MP Allouch: Pressuring Syria is not useful

 

MP Mustafa Allouch of the Future bloc said that the incidents in Gaza managed to diminish inter-Arab tension. “It seems that Lebanon has become a secondary item on the Arab agenda,” he told NOW Lebanon.

 

He also said that the pressure being put on Syria over the Arab Summit is worthless, especially after the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo on Wednesday.

 

The Arab ministers stressed on the need to ameliorate Syrian-Lebanese relations while holding to the Arab initiative.

 

“This is the core of the problem,” Allouch said. “It is the first time this matter is being raised with the aim of embarrassing Syria and indicating that the problem is between Lebanon and Syria, not between the opposition and majority,” he added.

 

Allouch noted that this development could change the way the problem has been handled historically.

 

“Arabs used to leave the relationship between Beirut and Damascus to the Syrian regime. Now there is a tendency to rebuild this relation through Arab diplomacy.”

 

He added that the fact the matter has been raised indicates that most Arab states have stepped back from the Lebanese presidential-election issue.

 

Allouch said that the problem comes from the Syrian mentality, which is similar to that of all dictatorships in the world. “Dictatorships always need a backyard to use to alleviate tension and pressure and to keep people distracted. Lebanon is unfortunately being used by Syria as its backyard,” Allouch said.

 

He also said it is still too early to decide whether the Arab initiative is over. “We must wait until March 11 and see if the presidential elections take place. We also need to look at the level of Arab representation at the Damascus Summit,” Allouch said.

 

“There is also the issue of Lebanon’s Special Tribunal. The Syrian regime has clearly said that it will not facilitate anything until it receives guarantees in this regard, in addition to an Arab and international cover for its influence in Lebanon,” Allouch said.

 

Commenting on information that a March 14 delegation in Cairo met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Allouch that such a meeting was not on the delegation’s schedule.

 

“I don’t think this meeting happened. But I will not denounce it if it has taken place.”