 The European Union will not sign a much-delayed trade and aid pact with Syria unless Damascus pulls all forces out of Lebanon, the EU ambassador has said. Frank Hesske on Monday said the EU was unlikely to sign the Association Agreement, which will widen Syrian access to its markets, until Syria complies with a UN resolution demanding an end to foreign meddling in Lebanon. "I don't see how we could consider signature earlier than
fulfillment of these two conditions: withdrawal of troops and intelligence services and the issue of what we really see on the ground free transparent elections or not," Hesske said. The EU precondition came despite a Syrian pledge to the United Nations to end its 29-year military and intelligence presence in Lebanon by the end of April. |