DAMASCUS, Syria, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged his Syrian counterpart in Damascus on Monday to prevent further destabilization of Lebanon.
Steinmeier met with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and later President Bashar Assad for two hours on his fourth and final day of a Middle East tour, Deutsche Welle reported.
"I call particularly on Syria to do everything in its power to prevent the destabilization of Lebanon, directly or indirectly," Steinmeier said. "The region is in a difficult transitional phase and is anything but stable."
In Berlin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Steinmeier also delivered "a political message" from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to Syria, asking it to "exercise a moderating influence on Hezbollah" militants.
Steinmeier arrived in Damascus after talks in Israel with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. His trip began in Jordan on Friday and Steinmeier stopped in the West Bank, Gaza, Beirut and Cyprus.
