Lebanon: Syria ‘Protecting Hezbollah’
Beirut, 13 May - Syria, is doing its utmost to defend militant Shia group Hezbollah by urging Arab states not to intervene in the recent upsurge of fighting between pro and anti-government forces, according to pan-Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat.
The Syrian authorities have used Syrian diplomats to convince Arab delegations not to take part in a mission to Beirut on Wednesday led by Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa, al-Sharq al-Awsat said.
Syria, Lebanon’s neighbour, has even threatened diplomats from Arab states in a bid to protect Hezbollah, the paper said, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources.
The paper said one of the Syrian ministers warned that the plane, carrying the Arab League mission might not be allowed to land at the airport in Beirut, should Arab ministers approve a resolution condemning Hezbollah.
Al-Sharq al-Awsat did not name the Syrian minister but described him as the head of the Syrian delegation. He was speaking ahead of and emergency meeting of Arab ministers on Sunday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Armed Hezbollah militants last week took control of swathes of west Beirut and mountain areas south of the capital.
The Arab League meeting in Cairo issued a statement on Sunday condemning last week’s violence and calling on gunmen to withdraw from the streets to help Lebanon’s army maintain stability in the country.
At least 60 people are believed to have died over the past week in the violence in Beirut, in the northern city of Tripoli and in the Chouf mountains south-east of the capital.
On Monday, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon urged all sides in Lebanon to resume dialogue.
Lebanon’s current political crisis began 18 months ago after Hezbollah pulled its ministers out of the pro-western government, following Israel’s July 2006 war against Hezbollah guerrillas.
Since November last year, Hezbollah has used its control of the Shia parliamentary speakership to prevent the parliament convening and electing a new president.
(AKI)
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