Israel Matzav

Chinless threats

The chinless ophthalmologist of Damascus has threatened to close his border with Lebanon in the event that UN troops are deployed on the border.

Al-AP is reporting that Bashar al-Assad's foreign minister Walid Moallem told Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja that Syria will close its borders for all traffic in case UN troops will be deployed along the Lebanon-Syria border. Tuomioja, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said that "This closing of the border would certainly have negative consequences for the people living in the region."

This is the second sign of Assad stepping up pressure to avoid having his border with Lebanon monitored for weapons transfers to Hezbullah. I reported on the first sign - an interview Assad gave in Bahrain yesterday - here.

Tuomioja described EU-Syria relations as "quite cool and distant" and stressed the 25-nation bloc expects Syria to comply with UN resolutions.

"They wish to see better relations with the EU," he said. "From our side we made clear what the EU expects from Syria, and that we will be watching them."

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:35 PM