Syria accuses France of threatening its stability

DUBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem today accused France of carrying out policies that seek to undermine the stability of the Arab country.

''I do not trust the current French policy and I see it as an attempt to (commit) aggression against Syria's stability,'' Moualem told Al Jazeera television without elaboration.

Syrian ties with France have been tense since Paris reduced contacts with Damascus to a minimum after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005.

Many Lebanese politicians blamed Syria, then the power broker in Lebanon, for the truck bomb killing. Damascus denies any link to the assassination of Hariri, an ally turned foe.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Euro-Mediterranean forum in Finland, Moualem said he had no intention of meeting his French counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy.

''There will be several meetings with European foreign ministers but not with the French (minister) ... I do not see any point in meeting'' Douste-Blazy.

REUTERS SBA BST0132