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While a UN
Resolution is Brewing at the Security Council
Lebanese Americans Moving Forward
In New York
ANIS KARAM ON CNN WEDNESDAY AT
10:30 AM
Lebanese American activist Anis
Karam will be on CNN International Wednesday at 10:30 AM (US EST) to
discuss the Lebanese and Mideast participation in the Republican
Convention in New York. Dr Karam, representing the American Lebanese
Coalition (ALC) at the Convention will talk about President Bush's
initiative for Democracy and Human Rights in the Greater Middle East.
Karam, chairman for information with the Diaspora-based World Lebanese
Cultural Union (WLCU).
KARAM ON AL HURRA WEDNESDAY AT 8 PM
Dr Karam, who also leads the
Mideast American delegation at the New York RNC will appear on al Hurra TV
at 8 PM Wednesday and 12 AM Thursday Beirut time.
Karam
appeared on al Jazeera today Tuesday
It is to note that Karam was
interviewed on al Jazeera today Tuesday at 5 PM from the Convention. The
ALC representative said "Mideast and Arab Americans support the spread of
Human Rights and Democracy in the Middle East. They stand by America in
its struggle against Terrorism. Our priority, let it be known, is to
preserve America's national security."
ALC representative Karam with
President George Bush (archives)
MEETINGS WITH SECRETARY ABRAHAM AND CONGRESSMAN ISSA
Delegate Karam met with US Energy
Secretary Spencer Abraham and US Congressman Darell Issa at the
Convention. The discussions concentrated on the "US and international
efforts to withdraw Syria from Lebanon," and on the "deplorable behavior
of Syria regarding the takeover of Lebanon's constitutional process."
Secretary Abraham said he is working with the White House on securing a
fast UN based resolution in that regard. Congressman Issa said "there are
last minutes attempts to stop the constitutional collapse in Lebanon, but
an international action is now inevitable."
Dr Karam (ALC-WLCU) and Adel Abu
Sleiman (ALC Treasurer), in the center, surrounded by Lebanese American
activists in Washington at an event attended by President Bush. (Archives)
LATEST..
U.S.
Wants Syria to Withdraw From Lebanon
.c The Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United States is calling for the immediate
withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, according to a a draft
resolution circulated in the U.N. Security Council late Tuesday.
The new measure also offers support for elections under the current
Lebanese constitution, which would rule out a second term for pro-Syrian
President Emile Lahoud.
The United States decided to press for a resolution - with! the support of
France, Lebanon's former colonial ruler - after what many saw as a
Syrian-engineered move to change the constitution to extend Lahoud's term.
The resolution calls on the council ``to consider additional measures,''
which are not specified, if the Syrians and Lebanese don't comply.
Lebanon accused the United States and France Tuesday of trying to
``blackmail'' it and Syria, and create trouble between Beirut and
Damascus.
U.S. deputy ambassador Anne Patterson said the United States wants the
Security Council to vote on the draft resolution ``hopefully by Wednesday
or Thursday.'' But the draft is almost certain to face opposition from
Algeria, the only Arab nation on the council, and probably from Russia and
China, which traditionally oppose council interference in a country's
internal affairs.
In Washington, the Bush administration sharply criticized Syria for
meddling in Lebanon's politics, and a senior U.S. diplomat was likely to
g! o to Damascus for high-level talks.
But Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Obeid said Lebanese-Syrian relations
are a matter for both countries to decide. He said Lebanon ``completely
separates between dealing with our internal affairs and international
attempts at blackmail with the aim of fomenting a dispute between us and
our brothers (in Syria).''
Syria's involvement in Lebanon dates back to 1976, when it sent its troops
to Lebanon to help quell a year-old civil war that raged on for another 14
years. The West tolerated its control and even credited Syria with
securing stability.
But since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Western nations have been
calling for democracy to take hold in the Arab world as a way to fight
extremism - and President Bush's administration has repeatedly accused
Syria of sponsoring terrorism.
The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, calls for ``the
strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial i! ntegrity, unity
and political independence.''
It ``demands that Syrian forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon'' and
declares the Security Council's ``support for a free and fair electoral
process in Lebanon's upcoming presidential election conducted according to
Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or
influence.''
The Lebanese Cabinet last week approved an amendment to the constitution
to allow Lahoud to stay in power three more years.
Parliament, instead of voting for a new president for the next six years,
will have to vote on an extension to Lahoud's term, which expires Nov. 24.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called late Tuesday for a meeting of the
128-member legislature on Friday to amend the constitution to extend
Lahoud's term.
The draft resolution asks Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report on
implementation within 30 days. It was not drafted under Chapter VII of the
U.N. Charter, so military action would ! not be an option.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said in a letter to the Security Council
that U.N. action would be ``a dangerous precedent.''
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