LEBANON: LEBANON'S PRESIDENT REAPPOINTS PRO-SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER OMAR KARAMI AS SYRIAN FORCES CONTINUE TO WITHDRAW
Record ID:
276740
LEBANON: LEBANON'S PRESIDENT REAPPOINTS PRO-SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER OMAR KARAMI AS SYRIAN FORCES CONTINUE TO WITHDRAW
- Title: LEBANON: LEBANON'S PRESIDENT REAPPOINTS PRO-SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER OMAR KARAMI AS SYRIAN FORCES CONTINUE TO WITHDRAW
- Date: 10th March 2005
- Summary: (W3) ALEY, MOUNT LEBANON, LEBANON (MARCH 10, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. TV OF SYRIAN TROOPS PREPARING TO MOVE OUT (6 SHOTS) 0.33 2. TV OF TRUCKS DRIVING ON ROAD (2 SHOTS) 0.51 (W3) PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, BEIRUT, LEBANON (MARCH 10, 2005) (REUTERS) 3. PAN SPEAKER BERRI WITH PRIME MINISTER OMAR KARAMI 0.56 4. MCU/SLV SPEAKER BERRI AND
- Embargoed: 25th March 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ALEY, MOUNT LEBANON; BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Reuters ID: LVA4U250AEQGTSOF32K6LDXFYHZS
- Story Text: Lebanon's president reappoints pro-Syrian Prime
Minister Omar Karami as Syrian forces continue to withdraw
towards home border.
More Syrian troops pulled back to eastern Lebanon,
with some crossing the border, in the start of a two-phase
withdrawal on Thursday (March 10, 2005) as President George W.
Bush piled pressure on Damascus to end the "heavy-handed"
influence of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon.
Witnesses said dozens of army trucks carrying troops
and rocket launchers and others towing artillery guns left
positions in northern Lebanon late on Wednesday and crossed
into Syria. Lebanese soldiers stood by, ready to take over
the vacated positions.
Lebanon's president re-appointed pro-Syrian Prime
Minister Omar Karami on Thursday, risking a fresh battle
with the opposition which had forced the Sunni Muslim
politician to quit only 10 days ago. Karami faces the
daunting task of forming a government with pro-Damascus
allies and anti-Syrian opponents.
A majority of Lebanon's 128 deputies nominated Karami
on Wednesday, an outcome sure to irritate the anti-Syrian
opposition who pressured him to resign.
Karami, who had resigned amid a storm of anti-Syrian
protests in Beirut, said his new mission was to form a
national unity government to save Lebanon from destruction.
His previous cabinet was packed with pro-Syrian ministers.
"His excellency President Emile Lahoud informed me of
the results of parliamentary consultations and you all know
the number, 71 deputies named me " Karami told reporters.
President Emile Lahoud formally asked Karami to pick a
new cabinet a day after parliament, where Syria's allies
have a majority, nominated him for the premiership.
It was not clear if any opposition politicians, who had
said they wanted a cabinet excluding candidates in general
elections due in May, would join a unity government.
They also want a full Syrian pullout, the sacking of
pro-Syrian security chiefs and an international inquiry
into last month's killing of former Prime Minister Rafik
al-Hariri. "If we were all under the ceiling of Taif accord
let's participate in the government and implement all Taif
terms. The second thing that needs serious and quick
treatment is the assassination of President Rafik al
Hariri," said Karami.
Washington said that Syria should not influence the
shape of the new lineup, expected to last only two months.
Bush said Washington and its allies were considering
what steps to take if Syria refused to fully withdraw to
ensure that the parliamentary polls are free.
Forming a national unity government will be a
monumental challenge for Karami, a Sunni Muslim politician.
To succeed, he will have to persuade some opposition
figures to join or end up with a pro-Syrian lineup akin to
that which resigned with him.
The mainly Christian Maronite and Druze opposition
wants a government made up of people not running in the
election, fearing a pro-Syrian government would manipulate
results.
Opposition members met on Thursday and discussed the
upcoming political events.
"The re-nomination in this way means that there is a
Syrian insistence to keep the country under supremacy and
therefore a decision to remain in the crisis and a decision
to challenge the feelings of the people. This matter, as
members of the opposition, we refuse this," said Samir
Franjieh, Qornet Shehwan member and opposition figure.
Two MPs representing more than 40 opposition deputies
met Lahoud, but made no nominations and instead discussed
demands.
They want Syrian-backed Lebanese security chiefs to
resign and a complete Syrian pull-out, as well as an
international probe into the Feb. 14 assassination of
former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, which they
blamed on Damascus.
Meanwhile, tension was prominent in the streets of
Beirut, mixed with some confusion, while others people
expressed anger.
"The reappointment of (Omar) Karami is considered
insolence from the government, insolence because they put
him (Omar Karami) back to, of course, form the same
government such as Franjieh (Suleiman) and other previous
ministers as if we (the opposition supporters) did Nothing,"
said Bassam Saliba, a Lebanese citizen supporting
the opposition.
Muhannad Kokash said, "They are making him (Omar
Karami) carry more than he can, the thing is not him, there
are bigger things happening and they make other excuses,
there are things that no one is talking about, there is
Israel and America trying to ruin the country."
Rival rallies touched off by Hariri's killing have
revealed deep rifts among the Lebanese over Syria's role
and the future of Hizbollah, the country's last militia.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lahoud agreed on
Monday to shift Syrian troops to eastern Lebanon by March
31. The Syrian and Lebanese military would then decide how
long those troops would stay.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's envoy Terje
Roed-Larsen was to travel to the region on Thursday to meet
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese President
Emile Lahoud.
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