Syria denies hindering border passage with lebanon

"There are no obstacles hindering the movement between Syria and Lebanon. All what is being circulated about such blocks on the Syrian border side is a baseless propaganda," Secretary of the Syrian-Lebanese Border Point of Jdaidet Yabous Customs said Tuesday.

In a statement to Syrian and foreign press delegation visiting the border point, Omar Shihab al-Issa pointed out that the congestion which happens sometimes is caused by the processes of expanding border services at some points, a mater that slows cars' movement on both sides of the borders.

He added that "security procedures" taken by the Syrian concerned sides to protect their people and other Arab states also contribute to causing such traffic jams, saying "Security apparatus succeeded recently in foiling two attempts to smuggle explosives through the Syrian-Lebanese borders," a matter that required strict inspection procedures.

Shihab al-Issa underlined that the Syrian side hasn't taken any new measures in dealing with travelers via borders between the two states, noting that rumors about slowness in trucks' movement made some tradesmen and drivers stop working.

He also pointed out that all travelers to Lebanon through Syria can take with them any kind of goods in accordance with the Syrian customs laws.