Zasypkin Warns of al-Qaeda Drag into Lebanon

Local Editor

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin stressed Friday that the Syrian people is to decide the fate of its country and not the armed groups.

He further stated that "the final statement, which was finally released by the Group of 8 and urged a political settlement in Syria, forms a positive factor that supports the Russian efforts in this direction."

In an interview with as-Safir Lebanese daily, the Russian ambassador highlighted that " in the horizon, there is no possibility for a military solution."
"If the war continues, I see no defeat or victory," Zasypkin mentioned, and warned of "the collapse of the entire country as a whole and not one side. Thus, we seek a peaceful solution at the earliest time."

Concerning the internal Lebanese developments, particularly the governmental change, the Russian diplomat said: "We lately felt that a change must take place in a way or another."
"When consensus appeared on the new prime minister, we consider it a gateway to make the change," he clarified, and noted that "this gives a chance for efforts to reach a solution concerning the elections."

According to Zasypkin: "Apparently, there was an international consensus on this issue, including Iran and Saudi Arabia. And I think that the policy of self-dissociation is still the official approach of the Lebanese state."
"If there is a will, there is a chance to form a government and to agree on an electoral law. The political powers should have a will to agree on the controversial matters... All disputes are minor in comparison with stability, security and dissociation from the conflict in Syria," he pointed out.

In parallel, the Russian envoy feared the attempts to drag the country into a sectarian strife, due to the repercussions of Syrian crisis, arms smuggling, and the flow of militants across the borders the spread of al-Qaida members in Lebanon.
"The situation along the Lebanese-Syrian border is complicated as several groups are using Lebanon's territories to aid armed groups fighting against Syrian army," he said.

In this context, Zasypkin urged both countries to solve the issue through communication between the authorities of the two countries by abiding to the existing agreements."

Concerning al-Nusra Front's vow of allegiance to al-Qaeda and Ayman al-Zawahiri and the establishment of the so-called "Islamic state in Syria", he replied: "From the beginning, we stood against al-Qaeda, and we consider that any strengthening of the al-Qaeda cells anywhere is a threat that we must all face."

"The future of Syria must be determined by the Syrian people," he said, and warned that the Syrian crisis may drag al-Qaeda to Lebanon.

Source: as-Safir daily, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org