While Russia was invited by the government of Syria, the United States has no such permission, neither from Damascus nor the United Nations.
“The United States does not advertise its bases very much, and the fact that these bases do not have a legal basis is also obvious to all,” Lavrov told NBC News.
“It turns out that, by and large, Mr. Pompeo wants the same thing as us in Syria, only several times more. One more big difference: we do not hide our two bases, they are created and operate on the basis of intergovernmental agreements, and their task is to assist in the fight against terrorists.”
Pompeo claimed on Thursday that the Russian presence in Syria was due in part to Moscow’s wish to “stick it” to the US, but Lavrov pointed out that he had read there were no less than 10 US bases in Syria.
Pompeo added during his interview with Fox News, that he had seen no strong evidence that Moscow was determined to defeat ISIS in Syria and called their engagement in that fight “minimal”. When asked if Russia is America’s friend or adversary, Pompeo replied: “It’s complicated,” and added that it was clear that Russians “find anyplace they can to make our lives more difficult.”
Pompeo also renewed his criticism of Wikileaks, saying that he believed the website would “take down America any way it can” because it works with Russia, China and Iran.
Lavrov underlined in his response that the US presence in Syria was not lawful. “I don’t object to American bases in Syria as long as the Americans reiterate that their illegitimate presence in the Syrian Arab Republic, because, unlike us, they were not invited by the government,” Lavrov said. He added that the presence of foreign bases in Syria would be decided by the Damascus authorities alone.
The Russian Foreign Minister cited reports from Turkish state-owned media regarding the number of and whereabouts of multiple secret illegal US bases in Syria.
Turkish media is worried about the close relationship of the US to Kurdish forces in Syria which Turkey views as terrorists who threaten Turkish security and territorial integrity.
On Wednesday, US Defense Department spokesman Eric Pahon told Sputnik News that the release of sensitive military information by Turkish media could potentially disrupt US-led operations against ISIS.
Meanwhile president Donald Trump has ordered the CIA to stop funding Salafist terror groups in Syria, a policy of the former Barack Obama administration.
Since Trump took office, the general trajectory of US involvement in Syria shifted from arming jihadists to arming, funding and working in close military coordination with Kurdish forces.
The Russian presence in Syria is because the Syrian government asked Russia for a partnership in the fight against jihadist terrorism and Russia agreed to provide this assistance.
The two Russian military bases in Syria include a naval base and airfield. The coastal city of Tartus has hosted a naval supply and maintenance facility since 1971.
The Hmeymim airbase in Syria’s north, was constructed in 2015 to serve as strategic center for Russia’s fight against terrorism. In January 2017, Syria leased both bases to Russia for 49 years.