Arab League opposes sanctions on Syria

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The Arab League on Wednesday joined Russia in opposing a Franco-American threat to impose sanctions on Syria if it did not cooperate fully with a U.N. probe into the killing of Lebanese ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri. In Paris, Hariri's son Saad said he too did not want Syria to be punished in this way. "I'm not with sanctions against Syria," he told reporters after talks with President Jacques Chirac.

Judicial sources said Lebanon had charged two men named in a U.N. report on the assassination with a role in Hariri's killing, bringing to 11 the number of people charged in connection with the murder. The February 14 assassination transformed Lebanon's political landscape and the resulting world pressure forced Damascus to end its military presence in Lebanon after three decades. Syria has repeatedly denied any role in Hariri's killing. A new U.N. report said arms were still flowing across the Syrian border to Palestinian groups and others in Lebanon, despite Lebanese attempts to crack down on them. Lebanese troops and tanks on Wednesday encircled military bases near the Syrian border run by pro-Syrian militants, setting up checkpoints and deploying in force along other parts of the border. On Tuesday, the United States and France threatened Syria with economic sanctions if it did not cooperate fully with the U.N. probe into Hariri's killing.

Their draft Security Council resolution demanded Syria detain senior officials named in a U.N. report last week as suspects and hand them over to the United Nations. But the Arab League said in a statement that the investigation had not yet ended and its general secretariat "does not see logic or legitimacy in imposing any sanctions on Syria on the basis of incomplete accusations." Saad Hariri noted that "... the international community wants more cooperation from Syria for that investigation," but added "We are friends of the people of Syria. Lebanon and Syria have had a very long historic friendship and we'd like to keep it this way."

BROTHERS CHARGED
The two men charged with suspected involvement in the killing were Ahmad Abdel-Al -- a member of a pro-Syrian Islamic militant group -- and his brother Mahmoud, judicial sources said.

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