Damascus: Direct messages from Rice to the Syrian leadership

The Syrian official news agency said that the US ambassador in Damascus, Margaret Scobey, handed over the Syrian officials today a message from the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice concerning Lebanon.

The agency quoted the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara as saying after his meeting with the ambassador that recalling up the ambassador to Washington was an "opportunity to convey Damascus's positions directly to the American administration in light of regional developments." Sources close to the Syrian government considered earlier that summoning ambassador Scobey was an unfair measure and an implicit accusation of Syria of being involved in what had taken place in Lebanon.

Though Washington had not openly accused Syria, yet, it decided to continue the policy of pressure. The US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice considered the assassination of Hariri as the approximate reason for recalling the ambassador from Damascus.

On Wednesday, Rice considered the return back of the ambassador to Damascus has not specified yet, looming that Washington wants from Damascus to understand it wants it to take several measures before doing that."