US congress calls for punishing Lebanese officials supporting Syria

The US senate almost unanimously adopted a decision, demanding the US President's administration to freeze all assets of Lebanese officials who support "Lebanon's occupation by the Syrian Arab Republic."

It also called to assign Washington's representative at the UN to seek convincing the Security Council to adopt a resolution describing Lebanon as a "jailed country" and calling for immediate release of Lebanese detainees in Syria and Lebanon.

The decision which was proposed by Congresswoman Eliana Ross, 419 congressmen and opposed by one with four abstainers.

For his part the UN secretary general Kofi Annan said on Thursday he expects a complete withdrawal for the Syrian forces before the Lebanese elections due between the mid of April and May. These statements came after Damascus achieved within 11 days the first phase of withdrawing its army and the return of 4,000 soldiers back home.