Russian, US chiefs of staff discuss situation in Syria

MOSCOW - 22 March 2018: Head of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford discussed Syria on the phone and agreed on further contacts, the Russian Defense Ministry was quoted as saying by TASS news agency on Wednesday.

"On March 21, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, Deputy Defense Minister, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov had a phone conversation with Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the United States’ Joint Chiefs of Staff," the defense ministry said.

They "discussed issues concerning the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic along with other pressing issues of mutual interest," it added.

"Gerasimov and Dunford agreed to continue bilateral contacts," the ministry said.