Bush meets with Maronite patriarch Sfeir

The US President George W. Bush yesterday renewed his demands to Syria to leave Lebanon.

He said he affirmed for the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in the White House on Wednesday evening that Washington's policy is to work with its friends and allies to that Syria will completely leave Lebanon and to pullout all its "intelligence and forces so as the next elections to be free and transparent."

For his part, the Maronite patriarch expressed great gratitude for the American president over what he shows of interest in Lebanon. He said "we availed this opportunity to notify President Bush on view points and ambitions of all Lebanese." Both Bush and Sfeir discussed the situation in Lebanon under the recent developments reflected in the withdrawal of the Syrian forces and the formation of the new Lebanese government and the next elections.

In the same context, the foreign ministers of the European Union called for the formation of a new government in Lebanon as soon as possible. A government that can represent all the Lebanese. The EU FMs renewed demands of the EU for the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon according to a set schedule.