Saniora Meets Lavrov, Explains 'Dangers' of Hizbullah Involvement in Syrian War

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, former premier Fouad Saniora, on Friday explained to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “the dangers” of Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian war, calling for the withdrawal of the group's fighters.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, Lavrov received Saniora during the International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg.

Saniora explained to Lavrov “the dangers of Hizbullah's participation in the Syrian war and the need to withdraw its fighters, return them to Lebanon and deploy the army on the border with the assistance of the U.N. peacekeeping force,” NNA said.

For his part, Lavrov stressed "Russia's commitment to Lebanon's independence and sovereignty over its territory and the need for Lebanon to abide by the self-dissociation policy and the Baabda Declaration.”

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has publicly announced Hizbullah's participation in the Syrian war. After the party helped regime forces recapture the strategic town of Qusayr near Lebanon's border from rebel hands, Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah “will be where it needs to be” in Syria and that it will continue to “shoulders its responsibilities.”

Hizbullah fighters, who have a strong presence near the Sayyida Zeinab Shiite holy shrine in southeastern Damascus, are trying to seize control of villages near Zayabiyeh and Babila in Damascus province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday.