WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (AFP) - Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara on Sunday rejected allegations his country was turning a blind eye to anti-American insurgents crossing the border into neighboring Iraq.
"There is a lot of exaggeration on the insurgency issue," Shara said in an interview with CNN television. "The insurgents, if they are crossing the Syrian border, they are crossing the Syrian border against the will of the Syrian government, no doubt about it.
"We are not friendly with (the insurgents)," he added, "because this is not the right way to help the Iraqis.
"On the contrary, we are helping the Iraqis be united, go to the elections, to accept the political process," Shara said, while at the same time reiterating that his country had opposed the war and occupation of Iraq.
Shara also said that members of the toppled Saddam Hussein regime were not welcome in Syria.
"All the Iraqi previous regime members are not welcome in Syria," he said. "But we have many Iraqis, I mean, many Iraqis are fleeing their country in order to be safe in Syria.
"Many Christian Iraqis have fled Iraq, in order to be safe in Syria," he said. "They find in Syria a safe haven. We cannot expel them just because they are Iraqis. They have nothing to do with terrorism.
"And if some press report or some government officials see it and they say that these are insurgents, I mean, this is wrong. This is absolutely wrong," he said.
Shara welcomed the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis and said Damascus was awaiting an Israeli reply to an offer to resume talks with Syria.
"Yes, I can tell you for sure that Syria is ready to resume negotiations," he said. "President Bashar Assad has extended a hand of peace, to resume negotiation. And we are still hoping that the Israelis will respond positively."
He also told CNN he expects Syrian troops to remain in Lebanon for "only a couple of years" more. "Not for good, certainly," he said.
"We are in Lebanon to help the Lebanese," Shara said. "When the Lebanese don't like this help, we wouldn't (remain) there for further."
01/23/2005 18:03 GMT - AFP