BEIRUT: Lebanon gains nothing by recognizing the Syrian National Council, Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour told a Kuwaiti newspaper and described as “realistic” Russia and China’s vetoing of an Arab and Western-backed resolution calling on President Bashar Assad to hand over power.

“I think Lebanon does not have any interest in recognizing [Syrian National Council],” Mansour told Al-Rai newspaper in an article published Sunday.

“Recognizing the Syrian National Council could lead us to a dangerous path,” he added, criticizing former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s calls last week for Arab countries to recognize the Syrian opposition as the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people.

“If Lebanon’s policy is to disassociate itself then how can it recognize the Syrian National Council? Isn’t that considered interference in the internal affairs of Syria? Would the recognition serve the long-term mutual interests of Lebanon and Syria?” Mansour asked.

In a statement issued Friday, Hariri urged Arab and the international community to recognize the SNC as the official representative of the Syrian. He also urged countries to deny Assad political cover for his lethal crackdown against protester

Mansour, who is in Cairo to attend an Arab foreign ministers conference that will discuss the Syria crisis, also voiced his support for Russia and China’s move last week to veto a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Assad’s crackdown and calling on the embattled leader to hand over power.

“Every country has a certain point of view [regarding the Syria crisis]. When Russia and China vetoes the resolution, each had their point of view, and we see their views as realistic,” Mansour said.

“We found that the U.N. Security Council proposal was unbalanced given that it takes into account one point view and not the other ... we should take into account points of views from all sides in order to [draft a resolution],” he added.

Taking the case of Syria to the U.N., according to Mansour, was evidence that the Arab League was incapable of resolving the crisis.

Mansour also voiced his opposition to internationalizing the handling of the Syria crisis.

“We are against the internationalization of the Syrian crisis because that will not bear fruit and will not offer Syria any stability but instead it will complicate matters further,” Mansour said.

“And perhaps there are countries who want to settle scores with Syria,” he added.

Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, have said that Lebanon’s policy of disassociating itself from ongoing unrest in Syria is for the benefit of the country given that the country cannot afford to be in confrontation with anyone.

Mansour said that Lebanon was directly concerned in developments in Syria, adding that Syrian, Arab and international officials have all understood Lebanon’s “sensitivities” and its policy toward the crisis.

“Our action stems from our keenness of not interfering in the internal affairs of others,” Mansour said.

“We are working on establishing peace and stability in Syria because it concerns us,” he added.