Washington renews efforts to withdraw the Syrian army from Lebanon, within a UN resolution

The US is preparing to submit a new draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding the withdrawal of the Syrian forces from Lebanon.

The new draft resolution comes after two weeks from the UN secretary general Kofi Annan assessment that Damascus did not comply with the demands of the UN over honoring the sovereignty of Lebanon.

No date was set to vote for the resolution which calls on all sides concerned -- without mentioning Syria by name -- to work quickly for full implementation of the former resolution which was approved by the UN Security Council on this issue on September 2nd. The resolution on Lebanon's sovereignty "which came at the initiative of France and the USA called for the departure of all foreign forces, in remarks to Syria which is still in Lebanon.

The resolution was adopted ny a majority of 9 votes with 6 abstainers. It was, however, the minimum number needed to adopt the resolution.

UN resolution 1559 calls for honoring the sovereignty of Lebanon and its territorial integrity, unity and political independence. It also calls for dismantling the weapons of the Lebanese and non- Lebanese militias and expand the control of the Lebanese government on all its lands.

Worthy mentioning that some 15,000 Syrian troops are still deployed in the Lebanese territories.