AMMAN - European foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Sunday indicated the European Union was against inflicting sanctions on Syria at this juncture for its reported failure to show due cooperation with the UN probe into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
"It is too early to talk about economic sanctions against Syria at this time," Solana was quoted as saying by the official Jordanian news agency, Petra, after a meeting with King Abdullah.
"However, we hope Syria will cooperate with the UN Security Council and with the UN investigation panel," he added.
Solana, who visited Beirut this week after a defiant speech by Syrian President Bashar Assad, said he found the situation there "calm."
"The Lebanese are determined to build up ties of friendship with Syria provided they were founded on mutual respect," he added.
Assad charged in his speech that Lebanese parties were involved in "conspiracy" against Syria, taking the Hariri probe as a vehicle.
On Iraq, Solana said the European Union "has a plan for training Iraqi police and people on the importance of abiding by the law, which is the sole way for restoring security and stability and building up democracy."
