ArDO: Yes we want Lebanon to be the Switzerland of the East and Beirut the Paris of the East

 

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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

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