Posted on 04/25/2005 4:28:48 PM PDT by Simmy2.5
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said it was concerned over Syria's continuing interference in Lebanon despite the withdrawal of troops by Damascus from its smaller neighbour.
Syrian troops were seen packing up and heading out of Lebanon on Monday, ushering in a new era for the country which has been in the military and political grip of Damascus for 29 years.
"If the Syrian military forces get out, it will be a big step but the jury is still out on whether Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs has come to an end," said a US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"And that will be determined by whether its intelligence forces are out and whether it allows Lebanon to have elections that are based solely on what the Lebanese want and not what others want," the official said.
While it certainly looked like the military forces were heading out, the official said, "I think there is considerable more scepticism about the intelligence assets," comprising non-uniformed security personnel.
"We were always sceptical because Syria has not said: 'we will get out by a certain date'," the official said. "It has never been clear and unequivocal."
Syria agreed to withdraw after February's assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri, who had come to oppose Syria's grip on Lebanon.
A UN enquiry pointed a finger of suspicion over the killing at Syria.
Most Syrian troops have crossed the border on Monday, bar the token force scheduled to attend Tuesday's official send-off, AFP reported from Damascus.
Tuesday's send-off was supposed to see an end to a Syrian force first deployed in 1976 in the early stages of the Lebanese civil war.
The UN team charged with verifying the withdrawal is expected to start work the same day in Damascus where it will reportedly meet with the Syrian army command and obtain the necessary reports, maps and documents.
Another UN team will arrive in Beirut on Wednesday to prepare the ground for the UN commission of inquiry into Hariri's murder.
Deputy US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters that Syria's withdrawal process "is not complete," stressing that based on UN Resolution 1559, "we would expect not only the withdrawal of all of the military forces, but the withdrawal of all of the intelligence assets."
Security Council Resolution 1559, adopted in September, calls for the pullout of all foreign forces from Lebanon, the end of foreign interference in its internal affairs and the disarming of militia groups like Hezbollah.
Duke Atreides had the same problem.
That's actually quite appropriate. Since Atreides was a character in a novel, we should realize that the threat he faced was just as fictional as the one Syria poses.
"The UN team charged with verifying the withdrawal is expected to start work the same day in Damascus where it will reportedly meet with the Syrian army command and obtain the necessary reports, maps and documents."
Boy, this is going to be a good one. Ha ha. What a joke. The UN what? Now for the tenth time in two months and as many replies to posts..................When is Syria going to round up and hand over all the known Saddamist supporters such as their star man.........Izzat el Douri (the red head general running the Iraqi insurgency out of Syria), and turn them over to the Iraqi and US military authorities?
They have had two months plus to do it. We supposedly gave them the addresses and cell phone numbers of where these insurgent operatives are living and working at in Syria.
Not a damn single one has been rounded up. And we are to expect the UN, argggggh, gurgle, spilled my drink on the floor........is going to obtain valid information as to the whole Syrian Intel organizations withdraw from Lebanon?
PS. I am not really drinking. Just trying to express my unfound love for the UN.
One KH taking one shot per day for the border area between Syria and Lebanon, to locate called palestinian military units entering from Syria and taking position, plus 3 million willing lebanese people to show the team the new apartments where the civilian intel syrian officers live.
Taping the phone calls to the 02 area code (Syria) from Lebanon could do the job!
"Taping the phone calls to the 02 area code (Syria) from Lebanon could do the job!"
Sounds reasonable. Problems is who will do the taping and follow up actions where required.
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