Lebanon hands Arab League memo on Syrian violations

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Thursday handed the Arab League (AL) a memo, urging the warring sides in Syria to respect Lebanon's sovereignty. Lebanon hopes that the AL would take action in compelling the Syrian warring parties to commit to the respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that they would not engage in assaults on both sides of the border, said a statement that quotes the memo. Suleiman handed the memo to AL Ambassador to Lebanon, Abdul Rahman al-Solh, who will deliver it to AL chief Nabil al-Arabi, according to the statement. On Tuesday, Suleiman handed UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly a similar memo that dealt with "the violations and attacks carried out by both of the warring parties in Syria." Syria's government troops have recently carried out attacks in border areas, mainly against Lebanese northeastern town of Arsal, which has become a key conduit for refugees and wounded people fleeing the ongoing Syrian crisis, as well as a passageway for foreign militants to enter Syria. Also, there have been several attacks from the Syrian rebels- held areas on Hezbollah strongholds in recent months. Such attacks increased after Hezbollah, along with the Syrian army forces, recaptured central Syria's strategic town of al- Qussair from the rebels.