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Syria to withdraw from Lebanon
Syrian President Bashar al-As sad said he would soon take steps to withdraw his troops from Lebanon under an accord that ended the 15-year civil war there, according to the head of the Arab League. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa met Al-Asad and Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara on Monday, as tens of thousands of demonstrators thronged the seafront in Beirut to urge Damascus to recall its troops from Lebanon. "During our meeting, President al-Asad expressed his firm desire, more than once, to continue implementing the Taif accord and to withdraw from Lebanon in keeping with this agreement," Musa said.Syria is facing intense international pressure to end its political and military domination of Lebanon. Lebanese opposition figures have suspected Syria of having a hand in the murder a week ago of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, but al-Assad's government has vehemently denied this. Al-Hariri, a five-time prime minister and billionaire businessman who spearheaded Lebanon's post-war revival, was killed four months after he quit in a row over Syria's influence in his country. Posted by: Fred 2005-02-22 |
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