Date: Aug 29, 2018 Source: The Daily Star Russia building military presence off Syrian coast: reports Agence France Presse MOSCOW/TEHRAN: Moscow is reinforcing its military presence in the Mediterranean near Syria, Russian media reported Tuesday, as speculation grows that Damascus is planning a Russian-backed offensive on rebel-held Idlib province. Moscow has accused rebels of planning to stage a chemical attack in the northwestern province that would “provoke” Western strikes on its ally Damascus. Quoting anonymous sources, the Kommersant daily reported that Russia sent two warships and an additional anti-aircraft missile system to the Mediterranean in August. Pro-Kremlin paper Izvestia said Russia currently has 10 warships and two submarines in Syrian waters, saying this amounted to Moscow’s biggest military presence there since it became involved in the conflict in 2015. According to Izvestia, Russia plans to send “several more” warships to Syria. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov reiterated Moscows charge that the militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham “is close to committing a very serious provocation in Idlib using chemical weapons.” Moscow had also accused British secret services of being “actively involved” in the plot. That brought a heated denial Tuesday from Britain’s U.N. ambassador. “Even by the egregious standards of Russian propaganda, this is an extraordinary allegation,” Karen Pierce said during a Security Council session on the humanitarian situation in Syria. “It is wholly untrue.” She said the claim was either aimed at disseminating “fake news” or “as a smoke screen for a possible impending attack by the Syrian regime, once again against its own people, in Idlib.” “I repeat the statement that I, the French and the Americans made earlier about responding appropriately,” she added. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton last week warned Syria’s government against using chemical weapons to retake Idlib and vowed a tough response if it does. Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stood by the allegations, saying “if the Defense Ministry says something, then it says that based on concrete facts.” Damascus still holds the southeastern tip of Idlib, a strategically important province adjacent to Latakia on the Mediterranean coast that is home to President Bashar Assad’s clan. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday the Russian military was in talks with leaders of armed groups in Idlib province to reach a peace settlement, Russian news agency RIA reported. Shoigu said the aim of the Idlib talks was to reach peaceful resolution similar to the settlements in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta and Deraa, RIA said. Shoigu also said Syria would be ready to accept 1 million returning refugees following Moscow-backed reconstruction work.Separately, Tehran’s military attache to Damascus Brig. Gen. Abolghasem Alinejad said Iran will maintain its military presence in Syria, revealing more details about a military cooperation deal Tehran and Damascus signed this week. “Iran will help Syria in clearing minefields in different parts of the country ... Iran will help Syria to rebuild the military factories that were damaged in the war,” Alinejad said, according to the Fars and Tabnak news agencies. A senior Israeli official said in an anonymous statement to reporters that Israel’s military “will continue to act with full determination against attempts by Iran to transfer military forces and weapons systems to Syria.” In other developments, U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura invited the United States, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, France and Egypt for talks in Geneva on Sept. 14, two days after he receives officials from Russia, Turkey and Iran for previously announced talks. “This is going to be an opportunity to discuss the way ahead on the political process,” U.N. spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said. De Mistura is tasked with forming a committee of Syrian citizens to draw up the new constitution, after receiving nominations from the Syrian government and the opposition. The discussions about setting up a constitutional committee have made slow progress and represent a big downgrade in the United Nations’ ambitions for Syrian peace talks.