Syria 'will not supply arms to Hezbollah'

THE Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hezbollah.

It would operate under the UN resolution that halted Israel's war with the Lebanese group, Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said yesterday after talks between the two men.

Mr Annan said the Syrian leader had also confirmed his objection to the presence of foreign troops along his nation's border with Lebanon, but added that they were ready to operate joint patrols with the Lebanese army.

Walid al-Moualem, Syria's foreign minister, later told reporters no weapons were crossing from his country to guerrillas in Lebanon: "No arms are being smuggled to the resistance [Hezbollah]."