Syrian President Bashar Assad expressed concerns over the political divisions in Lebanon, saying such partitions could lead the Lebanese to an abyss.

"We fear the political schism in Lebanon could lead to an abyss," An Nahar daily newspaper reported Saturday.

"Some say the political conditions in Lebanon resemble that of 1975. I cannot be the judge of that," Assad said in an interview with the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily.

He said that any confrontation in Lebanon "would be a direct loss for Syria."

Assad said a "militia mentality" was present in Lebanon and "narrow political interests are placed ahead of the nation's interests," adding that "we are doing what we can to prevent any such deterioration."

"Whenever we meet a Lebanese we tell him not to drive yourself into confrontation, he added.

Referring to Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, Assad said that the Lebanese Premier has rejected three invitations by Syria.

In response to a question on what would he tell Saniora should he meet him, the Syrian President said: "I would tell him to be the Prime Minister of all Lebanon and not the Prime Minister of a block, or a movement."

Assad reiterated Syria's willingness to extend help to Lebanon should the small, diverse country asked for assistance, assuring that Syria was no longer part of the "Lebanese equation."

On whether Lebanon's relations with Syria depended on the outcome of the international probe into ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination, Assad said: "The problem is theirs, not ours."

"We do not link the relation with Lebanon neither with the probe nor with anything else," he added.

Responding to a question about Lebanese complaints that arms were being smuggled into Lebanon, Assad claimed that the "smuggling is being carried out both ways. There is no one-way smuggling."

About the presence of al-Qaida in Lebanon, he said intelligence sources has confirmed these allegations. He explained that al-Qaida does have "a head or a branch … It is an extremist mind."

Asked about his opinion on the Arab solidarity, Assad said: "I place myself with the Arabs."

He said he believed that "it is in our interest to build good relations with countries that surround us and that have been living with us for thousands of years.