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Assad: Peace Process Will Wait For Next U.S. Administration
At a press conference convened by the presidents of Syria and France, the emir of Qatar, and the prime minister of Turkey, following the quadripartite summit in Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said that Lebanon was still in a "delicate" situation, and expressed his concern over the alleged fanning of the rioting in Tripoli by extremist forces supported by external elements
He said that he had asked Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to send additional Lebanese army troops to the north of the country, because otherwise stability would not be maintained in Lebanon. He also called for solving the matter of extremism and of the Salafi forces operating in Lebanon, which he said were officially supported by a number of countries.
Assad added that President Suleiman had agreed to join the peace negotiations with Israel when they reached the direct stage.
Assad also told Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV that Syria had no interest in relinquishing the resistance, and that its position on the matter was clear and fixed, and that the peace process had been comprehensively postponed until the new U.S. administration came into power.
An announcement by the March 14 Forces called Assad's request to Lebanon to send army units to the north of the country and his call to Lebanon to join the negotiations with Israel were gross interference in internal affairs, proving that Syria did not recognize Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and constituting a humiliation for President Suleiman and harm to his status.
Sources: Al-Nahar, Lebanon; Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London; Al-Thawra, Syria, September 5, 2008
Posted at: 2008-09-05
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