Charbel Says Poor Border Demarcation behind Syrian Army Incursions

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said on Saturday that the Syrian army infiltrations into Lebanese territories are due to the unclear demarcation of the border between the two countries.

“If we look closely at the map it shows that the border lines intersect,” Charbel said in a TV interview with the Lebanese Forces channel.

He stressed that the solution remains in demarking the border between Lebanon and Syria.

Concerning the reports hinting that the Syrian embassy in Lebanon is kidnapping anti-regime opposition members, Charbel stressed that “there is only one abduction case recorded, which is the case of the four (Jasem) brothers… The file is in the hands of the military judiciary.”

The Jasem brothers were kidnaped in February.

Asked about the security situation in the country, Charbel said that although “security incidents have increased lately, however, we can’t consider that Lebanon is instable.”

“The reasons are various… and the political conditions affect the security situation,” the minister added.

He said that his statements in Paris were taken out of context, “if the sharp political division remains as it is, a small problem would turn into a crisis,” saying that officials should resume dialogue and discuss the crises.

Charbel attended in October a security exhibition in Paris, he warned against a new wave of political assassinations in Lebanon.