Lebanon's domestic divisions, including the 15-year civil war, were not caused by the inability of 19 sects to coexist but by regional interference, said former army commander General Michel Aoun Friday. Aoun said that although Lebanon had a pluralistic society, the country could have avoided a civil war in 1975, if it weren't for the Arab, particularly the Palestinian and Syrian interferences in domestic affairs. "In fact, the Lebanese war was transformed in 1975 to a Lebanese-Palestinian war, in 1976 to a Lebanese-Syrian war in Beirut, in 1978 and 1982 an Israeli-Palestinian war in the South to end into a Lebanese-Syrian war in 1989 and 1990," Aoun said. As for the Lebanese struggle, which he said occurred in phases, it was always tutored and encouraged by the outside. Aoun played a significant role during the civil war. He was appointed interim prime minister by former President Amin Gemayel in 1988. But, his appointment was not recognized by the Muslim community.