Lebanon: Defence Minister Says Lebanon Might Ask Syria To Deploy Troops In South Of Country Following Israeli Withdrawal
Record ID:
4198
Lebanon: Defence Minister Says Lebanon Might Ask Syria To Deploy Troops In South Of Country Following Israeli Withdrawal
- Title: Lebanon: Defence Minister Says Lebanon Might Ask Syria To Deploy Troops In South Of Country Following Israeli Withdrawal
- Date: 1st April 2000
- Summary: Lebanese Defence Minister Ghazi Zaiter said on April 1 that Lebanon might ask Syria to deploy its troops in the south of his country in case of a unilateral Israeli withdrawal. "This (unilateral Israeli withdrawal) raises the possibility to the Lebanese government to ask Syria to send its troops to the south with the Lebanese army," Zaiter told Reuters. "The aim of such a request is not to make Syria protect Israeli northern borders but to put Tel Aviv in the range of the Syrian rockets," he said. Zaiter said he wanted to make it clear that this statement was just his personal opinion and not Lebanon's official policy. He said this might be a response to Israeli proposals that suggested the replacement of Israeli troops in the 15 km (nine miles) wide zone they occupy in the south by multinational or United Nations troops. A Christian opposition group condemned Zaiter's position and said he was replacing one occupation force with another.
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- Location: LEBANON BEIRUT
- Reuters ID: LDL0012D31SA3
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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- Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
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