BEIRUT: The border crisis between Lebanon and Syria intensified yesterday when a gun battle broke out between Lebanese police and Syrian smugglers in the northern city of Qaa.
The latest flare up on the border comes as Syrian Marine Police arrested four Lebanese fisherman and confiscated their boat for fishing in Syrian territorial waters in Aridah, north of the Lebanese city of Tripoli.
The arrest of the four fishermen yesterday followed the earlier arrest of five others and the confiscation of two boats on Saturday.
The border row, which has also seen Lebanese trucks stranded on the Syrian border unable to cross, is in danger of becoming an international dispute.
The U.S. has accused Syria of scheming to "strangle" Lebanon politically and economically by closing its border to wipe out Lebanon's transit trade with the rest of the Arab World.
Washington has linked the border dispute to Lebanese President Emile Lahoud's attempts to block Premier-designate Fouad Siniora's efforts to form a new Lebanese cabinet composed of anti-Syrian MPs.
Commenting on the shooting incident in Qaa, a police source said smugglers entered Lebanon from Syria and were returning with a load of smuggled goods when they were spotted and fired at by a Lebanese customs patrol.
One Lebanese officer was slightly wounded and the smugglers returned to Syria, the official said.
The source also claimed a Syrian border patrol member shot toward Lebanese customs officers. Syrian customs officials declined to comment on the report, saying they had not heard of the border shootout.
Commenting on the arrest of the fishermen, Syrian Transport Minister Makram Obeid
said: "This is a judicial measure. The fishing boats were seized and did not have the required authorization."
But the Northern Lebanese Fishermen's Union called for a symbolic strike today to protest what it called "this new un-fraternal measure."
A spokesmen for Tripoli's Association of Fishermen said thousands of Syrian fishermen have for decades being fishing together with Lebanese in the coastal stretch between Tripoli and Arida off the common border of the two countries.
Many Lebanese believe the measures are a response following the forced withdrawal of Syrian troops in Lebanon in the wake of massive anti-Syrian demonstrations.
Druze leader Walid Jumblatt held Lahoud and acting Premier Najib Mikati responsible of the crisis on the borders.
He said: "The country is blockaded. There are certain responsibilities on the president and premier. Why don't they discuss the issue with Syrian officials to get out of this problem?"
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, who met Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus yesterday, called for both sides to maintain good relations. He said: " A political understanding is necessary between the two countries which must take into account the importance of the common interests that tie them."
The border scuffles come amid reports Syria intends to demand compensation for Syrian workers killed in Lebanon in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Syrian Social Affairs and Labor Minister Deyalla al-Haj Aref said her ministry has sent "detailed lists" of workers killed, including the date, time and manner in which they were killed.
Syria would discuss the issue further with Lebanon once its Cabinet is formed, she added.
