Syria rejects Saudi criticism over Lebanon role
DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria hit back at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for criticizing its role in Lebanon, saying Syria could not force its Lebanese allies to accept a solution to the country's political crisis.
"Dealing with Syria as if it was still in Lebanon or as if its allies are a tool represents an insult to a large proportion of the Lebanese," Syrian Information Minister Muhsin Bilal told reporters.
"Reaching consensus in Lebanon is a joint Arab responsibility," Bilal said. "Saudi Arabia plays a big role in Lebanon. It has allies who boast about their alliance with Saudi Arabia," he added.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said this week that Damascus should use its influence with its allies in the Lebanese opposition to carry out an Arab League plan to fill the vacant post of president and form a functioning government.
The exchange was the latest of a series of disagreements between the two countries over Lebanon. Egypt, another U.S. Arab ally, has also criticized Syria over Lebanon, whose future will be a key topic at an Arab summit in Damascus in March.
Saudi Arabia backs Lebanon's pro-Western political majority headed by Saad al-Hariri, the son of former premier Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in Beirut in 2005. Syria backs the Shi'ite movement Hezbollah, the main opposition party.
Syria and Saudi Arabia have historically had different interests in Lebanon, but both supported an Arab initiative that backed the election of Lebanese army commander Michel Suleiman as president, breaking a deadlock between the political camps.
While accepting Suleiman as president, Lebanon's divided politicians still disagree over how to share power once he is elected.
"Egypt and Saudi Arabia should persuade their own friends in the Lebanese majority to accept a solution," Bilal said.
Rejecting hints by Egypt that Syria's position as president of the Arab summit could be compromised if the Lebanon crisis was not resolved, Bilal said the meeting would be held on time.
"Preparations to hold the summit are under way. The objective is to restore Arab unison. It would be against Arab interest to tie the summit to certain issues," he said.
Relations between Damascus and Riyadh turned sour after the assassination of Hariri, who had Saudi nationality and made his fortune in Saudi Arabia. A United Nations investigation implicated Lebanese and Syrian security officials in the killing, but Damascus denied involvement.
The assassination triggered international and Lebanese pressure that forced Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon after a 29-year presence. But Damascus acknowledges it still has influence in Lebanon, partly through its support for Hezbollah.
(Editing by Tim Pearce)
