Russia says ready to liaise with U.S. coalition on Syria strikes

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia is ready to open "standing channels of communication" with the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State militants in Syria in a bid to boost the fight against "terrorist groups," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday. Russia said it had launched air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria on Wednesday, an assertion that was disputed by the United States and France, which suspect Moscow of shoring up support for President Bashar al-Assad against other opposition groups in the civil war. "We have informed the authorities of the United States and other members of the coalition created by the Americans and are ready to forge standing channels of communication to ensure the maximum effective fight against the terrorist groups," Lavrov told the United Nations Security Council. Russia asked the 15-member Security Council to approve international military efforts to fight Islamic State militants. A Russian draft resolution, seen by Reuters, welcomes efforts of states fighting Islamic State, al Qaeda, Nusrah Front and other groups in the region and calls upon those states "to coordinate their activities with the consent of the States, in the territories of which such activities are conducted." In the case of Syria, this would mean coordinating military activities with Assad's government. Russia circulated the draft resolution to the Security Council during a meeting on counter terrorism chaired by Lavrov. Russia is president of the council for September. The U.S.-led coalition informed Syria when it began air strikes a year ago but did not seek permission. The coalition members say they are acting in collective self-defence at the request of neighbouring Iraq. Russia said Syria had requested its military assistance. Lavrov said Russia backed U.N. efforts to get the Syrian parties talking to end the war that began more than four years ago after Assad cracked down on anti-government protests. Lavrov said there was a need for "an inclusive and balanced outside assistance for the political process." He said this group should consist of Russia, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, the European Union and China. "We believe that such a composition of outside sponsors acting in a united way are in a position to assist Syrians in reaching agreement based on common objectives to prevent the creation of an extremist caliphate," Lavrov said. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau, writing by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Grant McCool)