De Mistura Meeting with Salam Highlights Extensive Burden on Lebanon by Syria Conflict
U.N. envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura met on Saturday with Prime Minister Tammam Salam, focusing on the latest developments in Lebanon and the extensive burden the country is suffering due to the crisis in neighboring countries, in particular Syria.
“It is normal to begin my regional tour from Lebanon to discuss the latest developments,” De Mistura told reporters from the Grand Serail.
He pointed out that he addressed with Salam the “complicated” price that Lebanon is paying because of the ongoing crisis in Syria.
Asked about his visit to Syria, the diplomat said that he held important meetings in Damascus, pointing out that his accompanying delegation is still there.
De Mistura noted that he will take a regional tour before submitting his final report to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.
The U.N. official arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for his first visit since being appointed to the post.
On Thursday, De Mistura said following his meeting with Syria's President Bashar Assad that “terrorist groups need to be confronted and that's clear.”
The United Nations had revealed that De Mistura's trip to Syria would be followed by stops elsewhere in the region and beyond, to speak with key players in the conflict.
Details of his travel plans were not released but it was expected that he would travel to Russia, Assad's key ally.
More than 180,000 people have been killed in Syria since March 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
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Source: Naharnet
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