Assad: Hizbullah’s weapons are a domestic Lebanese matter
Source: nowlebanon.com, 15-07-2008
Syrian President Basshar al-Assad said he did not discuss the matter of Hizbullah's weapons with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman during their meeting in Paris.
"This is an internal Lebanese matter and is related to the peace process," Assad told the France Inter radio station.
"So far, there is no peace agreement between Lebanon and ‘Israel', and there are daily ‘Israeli' violations against Lebanon. In July 2006, there was a massive aggression against Lebanon," he added.
Commenting on the British decision to blacklist Hizbullah's "armed wings," Assad told the radio station that "in politics, it is not important how you perceive any organization. The question to be asked is whether Hizbullah is playing a positive role in Lebanon."
"Hizbullah is an essential component of Lebanese society, and no one is accusing it of terrorism in the Islamic or Arab worlds... What matters is the way it is being seen in the region, not outside it," Assad noted.
He also reiterated Syria's support to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, saying, "We will support the court, but this does not mean that we are abandoning our sovereignty, because the Security Council resolutions do not include abandoning sovereignty."
Assad added that Damascus considers anyone involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri a criminal who must be punished.
"The assassination was done by a suicide-bombing, and Syria is not in the habit of carrying out such operations," Assad told the radio station.
Syrian President Basshar al-Assad said he did not discuss the matter of Hizbullah's weapons with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman during their meeting in Paris.
"This is an internal Lebanese matter and is related to the peace process," Assad told the France Inter radio station.
"So far, there is no peace agreement between Lebanon and ‘Israel', and there are daily ‘Israeli' violations against Lebanon. In July 2006, there was a massive aggression against Lebanon," he added.
Commenting on the British decision to blacklist Hizbullah's "armed wings," Assad told the radio station that "in politics, it is not important how you perceive any organization. The question to be asked is whether Hizbullah is playing a positive role in Lebanon."
"Hizbullah is an essential component of Lebanese society, and no one is accusing it of terrorism in the Islamic or Arab worlds... What matters is the way it is being seen in the region, not outside it," Assad noted.
He also reiterated Syria's support to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, saying, "We will support the court, but this does not mean that we are abandoning our sovereignty, because the Security Council resolutions do not include abandoning sovereignty."
Assad added that Damascus considers anyone involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri a criminal who must be punished.
"The assassination was done by a suicide-bombing, and Syria is not in the habit of carrying out such operations," Assad told the radio station.
