Charbel: Lebanon unaffected by Syrian crisis

Lebanese interior minister Marwan Charbel, has said there is no political background to clashes taking palce on the border between Lebanon and Syria. "There are militant clashes that take place in the Syrian border villages, some bullets may reach Lebanese villages, but that is just a minor thing which shouldn't be considered as an indication of tension between Syria and Lebanon." Charbel told the the al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper: "I believe that Lebanon will not be affected by the Syrian crisis. Everybody agrees that Lebanon's stability must be protected, so I don't fear Syrian tensions spilling over to Lebanon." Charbel revealed that he held meetings with security officials "to ensure that the border areas were well-monitored, in order to prevent the smuggling of weapons between Syria and Lebanon and to avoid landmines planted in those areas". Charbel also cited his country's policy on Syrian refugees: "We are aware about the difference between the political and humanitarian aspects of the crisis. We are keen to offer humanitarian and social aid for the displaced and injured persons, but we will not welcome anybody who may impose a threat to our interior security, nor those who try to use Lebanon as a base for any political activities against their regime."