Plumbly Hails All-Party Talks, Says Lebanon Should Halt Arms Smuggling to Syria
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly hailed on Wednesday the resumption of the national dialogue between Lebanese foes, warning of turning Lebanon into an arms smuggling hub to Syria.
“What matters now is the Lebanese people’s willingness to safeguard the country and not what the foreign powers want,” Plumbly told As Safir newspaper published on Wednesday.
He stressed that the western and Arab countries are seeking to safeguard Lebanon against the repercussions of the Syrian turmoil, denying that there’s an attempt to turn the country into a conflict zone.
He said the results of the national dialogue that was held at Baabda Palace on Monday will not appear after one session as it requires a “long political process.”
Plumbly hailed the Lebanese politicians’ will to protect Lebanon, saying: “They have to reach common grounds regarding the arms spreading across the country.”
President Michel Suleiman headed the all-party talks to restore calm in Lebanon after several security incidents in the country.
Asked about his meeting with Hizbullah's Foreign Relations chief Ammar al-Moussawi, the U.N. official described it as “positive.”
Plumbly voiced his hope that the situation in southern Lebanon would remain stable.
He hailed the Lebanese army for undertaking its tasks in the south although Lebanon has been witnessing several security incidents.
On the demarcation of the Blue Line and reaching a permanent ceasefire in the South, Plumbly said: “The tripartite meetings in al-Naqoura are ongoing” to resolve all these issues.
Concerning the possibility of the Syrian crisis spilling over into Lebanon, he expressed belief that the Lebanese officials don’t want to “destabilize” the country.
Sectarian violence has flared several times in Tripoli since the revolt broke out in Syria in March of last year, including street battles in May that left 10 dead.
Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen have been gripped by frequent fighting, reflecting a split between Lebanon's parties where the opposition backs the revolt in Syria while a ruling coalition supports the Damascus regime.
Plumbly stressed the U.N. is keen to maintain Lebanon’s sovereignty.
He confirmed that there are some 26,000 Syrian refugees in the country.
“No one is seeking to set up refugee camps to host the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, it’s a humanitarian issue,” Plumbly added.
He noted that it’s not in Lebanon’s best interest to turn into a conduit for weapons transfers to Syria.
“The army and the Lebanese authorities are exerting efforts to halt arms transfer” to Syria, Plumbly told As Safir.
The Syrian regime has repeatedly said that weapons are being smuggled from Lebanon to arm the rebel Free Syrian Army.
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