From: Subject: World News Article | Reuters.co.uk Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 17:58:32 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C55D65.89784D90" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2527 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C55D65.89784D90 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-05-20T174210Z_01_MCC063699_RTRUKOC_0_LEBANON-USA-SYRIA.xml =EF=BB=BF World News Article | = Reuters.co.uk
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Pull out your spies from Lebanon, U.S. tells = Syria
Fri May 20, 2005 6:42 PM BST
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By Ibon Villelabeitia

DEAD SEA, Jordan (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday = Syria=20 must pull out all its intelligence agents from Lebanon, and = accused Iran=20 of funnelling "millions of dollars per month" to Hizbollah = guerrillas.

"Pulling out military forces is not enough. You have to pull = out all=20 your intelligence agents," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert = Zoellick=20 told reporters during a World Economic Forum regional meeting in=20 Jordan.

Under huge world and Lebanese pressure following the February = killing=20 of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, Syria last = month pulled=20 its troops from Lebanon, which it entered in the early days of the = 1975-1990 civil war.

But Scott Carpenter, deputy assistant secretary of state, said = Syria=20 was still meddling in Lebanon despite the pullout.

"We still remain deeply concerned about the level of = interference and=20 continued manipulation (by Syria) on the part of the security and=20 intelligence services within Lebanon," Carpenter said.

"We will continue, as the international community, to put = pressure to=20 make sure those connections are also withdrawn or suspended," he = said.

The remarks by Zoellick and Carpenter come as Lebanon prepares = to hold=20 parliamentary elections starting on May 29, the first in 30 years = without=20 Syrian troops present in the country.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Thursday that = Damascus had=20 no influence over Lebanon's daily political life since its = withdrawal

Carpenter told a panel discussion on Lebanon that Washington = was=20 monitoring Syrian troop movements to make sure they don't = return.

"We need to make sure that the temptation to re-enter through = the back=20 door, the side door, the basement, the roof, the window left open = are kept=20 at bay."

"HIZBOLLAH MUST DISARM"

Carpenter also reiterated calls for Hizbollah to disarm, as = stipulated=20 under U.N. Security Council resolution 1559.

The resolution, sponsored by the United States and France last=20 September, called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from = Lebanon=20 and "for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and = non-Lebanese=20 militia".

Branded a "terrorist" organisation by Washington, the group has = broad=20 support among Lebanon's large Shi'ite community for helping end = Israeli=20 occupation of south Lebanon in 2000. It has several elected = members of=20 parliament and runs welfare services as well as an armed = militia.

Hizbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, is the only Lebanese group = to=20 openly keep its arms after the end of the civil war.

"Resolution 1559 states very clearly that groups within Lebanon = have to=20 be disarmed ... The international community through the Security = Council=20 resolution has been very clear and Hizbollah must disarm," = Carpenter=20 said.

Carpenter, who said the forthcoming elections will help Lebanon = become=20 a "normal country", also had harsh words for Iran, accusing the = Islamic=20 republic of funnelling "millions of dollars per month" into = Hizbollah.

"We will continue to put a good deal of pressure on both Syria = and Iran=20 to stop funding and providing support for Hizbollah," he said.

Israel accuses Hizbollah of training Palestinian militants = behind=20 suicide attacks against=20 Israelis.



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