Meeting Lebanese Figures, Al-Assad: Plot Struck by Army Cohesion, Consciousness of People

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met Tuesday a Lebanese delegation consisting of head of the Union Party Abdul Rahim Mourad, General Coordinator for the Follow-up Committee of the Beirut and Coast Conference Kamal Chatila, and the Secretary of the Leadership Committee of the Independent Nasserite Movement Mustafa Hamdan.

 Talks during the meeting tackled the plots targeting the Middle East with the aim of dividing its countries and fragmenting it to regain control over it.

 The conferees also discussed the situation in Syria and the international pressure targeting its pan-Arab and national stances.

 Members of the delegation affirmed their support for Syria in the face of the terrorist attacks targeting its stability and its people's security, the instigation campaigns and attempts at interfering in its internal affairs.

 They voiced confidence that Syria will emerge stronger after this phase and that its strength will become strength for Lebanon and Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian cause.

 "As-Safir" Lebanese daily reported Wednesday that al-Assad visitors quoted him as saying that "the primary sabotage plan was hit" explaining that " if the bridges' heads of this plan were linked then Syria would have been exposed to a real danger."

 "The plot was struck by the cohesion of the army, which they failed in dividing as well as by the consciousness of the people whom they failed to fragment," Syrian President affirmed.

 "The conflict is not sectarian but they are trying to make it appear as so," he added clarifying the "origin of the conflict in Syria and Lebanon and throughout the region is centered on being an Arab nationalist or an American agent, on resisting or surrendering."

 Declaring his commitment to the implementation of the reforms' calendar that he promised, al-Assad reiterated his commitment to respect the deadlines listed in this calendar carefully.

 "In parallel to the language of threat and escalation used by some Arab and Western countries against Syria, many of the senior officials in these countries are conducting under table contacts with us," he stressed.

 "There are good relations between Damascus and some Gulf capitals, which play a positive role in dealing with the crisis in Syria," al-Assad added.

 "As-Safir" quoted the Syrian President commenting on the Lebanese scheme concerning Syria by saying: "There are Lebanese parties who raise the voice of their rhetoric whenever they think Syria is weak, and then they quickly decrease their
 tone and suffer the fading of role when Syria appears strong."

 "There is smuggling of arms from Lebanon to Syria," he emphasized pointing out that "the Lebanese army and its intelligence was able to reduce them," al-Assad said praising the role of the military at this level.
 
 Commenting on the "flow of funds from Lebanon and others to support the armed groups," the Syrian President mentioned that "the pricing increased recently from 50 and $ 100 per individual."

 He also expressed his concern that "the government remains standing on its feet," stressing "the importance of maintaining stability in Lebanon."

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