DAMASCUS -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem announced on Wednesday that his country has decided to cease contacts with France on the political crisis in Lebanon.
"Syria has decided to cease cooperation with France on the Lebanese crisis," Muallem told reporters.
Muallem's remarks came three days after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Sunday that Paris will have no more contact with Syria until Damascus shows sincerity in letting Lebanon choose a consensus president.
Sarkozy said during a visit to Cairo that it's time for Syria to show proof of goodwill and take action instead of paying lip service to help solve the Lebanese crisis.
The Syrian top diplomat expressed surprise over the statement of Sarkozy, saying the French were trying to blame Syria and the Damascus-supported Lebanese opposition for the failure of international efforts to resolve the Lebanese crisis.
Syria has been accused of meddling in the internal affairs of Lebanon, which Syria has categorically denied.
