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BBC: Press caution over Syria
Lebanon moje 23.9.04
(Naharnet-AP-AFP)
U.S. Says Syrian Redeployment 'Insufficient," Israel Suspects It's
Cosmetic> The United States is not letting Syria off the hook. The Bush
administration has again demanded a total military pullout from Lebanon
instead of the current redeployment operation , which was termed
"insufficient" and "fails to meet the requirements of U.N. resolution
1559." "We remain deeply concerned about the Syrian intervention in
Lebanon and reiterate that, in accordance with Security Council resolution
1559, Syria withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon," State Department
deputy spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters in Washington. The Associated
Press and the Agence France Presse have said the Syrians were withdrawing
some 3,000 troops from their 20,000-strong contingence from Greater Beirut
and Lebanon's central mountains to new positions in the Bekaa Valley. In
Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cast doubt on the value of the Syrian
pullback. "We don't at this point see a change in Syria's position,"
Sharon told Israel Radio on Wednesday. "Syria is under U.S. pressure these
days because it is helping Iraqi terrorists ... They have an interest in
taking steps that will take off or weaken the pressure." Israeli
government officials were waiting to hear if the move would be more than
cosmetic. "I hope that Syria is not engaging in a public relations
exercise under international pressure," said Gideon Meir, a senior Israeli
Foreign Ministry official. "The Syrians have to ... remove all troops from
Lebanon so that it is sovereign."
22 Sep 04, 13:10 |
