Mansour Says Syria Made Right Step by Rejecting Arab FMs Statement
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Tuesday slammed what he called “the rabid campaign being waged by the March 14 camp against Lebanon’s stance in the Arab foreign ministers meeting,” saying it reflects “spiteful and sick mentalities.”
In an interview with Hizbullah’s Al-Nour radio network, Mansour stressed that “Lebanon did not voice a stance in the Arab ministerial meeting … there was rather consensus among all members, and confirmations from the head of the current session and the Arab League’s secretary-general that no statement would be issued.”
The minister noted that Syria made the right decision by rejecting the meeting’s closing statement, adding that “consensus had been breached” by the other conferees, “which prompted the Syrian delegation to send a diplomatic note to the Arab League’s general-secretariat in which it noted that the released statement did not reflect the meeting’s final agreement.”
“Lebanon stands by brotherly Syria and its stance is clear in this regard, Mansour stressed.
“We only wish brotherly Syria stability and security and we want to help it overcome its crisis,” the FM added, warning against “stoking sedition and fire” in the revolt-hit country and noting that “this fire” would also harm Syria’s neighbors.
Syria on Sunday rejected an Arab League statement demanding an end to the bloodshed in the country.
In a diplomatic note to the organization’s secretariat, Syria said the statement amounted to "a clear violation ... of the principles of the Arab League charter and of the foundations of joint Arab action."
The Syrian delegation protested that the declaration was issued "despite the meeting having closed with an agreement that no statement would be published or statement made to the press."
The statement contained "unacceptable and biased language," the note said, adding Damascus would act as if it had never been published.
The Arab League announced a peace initiative aimed at solving the crisis in Syria where more than 2,000 people have been killed in anti-regime protests, to be delivered in person by its secretary general, Nabil al-Arabi.
The 22-member organization’s foreign ministers at a meeting on Saturday night called in the statement for an "end to the spilling of blood and (for Syria) to follow the way of reason before it is too late."
They expressed their "concern faced with the grave developments on the Syrian scene which have claimed thousands of victims and wounded."
The foreign ministers also called for respecting "the right of the Syrian people to live in security and of their legitimate aspirations for political and social reforms."
Arabi said on Sunday that he was awaiting a Syrian invitation to travel to Damascus. "I'm waiting for the response of Syria's government," he told journalists in the Egyptian capital, adding he was ready to leave immediately.
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