Murad: Syrian troops withdrawal to Bekaa to be complete this month
Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 3/9/2005

The joint Syrian-Lebanese Military Committee met on Tuesday in Damascus in the framework of the Taif Accord and the two states' Treaty and Cooperation, Fraternity and Coordination agreement.

The meting was attended from the Lebanese side by Commander of the Lebanese army Lieut. General Michael Suleiman and several senior army officers, and from the Syrian side by Lieut. Gen. Ali Habib Chief of the Staff and several senior army officers in the presence of Secretary General of the Supreme Syrian-Lebanese Council Nassri Khouri.

The two sides exchanged points of view on several issues of common interest for the two armies regarding the withdrawal of the Syrian troops from their present positions to the Bekaa region. They also discussed the mechanism incorporated in the Accord in line with the plan put by the two leaderships according to item ( A) of the Taif Accord and the Treaty.

Both sides agreed that the implementation would begin as soon as possible to withdraw the Syrian forces to the Bekaa region and the entrance of the western Bekaa in Dahr al-Beidar until Hamman-Mdeirij-Ein Dara line with item ( B) of the Accord.

The two sides also agreed to set up a joint technical committee to reach a draft agreement to be sent to the joint Military Committee to be discussed and adopted within a month of submitting it. Both sides shall name its representatives to the technical committee within a week from now.

Later, Syrian Defense Minister Lieut. Gen. Hassan Turkmani met the Syrian-Lebanese Military Committee where the two sides stressed importance of continued coordination and cooperation between the two armies to "maintain the security of both states and confront foreign pressures on the basis of the two states' firm relations and struggle to restore their rights and establish the just and comprehensive peace in line with the international resolutions."

Meantime, Lebanese Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Murad said Tuesday that the Syrian withdrawal of troops to the Bekaa region would be completed before the end of this month.

Murad told the private-run "Voice of Lebanon" radio station in an interview that the 1989 Traif Accord called for the governments of Lebanon and Syria to meet and decide the on the last stage of pullout from the Bekaa to the Syrian borders.

He added that everybody condemned the assassination of former Premier Rafic Hariri, and were unanimous in accelerating the investigation into this crime against late Hariri and unveil the murderers.

Previous Stories:
  Presidents al-Assad, Lahoud minutes; Khouri's statement   (3/8/2005)
  Assafir: Former lebanese premier stresses Syria's importance to Lebanon   (3/8/2005)
  Al-Assad's speech before the People's Assembly   (3/7/2005)

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