Obama, Sarkozy to Discuss Lebanon Crisis, Paris Warns from Dangerous Consequences of Security Shake-up

U.S. President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy will discuss the Lebanese crisis during talks in Washington on January 10, An Nahar daily reported Thursday.

The Elysee presidential palace announced last month that Sarkozy would visit the U.S. capital to discuss the agendas of next year's G8 and G20 summits with Obama.

Meanwhile, An Nahar quoted French sources as saying that Paris believes any security shake-up following the indictment that will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon "would be useless politically and would lead to dangerous consequences for those who stirred it."

Israel would also exploit the situation to strike Lebanon, the sources warned. They said that Syria has no political interest in an Israeli-Lebanese confrontation that could be used by the Jewish state to provoke Damascus.

The French sources believed that Syria and Saudi Arabia should guarantee a calm security situation in Lebanon in cooperation with Paris.

They said that France's stance is clear as stressed by Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie that the international tribunal cannot be toppled and any agreement cannot come at the expense of the indictment.