Brahimi from Beirut: Syria Crisis Cannot Remain within its Borders Forever
United Nations and Arab League envoy to end the Syrian crisis Lakhdar Brahimi held talks on Wednesday with senior Lebanese officials on the conflict in the neighboring country, warning the unrest there will inevitably spread to the region.
He hoped that the ceasefire set for the Eid al-Adha holiday “will pave the way for a permanent solution to the crisis.”
He made his remarks during a visit to Lebanon where he met with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Najib Miqati as part of his ongoing tour of the region.
He added after meeting Miqati at the Grand Serail: “Ending the crisis in Syria will not be easy.”
“The Syrian people will not enjoy a happy Adha holiday, but they should at least enjoy a truce. This will be a microscopic chance to lead to a permanent ceasefire, halt in the smuggling of arms, and agreement on a political solution,” Brahimi said.
“The Syrian opposition's agreement to ceasefire is a positive sign,” he noted.
He stressed that the “Syrians themselves should tackle their problems with international aid, through the U.N. and Arab League.”
He warned however that “the crisis cannot remain within Syria's borders forever.”
The envoy had proposed that a ceasefire between the Syrian rebels and regime forces be implemented for the Eid al-Adha holiday, which lands on October 26 and lasts four days, in a hope that it will lead to a political process.
Asked by reporters if discussions touched on Hizbullah's alleged involvement in the Syrian crisis, Brahimi replied that his meetings with Lebanese officials did not address this issue.
Brahimi's visit is part of his regional tour that included Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Egypt in a bid to implement his proposed ceasefire.
The envoy will leave Lebanon later in the afternoon.
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