[maz]

U.S. Senator Meets with Syria's Assad, Claims West Is Planning Fake Chemical Attack

epublican State Senator Richard Black of Virginia has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and claimed to have knowledge of an alleged Western plot to stage a chemical weapons attack there as a pretext for military action.

Black, an Army veteran, traveled to Syria on Wednesday to express his support for the government's war against insurgents and jihadis who rose up in a 2011 rebellion backed by the West, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. The U.S. and its allies have accused Assad of war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons, but the Syrian leader and his Russian and Iranian allies have alleged that such incidents were "false flag" plots conjured up to justify foreign intervention.

As the Syrian military prepares for a major showdown with the final Islamist-held province of Idlib, U.S. officials have claimed that Assad may order the use of restricted poison gas, while Russia has claimed that the U.K. was working with local militants in an apparent attempt to stage such an incident. In an interview with regional media the following day, Black sided with the pro-Syrian government camp.

"We knew about four weeks ago that British intelligence was planning to work to stage a false flag chemical attack to pretend that it was the fault of Syria and to blame it on Syria and then to come to the rescue of Al-Qaeda," Black told Al Mayadeen, a Lebanese outlet that is supportive of the Syrian government and its allies.

Putin: Russia has proof that militants prepare provocations with chemical weapons in Syria

In light of this Putin informed his colleagues about the work carried out by Russia in the UN Security Council and the OPCW

Russia has conclusive proof that militants are preparing provocations involving chemical weapons in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference after a trilateral summit between Russia, Turkey and Iran.

"We consider as unacceptable the wish to move terrorists away from the blow at the pretext of protecting civilian population, as well as to inflict damage to the Syrian government forces," he said. "Apparently, attempts to stage the use of poisonous agents by the Syrian authorities have this goal."

"We have conclusive evidence that militants are preparing such operations and provocations," the Russian leader noted.

Putin reported that in light of this he informed his colleagues about the work carried out by Russia in the UN Security Council and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). "I’d like to note here that Syrian armed opposition groups are also joining the anti-terrorist efforts, which I consider to be extremely important," he noted, specifying that this fact helps improve confidence between the Syrian sides.

The Russian state leader noted that during the summit the state leaders also studied the implementation of the decisions made by the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue in Sochi. "Special attention was paid to the tasks of launching the constitutional committee, and agreement was reached to support the UN work to form its composition out of representatives for the Syrian government, the opposition and civil society," he concluded, noting it will be necessary to coordinate such aspects of Syria’s future organization that will provide peaceful life for its citizens.

[Bulaba Khan Jones]

"Maybe this nth time pretending the government has attacked Al Qaeda militants with chemical weapons will convince everyone!"