The Hindu : International : Call for Syrian pullout grows shriller

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Friday, Mar 04, 2005

International

International

Call for Syrian pullout grows shriller

By Atul Aneja

PUSHING FOR A PULLOUT: An anti-Syria demonstration in central Beirut, on Thursday. — AP

MANAMA, MARCH 3. Lebanon's Opposition leaders have asked Syria to formally announce the pull out of its forces and sought the resignation of the country's top six security officials in order to start a political dialogue with the Government.

Buoyed by several days of street protests against Lebanon's pro-Syrian Government and the presence of the nearly 15,000 Syrian troops, the Opposition has asked the Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, to announce a complete and "honourable" pullout of the troops and intelligence services from Lebanon.

Security apparatus

The key Opposition figure, Walid Jumblatt, who hosted 70 Opposition leaders at his residence, said success in any negotiations would depend on how far Lebanon's pro-Syria President, Emile Lahoud, wants to dismantle the security apparatus. He said Syria should give precise dates for troop withdrawal.

The Opposition leaders feel that once the new Government assumes charge, it would lead the probe into last month's assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, negotiate the Syrian redeployment of forces before pullout, and supervise legislative elections due by the end of May.

Lebanon shares a border with Israel and Syria, and Damascus is worried that a pullout could bring Israeli troops at its doorstep. Nevertheless, faced with the intense international pressure, Mr. Assad has told a U.S. publication that a pullout could begin "very soon."

Mood in Damascus

Analysts point out that the mood in Damascus is to ride out the storm in the aftermath of Hariri's assassination. Sami Moubayed, a political commentator specialising in Lebanese and Syrian affairs told The Hindu that a consensus had been reached in Syria that "preservation of Syria" is the top most national priority. He added that supporters of the "Syria first" approach include Mr. Bashar, the Ba'ath party, former pan-Arabists as well as the majority of the people.

With the Lebanese Opposition and Government at loggerheads over the presence of Syria, Hasan Nasrallah, the leader of the militant group Hizbullah, is emerging as a possible mediator. Known for his close ties with Syria and Iran, the Shia leader, nevertheless commands widespread respect within the Lebanese Opposition groups.

"We have full confidence in Sayyid Nasrallah, and through him, we (can) address Syrian officials in order to put an end to all that is happening .... because Syria is responsible, concerned and affected by what is happening in Lebanon," an Opposition lawmaker, Ghazi Aridi, was quoted as saying.

Under Mr. Nasrallah, the Hizbullah was instrumental in forcing Israeli troops to move out from southern Lebanon in May 2000, ending 22 years of occupation.

The Hizbullah leader has so far called for calm, and opposed the "internationalisation" of the political crisis.

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