[Mb-civic] CBC News - SYRIA EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE PARTIAL TROOP WITHDRAWAL

[CBC News Online]

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SYRIA EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE PARTIAL TROOP WITHDRAWAL
WebPosted Sat Mar  5 09:28:01 2005

damascus---Syria's president was expected to announce Saturday that his
country will begin withdrawing soldiers from Lebanon as international
pressure for a military pullout continues.

Bashar al-Assad was expected to tell parliament that some of the 15,000
troops would be leaving Lebanon completely, while others would be moved
to the Bekka Valley, closer to the Syrian border, said Lebanese Defence
Minister Abdul-Rahim Murad.

U.S. President George W. Bush has said anything less than a full
withdrawal, as demanded by a UN Security Council resolution, would be
unacceptable.

 FROM FEB. 15, 2005: Lebanon begins mourning ex-PM Al-Assad has faced
 growing pressure to get his troops out of Lebanon since the
 assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister last month.

Many Lebanese have blamed Syria for the Feb. 14 bombing that killed Rafik
Hariri in Beirut.



INDEPTH: Syria Civilians have made their anger known with large and
steady protests in the streets of Beirut since the killing.

In addition, Britain, Russia, and Germany are the latest nations to
insist that Syria withdraw its troops.

Copyright (C) 2005 CBC. All rights reserved.