Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Terrorists based in Syria to blame for Tel Aviv bombing, U.S. says
By Anne Gearan, AP Diplomatic Writer
Wednesday, March 02, 2005 | No comments posted.
LONDON - The Bush administration is applying its strongest pressure to date on Syria, insisting on an immediate withdrawal from neighboring Lebanon and blaming terrorists based in Syria for last week's deadly suicide attack in Israel.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Syria is "out of step" with growing desire for democracy in the Middle East. International resolve is firm that Syria must no longer hold political and military control over its smaller neighbor, Rice said Tuesday.
Rice was in London for an international conference on Palestinian security and government reform, which the Bush administration has called a building block for wider democratic change in the region.
On the issue of Iran's nuclear program, Rice indicated that the administration was working with European leaders on a plan to offer Iran economic incentives in exchange for abandoning its nuclear ambitions. The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
"We are designing, I think, an important common strategy with Europe so that Iran knows there is no other way," Rice said in a brief interview aired today on NBC's "Today" show.
Until recently, the Bush administration has opposed any rewards for Tehran's cooperation. But during the president's trip overseas last week, European leaders urged him to join them in offering incentives such as possible membership at some time for Iran in the World Trade Organization.
While in London, Rice also met briefly with Canada's foreign minister and "explained her disappointment" over Canada's refusal to join a U.S.-led anti-ballistic missile shield program, an administration official said Tuesday.
She was returning to Washington today.
Rice has put off a planned April visit to Ottawa amid U.S. displeasure over the Canadian decision. The administration said Rice wants to reschedule quickly, but no new date has been set.
In Washington, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Syria was home base for the terrorist attack in Israel that rocked the latest efforts for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
"We do have firm evidence that the bombing in Tel Aviv was not only authorized by Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus, but that Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus participated in the planning," the spokesman said.
President Bush made a similar point during a White House meeting with congressional leaders, participants said, and so did Rice while in London.
All key Lebanese political decisions are assumed to have a stamp of approval from the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Huge street demonstrations and Monday's resignation of the pro-Syrian Lebanese government marked the most serious challenge to Syrian authority in Lebanon since the end of the civil war that killed 150,000 and crushed the Lebanese economy in the 1970s and 1980s.
The events also were an opening for the Bush administration to press its wider goal of democracy across the Middle East and to throw a spotlight on what the United States contends is long-standing Syrian support for terrorists who are trying to undermine progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Rice said the Lebanese must be allowed to choose their own political future in elections this spring. That choice must be independent of "contaminating influences," she said, underscoring a joint U.S.-French statement on Tuesday and a United Nations resolution last fall.
"I think it's one of the strongest statements in a long time about what needs to happen in Lebanon," Rice said.
At a news conference with French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, Rice said their two countries would support the scheduled election in Lebanon, perhaps by sending observers and monitors.
She also suggested international peacekeepers might be needed eventually and could help secure democracy for the Lebanese if Syria were to withdraw.
She gave no details, and later said it was too soon to talk about the specifics of security in Lebanon after a hypothetical Syrian exit.
Syrian President Bashar Assad indicated in an interview with Time magazine that he would withdraw Syria's 15,000 troops from Lebanon "maybe in the next few months." Later, however, a Syrian official speaking on condition of anonymity in Damascus questioned whether it could occur within months.
---
On the Net: State Department's Lebanon site:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Syria is "out of step" with growing desire for democracy in the Middle East. International resolve is firm that Syria must no longer hold political and military control over its smaller neighbor, Rice said Tuesday.
Rice was in London for an international conference on Palestinian security and government reform, which the Bush administration has called a building block for wider democratic change in the region.
On the issue of Iran's nuclear program, Rice indicated that the administration was working with European leaders on a plan to offer Iran economic incentives in exchange for abandoning its nuclear ambitions. The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
"We are designing, I think, an important common strategy with Europe so that Iran knows there is no other way," Rice said in a brief interview aired today on NBC's "Today" show.
Until recently, the Bush administration has opposed any rewards for Tehran's cooperation. But during the president's trip overseas last week, European leaders urged him to join them in offering incentives such as possible membership at some time for Iran in the World Trade Organization.
While in London, Rice also met briefly with Canada's foreign minister and "explained her disappointment" over Canada's refusal to join a U.S.-led anti-ballistic missile shield program, an administration official said Tuesday.
She was returning to Washington today.
Rice has put off a planned April visit to Ottawa amid U.S. displeasure over the Canadian decision. The administration said Rice wants to reschedule quickly, but no new date has been set.
In Washington, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Syria was home base for the terrorist attack in Israel that rocked the latest efforts for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
"We do have firm evidence that the bombing in Tel Aviv was not only authorized by Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus, but that Islamic Jihad leaders in Damascus participated in the planning," the spokesman said.
President Bush made a similar point during a White House meeting with congressional leaders, participants said, and so did Rice while in London.
All key Lebanese political decisions are assumed to have a stamp of approval from the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Huge street demonstrations and Monday's resignation of the pro-Syrian Lebanese government marked the most serious challenge to Syrian authority in Lebanon since the end of the civil war that killed 150,000 and crushed the Lebanese economy in the 1970s and 1980s.
The events also were an opening for the Bush administration to press its wider goal of democracy across the Middle East and to throw a spotlight on what the United States contends is long-standing Syrian support for terrorists who are trying to undermine progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Rice said the Lebanese must be allowed to choose their own political future in elections this spring. That choice must be independent of "contaminating influences," she said, underscoring a joint U.S.-French statement on Tuesday and a United Nations resolution last fall.
"I think it's one of the strongest statements in a long time about what needs to happen in Lebanon," Rice said.
At a news conference with French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, Rice said their two countries would support the scheduled election in Lebanon, perhaps by sending observers and monitors.
She also suggested international peacekeepers might be needed eventually and could help secure democracy for the Lebanese if Syria were to withdraw.
She gave no details, and later said it was too soon to talk about the specifics of security in Lebanon after a hypothetical Syrian exit.
Syrian President Bashar Assad indicated in an interview with Time magazine that he would withdraw Syria's 15,000 troops from Lebanon "maybe in the next few months." Later, however, a Syrian official speaking on condition of anonymity in Damascus questioned whether it could occur within months.
---
On the Net: State Department's Lebanon site:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35833.htm
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines