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Sfeir Wants Syrian
Withdrawal Timetable,
Amnesty for Geagea
September 27, 2003
Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir
has demanded that a timetable
be set for Syria's military
withdrawal from Lebanon,
charging that Syrian army
meddling in Lebanese domestic
affairs was contributing
to the country's political
and economic woes. The
Maronite cardinal spoke
in Paris after a meeting
with French President
Jacques Chirac at the
Elysee, where he was afforded
a red-carpet welcome.
The patriarch and Chirac
met for 45 minutes in
private, then had an hour-long
lunch at the Elysee.
Asked if he had discussed
with the French president
the Syrian military presence
in Lebanon, he said they
addressed all issues that
concerned Lebanon, and
was reassured by Chirac's
unwavering support.
He said a "timetable"
for a Syrian withdrawal
from Lebanon was needed,
but added: "This
would have to be set in
Beirut, not here."
Sfeir said the Syrian
military presence in itself
"is not the problem.
The real problem is the
Syrian army meddling in
internal affairs."
He cited the American
military bases in Germany
as one example of a foreign
military presence that
remains out of local politics.
As for Lebanese Forces
commander Samir Geagea,
Sfeir said this issue
was another thorn in the
side of national reconciliation
in Lebanon. "Reconciliation
has to involve everyone…
It is not acceptable that
someone is thrown in jail,
when others occupy senior
posts in the government,"
he said. Sfeir refused
to disclose his views
on the upcoming presidential
elections, saying it was
"premature"
to discuss the issue.
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