Mansour Denies Hizbullah Involved in Battles in Syrian Territories

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour denied on Thursday reports saying that Hizbullah fighters are engaged in battles in villages near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

“Sometimes the media report inaccurate news,” Mansour said in an interview with Russia Today on the sidelines of the first Arab-Russian forum held in Moscow.

He attributed the matter to the poor demarcation of the border between the two countries, saying Lebanese people residing in Lebanese villages are currently present inside Syrian territories.

“Around 20 towns, including Qusayr and Qasr villages, are considered in Syrian territories,” the FM said.

He noted that the residents of those villages are “defending” themselves against attacks launched by armed gangs.

Lebanon and Syria share a 330-kilometer border but have yet to agree on official demarcation.

On Wednesday, The rebel Free Syrian Army threatened to shell Hizbullah military bases in Lebanon after accusing it of firing across the border into territory it controls.

General Selim Idriss, the FSA's chief of staff, told Agence France Presse that Hizbullah had shelled villages around Qusayr, which is located in the central Syrian province of Homs, from the border village of Zeita, a Hizbullah stronghold in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon.

Asked about the disassociation policy that the Lebanese government adopted at the beginning of the revolt against Syrian President Bashar Assad in March 2011, Mansour described it as “wise.”

He stressed that Lebanon avoided the negative repercussions of the developments in Syria through the adoption of this policy.

Mansour said that Lebanon has a unique combination, where parties will not be able to agree on a unified stance from the crisis in the neighboring country.

Lebanese parties are sharply divided over the crisis in Syria as the March 8 alliance continuously expresses its support to Assad, while the March 14 camp voices its support for the popular revolt.

The international community and analysts have expressed fears that the conflict in Syria may spill over into the Lebanon.

However, the FM stressed that stability in Syria will guarantee stability in the countries of the region.

Asked about the conditions of the Syrian refugees that fled the turmoil in their country into Lebanon, Mansour said that Lebanon has “humble” capabilities to deal with the large influx of refugees.

“Lebanon can't meet the needs of the refugees by itself,” the diplomat stated.

Over the weekend, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that at least 283,000 refugees have entered Lebanon.