DAR AL HARB/ISLAM: THE U.N. MAY TAKE UP 'SYRIAN ARMS SMUGGLING'

UN Council asked to address Syrian arms smuggling
By Claudia Parsons

UNITED NATIONS, July 24 (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and France want U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to pursue ways to stop weapons flowing into Lebanon over the Syrian border, according to a draft U.N. statement on Tuesday.

The policy statement, which its backers hope will be approved by the 15-member U.N. Security Council as soon as this week, also calls on Syria to do more to control its border with Lebanon and for Iran to abide by an arms embargo.

Unlike a resolution, all 15 members of the council have to agree to a statement, which means the text could be revised.

The U.N. coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Michael Williams, warned last week that Syrian arms smuggling to militant groups in Lebanon threatens implementation of a peace deal that ended last summer's war with Israel.

"The Council also calls for enhanced cross-border cooperation to secure the Syrian-Lebanese border," the draft statement said.

It welcomes a report by a committee of experts appointed by Ban that recommended a radical overhaul of border procedures which it said were largely incapable of preventing smuggling in their current state. The statement asks Ban to report back on implementing the recommendations.

"The Security Council ... expresses grave concern at persistent reports of breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanon-Syria border," said the draft.

Syria has consistently denied smuggling weapons.

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Pertinent Links:

1) UN Council asked to address Syrian arms smuggling