Canadian, Russian officials set aside differences to talk terrorism

OTTAWA The Canadian government hosted talks with counter-terrorism officials from Russia this week despite persistent tensions between the two countries.

The discussions were held Thursday in Ottawa, the first such meeting in years after Canada suspended much of its contact with the Russian government because of the latter country’s actions in Ukraine.

Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Natasha Nystrom described the meeting as “an exchange of perspectives” between senior counter-terrorism officials from both countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the fight against terrorism a priority for his country, which saw 16 people killed when a suicide bomber struck the St. Petersburg subway system in April.

A group with links to alQaida claimed responsibility.

The Russian leader has also asked for closer co-operation between his country and the West in fighting terrorists, most recently in the wake of the deadly London Bridge stabbing earlier this month.

Nystrom played down any significance to Thursday’s meeting, saying Canadian officials “regularly engage with other governments, including Russia, about how to combat global terrorism.

“Our engagement with Russia is focused on Canada’s national interests,” she added, “be they in the Arctic, counterterrorism, or other international security issues.”

Russia and Canada share concerns about the threat posed by terrorists on many fronts, not least when it comes to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Moscow reported Friday that it was investigating whether one of its airstrikes in Syria had killed the reclusive leader of ISIL, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump also agreed during a telephone call in May to work more closely in the fight against terrorism.

One Russian official, speaking on background because he wasn’t authorized to comment publicly, described Thursday’s meetings as a positive development in his country’s ties with Canada.

There have been allegations that Putin’s call for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism is intended to divert attention away from Russia’s actions in Eastern Europe and other places.