Region | Syria
Riyadh urged to help on Lebanon
Syria called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to exercise its influence on Lebanon's pro-Western governing coalition to solve the country's political crisis, which has left it without a president since November.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:22 March 28, 2008
- Image Credit: EPA
- UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci at the end of the first meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Damascus on Thursday.
Damascus: Syria called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to exercise its influence on Lebanon's pro-Western governing coalition to solve the country's political crisis, which has left it without a president since November.
Beirut's government, which is backed by countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia, has been locked in a power struggle since November 2006 with an opposition alliance backed by Syria and led by Hezbollah.
Simmering tension between Saudi Arabia and Syria over Lebanon has boiled over in the run-up to an Arab summit that opens in Damascus tomorrow.
Lebanon and Washington's closest three Arab allies Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah will not attend in protest against what they consider Syrian meddling in its neighbour.
Jordanian officials said the monarch would not attend but could send a senior official to represent him, unlike Riyadh and Cairo who are sending junior representatives.
Speaking at an Arab foreign ministers meeting to prepare for the summit, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mua'alem dismissed accusations that Syria was prolonging the deadlock in Beirut.
"The effort has to come from all Arab parties with friendships and influence in Lebanon. I point especially to Saudi Arabia which wields a big influence on the [ruling] majority," Mua'alem said. "Syria wants a stable, sovereign Lebanon. Anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken. We are the first to be hurt from a worsening situation in Lebanon and we will be the first to benefit from stability," he said.
Syria supports demands by the Hezbollah-led opposition for veto power in the cabinet while Saudi Arabia supports the parliamentary majority led by Sa'ad Hariri, who has resisted Hezbollah's demands.
Coalition's appeal
The majority coalition in a statement addressed to the summit called on the Arab states to put pressure on Syria to establish diplomatic ties with Beirut and abandon its attempts to regain its full control of Lebanon.
"What is required from friendly Arab states that support Lebanon ... is to exert maximum pressure on the Syrian regime to put a stop to its deep-seated greed in Lebanon and its persistent attempts to restore the time of hegemony,"the statement in Beirut said.
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