Sarkozy: Lebanon is Gateway to Normalization of Ties with Syria

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said relations with Syria could normalize if Damascus helps find a way out of Lebanon”s presidential crisis.

 

“Contacts (with Syria were not) the beginning of normalization of relations. They were basically limited to solving the Lebanese crisis,” Sarkozy told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in an interview published Sunday.

 

“The moment we reach a tangible result on Lebanon…we could envisage a return to normal ties and the resumption of true political dialogue with Damascus over all regional issues and not just Lebanon,” Sarkozy said.

 

Earlier in the month, Syria decided to stop talks with France over finding a solution to end the deadlock in Lebanon”s presidential vote, a tit-for-tat retaliation by Damascus after Sarkozy said he was ending discussions with the Assad regime over the Lebanese issue.

 

“What we are waiting for is for Lebanese politicians to assume their responsibilities and put into action an Arab plan, beginning with the immediate election of the consensus candidate (Army Chief Gen.) Michel Suleiman,” the French president said.

 

“That presupposes as well that all regional parties, beginning with Syria, play a positive role in this,” said Sarkozy, who begins on Sunday a three-nation Gulf tour in Saudi Arabia.

 

The French president also proposed holding talks between Iraqi factions in France similar to those it hosted in July for Lebanon.

 

He proposed “hosting in France, far from the heat of passions and on neutral territory, inter-Iraqi roundtable talks that are as large as possible.”

 

“It is up to the parties involved to decide what steps to take next,” he was quoted as saying in the London-based daily.

 

Fourteen Lebanese factions held two days of talks outside Paris last July, bringing together pro-government and opposition members.

 

On Iran, Sarkozy said he wants increased international pressure over Tehran”s refusal to halt its contested nuclear program.

 

“Iran is persistent in not respecting its international obligations, we want to continue to increase international pressure within the (U.N.) Security Council and European Union, until the country fulfills all its international obligations, that is to say it suspends sensitive activities and implements supplementary guarantees sought by the IAEA,” Sarkozy told al-Hayat.