LEBANON: Lebanon's opposition has demanded the full withdrawal of Syrian military and intelligence services and the resignation of Lebanese Syrian-backed security chiefs. The opposition, in a statement after a meeting yesterday, said pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud must accept these demands before they would join any discussions on forming a new government.
"The. . . step that the opposition considers essential in its demands on the road to salvation and independence is the total withdrawal of the Syrian army and intelligence service from Lebanon," said the statement read by legislator Ahmad Fatfat.
"This step requires an official announcement from Syria's President [ Bashar al-Assad] on the withdrawal of the Syrian forces and its intelligence from Lebanon," he said.
Mr Fatfat and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said the opposition would agree on taking part in discussions of forming a new government only after Lahoud accepts the demands.
"These are the principles that the opposition defined... Only if the authorities agree on these conditions we might take part [ in talks on government] formation," Mr Jumblatt told reporters.
The US meanwhile said it was sceptical of President Assad's earlier pledge to withdraw his troops from Lebanon because Damascus had sent mixed signals about its intentions.
David Satterfield, a senior State Department official who visited Lebanon this week, said top Syrian officials had made contradictory statements in the last few days about the pullout that the US has demanded, but he did not cite any specific statements.
"What is needed now is not rhetoric, whether private or public. What is needed is action on the ground," Mr Satterfield told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.