Prime Minister Fouad Siniora accused Syria on Wednesday of sending arms to Palestinian camps in Lebanon and threatened to raise the issue with the Arab League. Siniora was speaking from Paris the day after independent experts handed the UN Security Council a report saying that Lebanon was largely incapable of preventing arms smuggling from Syria.
The Lebanese premier, who met with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Wednesday, told reporters in France that he had not seen the report to the UN but that it was clear that Syria was sending weapons to two camps.
"In recent weeks these camps have been reinforced with munitions, arms and fighters," he said, adding that one of the outposts was controlled by the Fatah al-Intifada group and another by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command. He did not identify the camps.
"Everyone knows that these groups are supported and armed by Syria," Siniora said, echoing allegations leveled earlier this month by UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen.
"This is something I will talk to the Arab League about," Siniora added.
The report's authors said that during a three-week stay in Lebanon they had not heard of any weapons being seized along the border, despite widespread talk of illegal shipments.
Asked whether the Lebanese government was planning to have borders with Syria monitored by Arab or international forces to put an end to the arms smuggling, Siniora said the issue was the responsibility of "both Syria and Lebanon."
"I haven't had a chance to read this report, but we will look at it today and we will certainly take a position that is in the interests of Lebanon," he said.
Source : The Daily Star