Italy warns Syria on arms to Lebanon

ROME, Aug 30 (Reuters) Italy's foreign minister said the international community would ''not stand by and watch'' if Syria sent arms to Lebanon, news agency Ansa reported today.

''In Syria they should also know that if arms arrive from Syria ... the international community will know about it and won't stand by and watch,'' Massimo D'Alema said in a radio interview, Ansa reported.

Italy is contributing 3,000 troops to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon that is aimed at turning a truce between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas into a sustainable ceasefire.

Its contingent is the largest so far, and Italy is expected to take over command of the mission from France in 2007.

''We ask Syria for cooperation,'' Ansa quoted D'Alema as saying.

In a telephone conversation yesterday, Prime Minister Romano Prodi spoke to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about possible ways to solve the crisis in Lebanon and in the West Asia in general.

Reuters AK DB2149