized.
"Yeah, in�theory, yes, but�practically, not yet, because there�s no link between�Syria and the United States on�the formal level. Even their raids against�ISIS that I just mentioned, which are only a few raids, happened without�the cooperation or the consultation with�the Syrian Army or the Syrian government which is illegal as�we always say. So, theoretically we share those goals, but�particularly, not yet," Assad said in�an interview with�Chinese Phoenix Television, published by�the SANA news agency.


The president also noted that the only serious force that effectively fights against�Daesh in�Syria is Russia.
"The only serious party in�that regard is Russia, which is effectively attacking ISIS in�cooperation with�us," Assad said in�an interview with�Chinese Phoenix Television, published by�the SANA news agency.


He added that the presence of�the United States, on�the other hand, was not helpful in�fight against�terrorism.

"They [the United States] didn�t succeed anywhere they sent troops, they only create a mess; they are very good in�creating problems and destroying, but�they are very bad in�finding solutions," Assad said commenting on�the presence of�US troops in�Syria.

Geneva Peace Talks

Speaking about�the latest round�of Geneva peace talks, Bashar Assad said that the Syrian government did not expect the negotiations to�produce any results but�considers the meeting to�be a first step in�the right direction.
"We didn't expect Geneva to�produce anything, but�it�s a step, and it�s going to�be a long way, and you may have other rounds, whether in�Geneva or in�Astana," Assad said in�an interview with�Chinese Phoenix Television, published by�the SANA news agency.


He stressed that the Syrian government went to�the talks despite�reserves over�what it considers terrorist groups being represented in�the opposition delegation as�it hopes that terrorists could give up�their ideology and return to�normal life.


"We went to�that meeting because we think any kind of�dialogue could be a good step toward�the solution, because even those people who are terrorists or belonging to�the terrorists or to�other countries, they may change their mind and go back to�their normality by�going back to�being real Syrians," the president said.

UN-backed Syrian peace talks in�Geneva were meant to�be used by�various states as�a tool to�apply pressure on�the Syrian government rather than�strive for�settling the country's six-year conflict, Syrian President Bashar Assad said Saturday.
"We didn't forge this mechanism; it was forged by�de Mistura and the UN with�the influence of�the countries that wanted to�use those negotiations in�order to�make pressure on�Syria, not to�reach any resolution," Assad said in�an interview with�Chinese Phoenix Television, published by�the SANA news agency.


The latest round�of Geneva talks did not involve actual settlement negotiations but�merely outlined the shape of�future discussions, he added.