Mansour Discusses Syrian Crisis with Emir of Qatar

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour held talks Sunday in Doha with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on the bilateral ties between the two countries and the situations in the Arab region, “particularly in Syria,” Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported.

Tension on the Lebanese-Syrian border has mounted since a revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime erupted in March and some 5,000 Syrians, among them defecting soldiers and opposition activists, have sought refuge in Lebanon.

Experts say weapons smuggling from Lebanon to Syria has thrived since the revolt began but not on a large scale. They also point out that, the smuggling appears to be the work of individuals rather than political parties opposed to the Assad regime.

Earlier on Sunday, Mansour took part in a meeting for the Arab Peace Initiative Committee in Doha. He told the meeting that “the situation in Palestine requires an Arab posture, especially after the Arab initiative reached a dead-end due to Israel’s policies.”

The minister suggested that an Arab summit be held by the Arab heads of state to “take the appropriate decision in light of the current impasse in the peace process.”