Sharia Advisor: Syria rejected a proposal submitted by Washington to intervene in Lebanon
Syrian presidential adviser Ahmed Zeidan stressed that Syria is "not interested in any military or security intervention in Lebanese affairs" and that it has rejected a US proposal for Damascus to intervene there.
In an interview with Al-Arabiya TV, Zeidan said in response to US President Donald Trump's proposal to use Syria to carry out what he described as "precision surgical strikes" against Hezbollah inside Lebanon, that Damascus rejected this proposal "absolutely and immediately."
Zeidan added that Syria supports the extension of the Lebanese state's control over its entire territory , and that "the support of the Lebanese government is not through military interventions, but through the empowerment of state institutions and the strengthening of its legitimate authority."
"Damascus views Lebanon's stability as an important regional interest, but it adheres to the principle of respecting sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of states," Zeidan said.
The Syrian presidential adviser directly criticized Hizbullah, calling on the party to "stop its interference in Syrian affairs," adding that "Hizbullah is causing problems for the Syrian state."
Some of his moves "do not serve Syria's stability or its national interests," he said, and accused Zeidan of "supporting elements linked to the former regime."
Zeidan stressed that Syrian-Lebanese relations today are based on respecting the independence of the Lebanese decision and non-interference in its internal affairs, with a focus on files that directly affect the interests of the two peoples, foremost of which are economic linkage, support for development projects, enhancing the security of common borders, and combating smuggling, pointing out that entering the Lebanese arena militarily is like "entering a political and sectarian minefield", which Damascus seeks to avoid completely within the framework of its new vision for regional relations.
President al-Sharia denies rumors about Syria's interference in Lebanon
On Saturday (June 13th), President Ahmed al-Sharaa denied what he described as "rumors" about Syria's interference in Lebanese affairs, stressing that Damascus and Beirut agreed to postpone the detailed dialogue on the demarcation of the borders, and to focus on more urgent files, most notably economic linkages and development support.
He pointed out that Syrian-Lebanese relations have witnessed "unsound foundations" in previous stages, and that there is a "Lebanese wound" linked to Syrian interventions, as opposed to a "Syrian wound" resulting from Hizbullah's interventions in Syria, which makes opening the border file an inappropriate step now.
"The priority today is for Lebanon to take advantage of the new Syrian situation in a way that helps to promote stability, develop economic connectivity, support development, and contribute to some of the reforms it needs, in which Syria can provide important services and facilities," he stressed.
"At the same time, some people are still spreading rumors of Syrian intervention in Lebanon, which is not true," he concluded, adding, "What we always propose is to stop the war, strengthen state institutions, strengthen economic linkages, and calm the situation in Lebanon as much as possible."
Trump talks about Syria's role in Lebanon
In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility that Syria could play a role in facilitating more "precise" strikes against Hezbollah, saying, "I would like to see Lebanon have a better life, and I would like to see a more precise (surgical attack) on Hezbollah. I think it should be more precise, and we can help them with that, or we can recommend Syria to help."