US congressman strongly criticizes Syria

US democratic congressman Tom Lantos said that his visit to Damascus on Wednesday was a "great disappointment." The congressman from California justified his assessment to the press in the American embassy in Amman to that Syria has not severed yet its relations with what he called "terrorist groups."

He said following a meeting with the Jordanian King Abdullah, and the foreign minister Marwan Muasher "during my visit, I deem my disappointment and regret to that Syria has not decided yet to launch a comprehensive war against terrorism."

Lantos said he had urged the Syrian president to withdraw his 16,000 soldiers deployed in Lebanon, stressing that "Lebanon is a sovereign state and should not be occupied by Syrian forces." Lantos met with the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara in Damascus but did not meet with President al-Assad because he was notified that "al-Assad was out of the city."

Replying to a question on whether al-Assad wanted to avoid meeting him, Lantos said " I hope that the President understand that I am in better conditions than him to be able to help him." Lantos had visited Libya, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria as part of a tour which will lead him to Israel after Jordan.