Russia says ready to continue to work with United States on Syria

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it was ready to work with the United States on Syria and would soon send experts to Geneva for talks with U.S. counterparts. The ministry quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir as saying in a statement the initiative was a result of a telephone call earlier on Wednesday between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. "The Russian Defence Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, on instructions from the President of the Russian Federation, are ready for further continuation of the joint work with our American partners on the Syrian problem," Poznikhir said. The United States earlier threatened to halt its diplomacy with Russia on Syria and it said it held Russia accountable for the use of incendiary bombs on Aleppo. "We count on our American partners to be ready to work together," Poznikhir said, adding that the situation in Syria has deteriorated significantly. "Opposition groups, taking advantage of the seven-day truce, replenished ammunition and weapons reserves, regrouped and moved to active offensive operations to capture new territories." Russia has also learned, Poznikhir said, that terrorist groups are preparing chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian army and residential areas in the eastern part of Aleppo. But, he added, "delivery of humanitarian aid to the most affected areas is being carried out." (Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Andrew Roche)