Cohen - Lebanon withdrawal

US Secretary of Defense Cohen in Israel on his regional tour, called Israel's proposal for a conditional withdrawal from Lebanon "something that Syria and Lebanon should respond positively to. It's an important initiative, and I think the first step while it may not satisfy the Syrians in its entirety, or the people of Lebanon in its entirety, nonetheless, it's a very constructive proposal, and one that should be given serious consideration by Syria. To the extent that we can encourage it, we do so."