Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam stated that “extremism in positions must be met with similar extremism, and Lebanon has no interest except in the option of moderation and supporting President Emile Lahoud and the government to avoid unnecessary upheavals at this stage.”
Khaddam, as reported by Sheikh Wadi’ Khazen who visited Damascus yesterday and met with the Syrian Vice President, emphasized that since President Lahoud took office in 1998, Syria has ceased intervening in Lebanese disputes and always leaves the matter of resolving them to the Lebanese themselves.
Khazen noted that he concluded from the Syrian Vice President’s statements that recent reports about his positions were inaccurate, noting that the Syrian leadership is with all Lebanese and maintains equal distance from them.
Former MP Dr. Ismail Sukarieh had reported last week that Khaddam criticized the Lebanese government for not engaging in the necessary dialogue with other parties.