SYRIA: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hizbollah

Record ID: 278857

  • Title: SYRIA: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hizbollah
  • Date: 1st September 2006
  • Summary: (W3)DAMASCUS, SYRIA (SEPTEMBER1, 2006) (REUTERS) ANNAN GREETED FAREWELL BY SYRIAN OFFICIALS SYRIAN PLANE ON TARMAC
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA4YR4RCLNQZ8GDJZ5MF5XDG8Y8
  • Story Text: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Friday (September 1) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hizbollah under a U.N. resolution that halted Israel's war with the Lebanese group.
    "(I have) discussed with the president the question of arms embargo. While stating Syria's objection to the presence of foreign forces along the Syrian-Lebanese borders, the president committed to me that Syria shall take all necessary measures to implement in full paragraph 15 of the resolution 1701. That is the paragraph that deals with arms embargo and rearmament," Annan said in a news conference in Damascus, referring to a provision that bans illegal arms shipments to Lebanon.
    Speaking following his meeting with the Syrian president, Annan said al-Assad was committed to beef up border security and was ready to run joint patrols with the Lebanese army.
    "The president has informed me that Syria will undertake as soon as possible the following measures: increasing border guard numbers and capability through the provision of additional training and supply of equipment, establishing liaison mechanisms with the Lebanese armed forces, Lebanese border police and international personnel , providing technical assistance to the Lebanese, in order to set up an effective interdiction regime", Annan said.
    There was no immediate comment from Syrian officials on the talks, which lasted about 45 minutes.
    U.N. resolutions have called on Syria to demarcate its borders with Lebanon, including in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area, claimed by Beirut, with Syria's verbal backing, but viewed by the United Nations as Syrian territory.
    Assad has previously declared there will be no demarcation in Shebaa Farms while it is occupied by Israel.
    Annan had been expected to urge Assad to prevent weapons crossing the Syrian border for Hizbollah Shi'ite Muslim guerrillas, whose main allies are Syria and Iran.
    The U.N. chief told the Lebanese government at the start of his tour that he would press Syria to open an embassy in Beirut and conduct normal diplomatic relations with Lebanon.
    Syria has long dismissed this as unnecessary between two closely linked neighbours, prompting Lebanese suspicions that Damascus refuses to acknowledge as fully sovereign the country it dominated until it ended a 29-year troop presence last year.
    Assad had been expected to urge Annan to promote a wider peace in the region, as well as in Lebanon.
    Even before the Lebanon war, Syria was under pressure from an earlier U.N. resolution which had demanded the disarming of all militias in Lebanon -- Hizbollah and Palestinian groups.
    A U.N. inquiry into last year's killing of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri initially pointed the finger at Syrian security officials. Its chief investigator, Serge Brammertz, is due to submit a new report later this month.
    Syria has denied any part in Hariri's killing.
    During a tour that has already taken him to Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank and Jordan, Annan has demanded that Israel quickly lift a blockade of Lebanon and withdraw fully from the country as soon as 5,000 U.N. peacekeepers are in the south.
    Israel has rebuffed both demands, saying all the other provisions of a U.N. Security Council resolution that led to the Aug. 14 truce with Hizbollah must be implemented first.
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