Watkins Says Difficult to Maintain Lebanese Government’s Syria Policy if Situation Worsens

U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Robert Watkins warned on Saturday that Lebanese authorities won’t be able to keep the policy of keeping Lebanon at a distance from the Syrian crisis if the situation in the neighboring country worsens.

In an interview with An Nahar daily following a tour to the eastern Bekaa valley, Watkins said the policy has been so far successful. “But it could be difficult to preserve it if the situation deteriorates in Syria.”

“We’ve already witnessed the spillover in (the northern city of) Tripoli,” he said about deadly gunbattles between the neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen, whose majority are from Syrian President Bashar Assad’s Alawite sect, and Bab al-Tabbaneh that is mainly Sunni and supports the revolution against the Syrian regime.

He hailed efforts exerted to prevent a further expansion of the clashes to other cities and towns. But said “things can get out of control anytime.”

Watkins, who is also UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, said the national dialogue launched at Baabda Palace last week following a 19-month standstill is part of the efforts to contain the violence.

He told An Nahar that his visit to the Bekaa, including the town of Arsal, was aimed at receiving information on the alleged Syrian incursions and the kidnapping of Lebanese residents.

“These incidents seem to have taken place more in the past two months and I wanted to take a closer look at the problems on the border and see the situation of Syrians that have taken refuge in Arsal and other areas in the Bekaa,” Watkins said.

“It’s very hard to assess if there has been a violation of the Lebanese border,” he said, adding that Lebanon should demarcate its border in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.

“We have said on several occasions that we are ready to help in this process and hope it would take place soonest,” he added.