Straw calls for Syria to pull out of Lebanon

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has called for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon.

The Foreign Secretary's statements follow calls from Russia and Saudi Arabia urging Syria to remove its forces from Lebanon.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4, Mr Straw said that he agreed that Syria had played "an important part" in helping to resolve the civil war that devastated Lebanon in the 1970s and 1980s. However, he said that the Taif agreement, which ended the civil war, stated that Syrian forces were expected to assist the forces of the legitimate Lebanese government to spread the authority of the state of Lebanon within a set period of no more than two years.

Mr Straw said that this had not happened and it was now "very clear" that Syrian had to withdraw its forces or risk being treated as a "pariah, not just by the West, but also by most of their Arab neighbours". He said: "That was the call by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 1559 last September. Now every one of its neighbours is saying, you've got to leave and this includes very strong representations, as you've just mentioned by Saudi Arabia and Russia."

Tensions have been rising in Lebanon since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in a car bomb attack just over a fortnight ago. Many Lebanese people, including opposition parties, have blamed Syria for the murder, although Syria has denied any involvement.

Mr Straw said that the Syrian troops should be withdrawn in a "sensible, swift but phased way" so that Syria could "come back into the fold of the international community".

During the interview, the Foreign Secretary said that it was "possible" that more UN peacekeeping troops could be deployed to Lebanon. However, he said that there was "absolutely no suggestion" of military action being taken in the region. He said: "I don't myself believe for a second that there'll be external military action."

(KMcA/SP)