Dr Bouthaina Shaaban

In a HARDtalk interview shown on 15th May 2008, Stephen Sackur talks to the Syrian Cabinet minister, Bouthaina Shaaban.

Lebanon's simmering internal tensions have turned into street warfare.

Hizbollah and its opposition allies humiliated the Beirut government in a series of armed confrontations.

Now President Bush says that US will support the Lebanese army to prevent Hizbullah's backers, Iran and Syria, from imposing their will on Lebanon.

Dr Bouthaina Shaaban is a minister in the Damascus government.

Is Syria pushing Lebanon toward another civil war?

HARDtalk is broadcast on BBC World News at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 14:30 GMT, 20:30 GMT and 22:30 GMT.

Hardtalk can also be seen on BBC News at 04:30 & 23:30.