Assad warns North Lebanon has become base for extremism, poses danger to Syria
Syrian President Bashar Assad told the head of Lebanon”s Journalists Union Melhem Karam Monday that North Lebanon had become "a real base for extremism and constitutes a danger for Syria." Syria denounced the bomb attack in the restive Northern Lebanese city of Tripoli Monday that killed five soldiers, two days after a deadly car bombing in the Syrian capital.
"Syria condemns the terrorist and criminal act which targeted Lebanese soldiers and civilians," a Syrian official said, according to the state-run SANA news agency.
"Syria expresses its solidarity with brotherly Lebanon in the face of parties who are undermining the country”s security and stability," the official said.
It was the second deadly attack in two months targeting the Lebanese Army and came two days after a bombing which left 17 people dead in Damascus.
In the interview which will be published on Friday in Karam”s Hawadeth magazine, Assad said that President Michel Sleiman”s visit to Syria in August had helped lead to a new phase in relations between Lebanon and Syria, in which both countries were able to overcome the past differences.
Forging relations with Lebanon did not mean that Syria would intervene in Lebanon”s domestic affairs, Assad said.
"I told President [Michel] Sleiman that Syria supports him," he said, adding that the Doha agreement, which was established without foreign interference, had prevented civil war.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy also condemned the explosion, saying in a press release issued on Monday that the explosion was "awful and cowardly," and offered his "condolences to the families of the victims, the Lebanese authorities and the people Lebanese population." Sarkozy said his country supported Lebanon”s authorities and security services in confronting terrorism. He added that he was committed to working for peace and stability in the Middle East.
Spain on Monday also condemned the "terrorist attack," with a Foreign Ministry statement saying: "The government forcefully condemns the terrorist attack that took place in Tripoli today." Madrid is "convinced that this new attack will not achieve its objective, which is to undermine Lebanon”s democratic institutions, national dialogue and reconciliation among all Lebanese."
Arab League chief Amr Moussa condemned the attack, calling it a "criminal attack."
Moussa said in a statement that some parties had no interest in Lebanese stability. He called on Lebanon”s leaders to continue pursuing national reconciliation, and to commit to the agreements reached in Doha last May in order to thwart those trying to spread chaos and division.
Jordan”s King Abdullah II condemned the bus bombing in a letter he sent to Sleiman.
Abdullah said that Jordan supported Lebanon, and hoped that the country would overcome the repercussions of the incident, and achieve national consensus. He also offered his condolences to the victims” families.
The United States also condemned what it called a "senseless attack." State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement that "This tragic event further underscores the importance of bringing all arms in Lebanon under the control of the state."