Dunford-Gerasimov Meeting Prepared for Several Months

The General of the Marine Corps, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford and the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov discussed a broad range of issues at a meeting in Baku on Thursday.

The military leaders exchanged views on US-Russian military relations and international security situation in Europe, the Middle East and in other key regions.

The US and Russian military have made efforts to improve the safety of military operations in order to reduce the risk of unintended incidents.

They also agreed to intensify contacts in order to ensure stabilization measures. This is stated in the message by the representative of the Pentagon, published on the website of the US military.

It was the first personal meeting between the two military commanders, who spoke on the phone earlier.

“It is important to see the face of the person with whom you speak,” said a party to the talks, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie.

Although it has never been difficult to contact by phone, there is a definite advantage to sit and look at each other at the table,” said McKenzie.

It was the first meeting at this level since January 2014, when Gerasimov met with the then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey in Brussels.

Since that meeting there have been major events in the world: Russia illegally annexed Crimea, intervened in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, and sent troops, planes and ships to Syria to support the regime of Bashir al-Assad. In addition, the Russian ships and planes made provocative and dangerous actions in the Black and Baltic Seas, according to the Pentagon report.

“Therefore, the meeting of two commanders in Baku is a step to ensure the operational contact between the armed forces of the two countries. Two generals did not discuss political issues, it was a meeting to understand and feel each other, to establish contact, as it is very difficult to do it on the phone,” said McKenzie.

The meeting was prepared for a few months, the General added, and stressed that such a contact is particularly important when the military of the two countries are in close proximity to each other, as is the case in Syria. -02D-

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Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with his Russian counterpart, Army Gen. Valery Gerasimov in Baku and  discussed the current state of the military relationship between the United States and Russia.