Premier Says Government Will Not Disassociate itself if Syria Decides to Ignite Situation in Lebanon

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Monday that the government will not disassociate itself from the turmoil in Syria when there are attempts by the regime to ignite the situation in Lebanon.

“We will take the necessary measures... We should reorganize the relations between Syria and Lebanon calmly and in a comprehensive way,” Miqati told reporters during a press conference at the Grand Serail.

The government decided to disassociate itself from the revolt against President Bashar Assad in the neighboring country that kicked off in 2011.

Concerning the case of ex-Minister Michel Samaha, Miqati pointed out that the evidence confirms the incident, saying: “Only the judiciary will take the decision in the case.”

He hailed the efforts exerted by the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch that spared Lebanon major incidents.

The minister and two other Syrian officers, National Security chief Brig. Gen. Ali Mamlouk and another senior general identified only by the first name of Adnan, have been charged with plotting the terror attacks in Lebanon.

Miqati commented on the memorandum that the March 14 alliance handed over to President Michel Suleiman, wondering if the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon is ready to deploy along the northern Lebanese border.

“The Lebanese army is controlling the border and halting any attempts to smuggle weapons into and out of Lebanon,” he said.

The March 14 alliance demanded the Lebanese authorities to expel the Syrian ambassador and deploy UNIFIL troops on the border with Syria following repeated incursions and shelling of northern and eastern border regions.

Asked about the kidnapped Lebanese in Syria and those who were kidnapped in retaliation, the premier said that Turkey is making serious initiatives to release them.

“Probably it will happen on stages,” Miqati said.

He noted that the army has the full support to carry out any endeavor to free those who were kidnapped in Lebanon, “no one is stronger than the state,” he said.

The army carried out raids over the weekend in Beirut's southern suburb of Rweis and arrested several men after a series of kidnapping in Lebanon.

Two Turkish men and several other Syrians were kidnapped in retaliation to the abduction of Hassan al-Meqdad by Syrian rebels in Damascus last month.

Miqati said that the officers, who were arrested over the killing Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed and his companion in the northern district of Akkar in May, can't be detained forever.

“Investigations are ongoing and will not stop until all the facts are revealed,” he stated.

The three officers were released on bail last week.