CRI听力:Putin, Hollande Agree to Work More Closely in Fight against Terrorism in Syria

Francois Hollande and Vladmir Putin, meeting in Moscow, have agreed to increase intelligence sharing, intensify their airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, as well as coordinate on which targets to select when launching strikes.

Russia's stated military mandate when it entered into the Syrian conflict at the start of September on behalf of the Syrian government was to eliminate "terrorists."

This is a term the Syrian government has used to describe both the Islamic State and opposition forces which are fighting to try to overthrow his administration.

Following his meeting with Hollande, Putin has suggested there is room to moderate what the term "terrorist" means.

"There are I think other forces that speak of their readiness to fight against terrorism. We are now trying to build a relationship with them, with some we have already built that, and as I have already repeatedly said we will be ready to support and their forces too in the fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations the same as we support the army of Assad."

Differences, however, remain between the two leaders over the future of Bashar al-Assad.

"I think that the fate of the President of Syria should lie entirely in the hands of the Syrian people."

Russia has maintained a long-standing relationship with the Assad administration, going back to the days of the former Soviet Union, when Bashar's father Hafez authorized the creation of a Soviet Naval facility in Syria.

Russia still maintains the facility at Tartus, which is Russia's only remaining port in the Mediterranean.

However, French President Francois Hollande has allied his administration with the US position that political change is needed in Syria to bring the fighting to an end.

"I believe that we must respect the following principle, if we want to ensure a political transition. The executive power should be entrusted to an independent government of national unity, during the time of transition. This transition will have to achieve a constitution, and elections including all the communities as well as the members of the diaspora. And regarding France, it is clear that Bashar (Al-Assad) doesn't have a place in the future of Syria."

At the same time, Hollande has also been unable to convince Putin to create a so-called "grand coalition" to fight the Islamic State in Syria.

Hollande has been pressing Putin and other leaders in Europe to work jointly in Syria, something Putin has been unwilling to do.

Putin has also used his meeting with Hollande to blast France's NATO ally Turkey for not offering an apology for downing a Russian fighter jet this week.

Their 90-minute discussion has also included French support for the investigation into the downing of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt at the end of October which killed all 224 people onboard.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The two leaders have also agreed to meet again on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris set to get underway next week.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.