Syrian FM denies Syria is providing weapons to Hezbollah

Thursday October 02, 2008 01:12 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Walid Al Moallem, the Syrian Foreign Minister, denied on Wednesday Israeli allegation which claims that Syria is providing the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party with weapons and military equipment.

Syrian FM - Waleed Al Moallem

The statements of Al Moallem came during an interview with the Al Sharq Al Awsat (Middle East) newspaper.

 He said that these claims are false and that Hezbollah does not need the Syrian help in arming.

 The Syrian FM also said that Israel is faking these allegations in order to justify its breaches to the Syrian sovereignty as Israeli war-jets carried repeated over-flights over Lebanon.  

 One of the top Israeli demands to hold direct peace talks with Syria is that Damascus stops its support to Hezbollah.

 AL Moallem said that Syria cannot do anything to stop the smuggling of arms and ammunition to Hezbollah and stated that it is virtually impossible to seal the borders with Lebanon.

 On Wednesday, Hezbollah party requested its leaders to refrain from visiting Syria in the wake of the deadly car bombing in Damascus on Saturday, Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported.  

 17 residents were killed and 14 others were wounded in the blast.

 Yet, the report regarding refraining visits to Syria was not confirmed by Syria or by Hezbollah.

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