Lebanon political crisis deepens as Syria pressed to pull out troops
Friday, March 04, 2005 BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon sank deeper into political paralysis with no hope for the quick formation of a new government as Arab nations joined the growing domestic and international pressure for Syria to leave. After Arab heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Damascus's long-time strategic ally Russia called for an end to Syria's military presence, close US ally Britain warned that Syria risked being "treated as a pariah" if it failed to withdraw. As the world held its breath on Damascus's response to the growing global pressure for a pullout, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was due to make a speech before parliament on Saturday. Lebanon's pro-Syrian regime, which along with Damascus has been accused by the Lebanese opposition of the February 14 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri, has yet to install a new cabinet. Four days after the shock resignation of pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karameh, President Emile Lahoud has still not called for constitutionally mandated parliamentary consultations to name a new premier. Officials said the consultations will have to wait until next week. "Internal political developments are following the rythm of foreign contacts, and this has been translated in the delay in announcing a schedule for the special parliamentary consultations to form a new government," said the As-Safir newspaper. "The state procrastinates and no consultations before Monday," read the headline of the top-selling An-Nahar newspaper which noted that "there are no positive indications at the horizons so far." "It seems that (the authorities) want to exploit the fall of the government -- under pressure from the opposition -- by causing an open-ended government crisis and holding the opposition responsible for the consequences." Prominent opposition leader Druze MP Walid Jumblatt warned in a television interview late Wednesday that protests so far confined to the central Martyrs' Square would be extended to Lebanese intelligence headquarters. He also said that "when a date is set for parliamentary consultations, the opposition will not name a candidate for the premiership, but will submit to the president of the republic a list of demands." The opposition is seeking a probe to find Hariri's killers, the sacking of the heads of security agencies and the announcement of a Syrian pullout before accepting the formation of a new government. In an apparent attempt to further isolate Lahoud, Jumblatt has sent aides to meet with pro-Damascus parliament speaker Nabih Berri and the head of the Syrian-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah to secure direct talks with Syria to win a pullout. As an announcement last week of an imminent Syrian troop redeployment has yet to be implemented, the world community piled the pressure on Syria. US President George W. Bush on Thursday issued his latest call to Damascus for it to pull out "now" the remaining 14,000 Syrian troops as well as intelligence agents. The United States joined France to sponsor UN Security Council Resolution 1559 adopted in September to demand the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon "without delay," although Syria is not mentioned by name. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Thursday he hoped to be able to report progress on the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon by April but warned the change has to be handled with care. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was "very clear" that the Syrians must withdraw or risk being "treated as a pariah -- not just by the West, but by most of their Arab neighbors." And Saudi Arabia, a key US ally in the region, called for a rapid pullout, while Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo also pressed Syria on the issue. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project. http://us.click.yahoo.com/FHLuJD/_WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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