Chirac warns Syria to stay out of Lebanon

France's President Jacques Chirac warned Syria that the world will respond to any attempt to destabilize Lebanon, as he began a visit Saturday to Saudi Arabia.

Chirac was greeted at Riyadh's airport by Saudi King Abdullah for three days of talks expected to deal with the crisis between Syria and Lebanon, the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and violence in Iraq.

Ahead of the visit, Chirac made his warning to Damascus in an interview with the Arab daily Al-Hayat, published Saturday.

"Syria must understand that any act that encroaches upon the stability of Lebanon, be it through the shipment of weapons or assassinations, is an act that contradicts with its standing in the international community and will trigger a response from the international community," he said.

He also said Syria should fully cooperate with an international probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

The Associated Press reported that Chirac, who was a close friend of Hariri, said in the interview that the former prime minister's assassination would not go unpunished. "The truth and justice are necessary for the sake of a new Lebanon," he said.

The Associated Press added "Those who are behind the assassinations (in Lebanon) must realize that those who are defending Lebanon's independence are not alone. The international community is with them and it is determined to succeed," Chirac said.