SYRIA: Lebanese and Syrian Presidents reject Israeli demands for UN troops on the Lebanon-Syria border; Hizbollah pledge to exercise restraint

Record ID: 279536

  • Title: SYRIA: Lebanese and Syrian Presidents reject Israeli demands for UN troops on the Lebanon-Syria border; Hizbollah pledge to exercise restraint
  • Date: 25th August 2006
  • Summary: (W2) MASNAA, LEBANON/SYRIA BORDER, LEBANON (AUGUST 24, 2006) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS APPROACHING LEBANON'S BORDER WITH SYRIA SIGN READING: "LEBANESE CUSTOMS, MASNAA BORDER" VARIOUS OF CARS CROSSING BORDER
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEHPRI2F3HURLYDICT1JNGUQAX
  • Story Text: Israeli demands for UN troops to be deployed to Lebanon's northern border to stop arms shipments reaching Hizbollah guerillas via Syria have been rejected by both Lebanese and Syrian officials.
    Israel says it will not lift its sea and air blockade of the country unless a reinforced U.N. peacekeeping force helps the Lebanese army control the porous border.
    Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rejected the Israeli demand calling it an infringement on Lebanese sovereignty and a show of hostility to Syria. He also threatened to close the border if the United Nations deployed troops; which would effectively cut Lebanon off from the outside world.
    "Firstly, this would negate Lebanese sovereignty. There is no state in the world that would accept foreign troops on its borders. It is only a natural state of affairs if the country is at war with its neighbour; as is the situation in the Golan Heights and south Lebanon. So firstly it is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty - and they speak of Lebanon sovereignty constantly. It is the handing over of Lebanese sovereignty to other parties.The other point is that it is a hostile move against Syria; which will naturally create problems between Syria and Lebanon." Assad said in a Dubai Television interview aired on Tuesday (August 22).
    The dispute has the Lebanese government caught in the middle. Its priority is to reopen the country to the world but it has limited influence over Syria and Israel.
    On Wednesday (August 23), Prime Minister Fouad Siniora reiterated the need to preserve Lebanese sovereignty.
    "The Lebanese army has been deployed already along the border. He (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) said only about the international force. Now you are talking about the Lebanese army. The Lebanese army has been deployed and we are looking into this matter and see how we can get some assistance from the friendly countries so that we have the detection, electronic detection, of any infiltration and to track down these things," Siniora said in an interview with Italian television.
    The ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah that came into effect on August 14 is fragile and witnesses said that Israeli warplanes flew over the Bekaa valley in the east on Thursday - an act Lebanon considers a truce violation.
    However, Hizbollah has pledged to exercise restraint.
    Lebanese Energy Minister and Hizbollah official Mohammed Fneish said on Thursday (August 24) that immediate retaliation to Israeli ceasefire violations would contravene Lebanese national interest.
    "Hizbollah is waiting and has taken the decision not to retaliate out of concern for the national interest. Whether or not we eventually respond to the increasing violations will depend on future developments." Fneish told reporters before a Lebanese cabinet meeting.
    Lebanese President Emile Lahoud rejected calls by Israel to deploy an international force along the Syrian border.
    "The UN requested international forces between Lebanon and Israel because Israelis killed people and destroyed buildings. The Syrians, on the other hand, welcomed the displaced in their homes and in their hearts and they've been sending aid to Lebanon throughout the war. Do I think should Syria be treated like Israel? Certainly not."
    Residents in Beirut, facing a massive task of rebuilding their war-torn country, gave mixed reactions to the debate.
    "It is a question of justice. An international force should be between two countries that are at war. If we consider Syria to be an enemy, then we should put an international force. But if it is friendly then we shouldn't put troops there. The international force should be put between Lebanon and Israel and between Syria and Israel," said one unidentified resident of the capital's largely pro-Hizbollah southern suburbs.
    "This is not good and things shouldn't be like that between two neighbouring countries. Of course they are putting pressure on Lebanon and it shouldn't be like that with two neighbouring countries," said another unidentified Beirut resident.
    END
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