Moqdad: Syria Will Not Return to Lebanon Militarily, STL is Politicized

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Moqdad stated that Lebanese-Syrian ties "cannot be normal if the situation in Lebanon is not normal," reported the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper on Sunday.

He said: "Syria will not interfere in Lebanon in the interests of any side and the Lebanese officials are responsible for their country."

"Syria will not return to Lebanon militarily no matter how difficult the situation becomes," he stressed.

"We want more independence and sovereignty in Lebanon," he said.

Addressing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its indictment, Moqdad noted: "Syria has cooperated with the investigation and Prime Minister Saad Hariri had stated that accusations against Syria were political."

"Does a reasonable person waiting for a fire that he knows will come not prepare himself to extinguish it when it arrives?" he asked in reference to the indictment.

"The STL is politicized and this is obvious through its structure, which gives the impression that it was politicized from the start … I know all the games that were played to establish the tribunal," the Syrian official continued.

Furthermore, Moqdad stated that Hariri has fallen victim to conspiracies that were targeting Syria and its role in Lebanon.