The US will press Syria to "get completely out of Lebanon", President George Bush said in an interview with Lebanese television last night.
"The United States can join with the rest of the world, like we've done, and say to Syria, get out - not only get out with your military forces, but get out with your intelligence services, too; get completely out of Lebanon, so Lebanon can be free and the people can be free," he told viewers of the LBC channel.
| "Or else ... ," he didn't need to add. |
Mr Bush said he was pleased to see the Syrian army withdrawing, but the withdrawal should include people who "have been embedded in parts of government ... They need to get completely out of Lebanon so the people of Lebanon can decide the fate of the country, not another government, not agents of another government, but the people".
The US has been pressing Syria to withdraw before May so that the parliamentary elections due next month can be held without influence from Damascus. In previous elections Syria has had a major role in selecting the candidates.
"The elections need to be free and fair, without interference," Mr Bush said last night, adding that monitors should oversee the balloting. |