Former Syrian Vice President Abdulhalim Khaddam denounced on Friday the government of President Bashar al-Assad, claiming it had committed many mistakes during its control on Lebanon.
In an interview with Arab satellite television Al Arabiya from Paris, Khaddam listed what he said were examples of political faults by Syria in Lebanon. During the interview, he confirmed that former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri was threatened by Syria months before he was assassinated. "Hariri was subjected to many threats from Syria. ... Dangerous things were said. Once he was summoned to Damascus ... and spoken to in extremely harsh words by President Bashar Assad," Khaddam noted.
He quoted the Syrian president as telling Hariri, months before he was killed: "You want to bring a (new) president in Lebanon. ... I will not allow that. I will crush whoever attempts to overturn our decision."
Khaddam spoke from Paris since he left Syria several months ago.
