NEW YORK (United Nations). Aug 28 (Interfax) - The Syrian military has neither chemical weapons nor plans to use any, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Tuesday.
"The Syrian Armed Forces do not have any chemical weapons or plans to use any. There is no military need for this, as we have said repeatedly," Nebenzya said at an emergency UN Security Council session on the Idlib situation.
"Nobody in their right mind would use means that are useless from the military perspective in order to draw return fire from three mighty powers. But the latter, having made an announcement, may wait for militants to stage a provocation and then begin bombing," he said.
Such "nefarious plans" are clear to the Russian side, Nebenzya said.
"We strongly recommend refraining from [such plans]. Their execution would be a blow to the Syria settlement and wouldn't help the militants you're covering for," he said.