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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Syria defiant on Lebanon despite Arab summit |
| 2008-03-27 |
| Emboldened by its alliance with Iran, Syria has put its interests in Lebanon above the prestige of hosting an Arab summit that will open on Saturday with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt conspicuously absent. President Bashar al-Assad has dismissed demands to push Syria's Lebanese allies to abandon their quest for a larger share of power in Beirut, prompting the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both U.S. allies, to stay away from the summit. Their absence is intended to embarrass Damascus, the target of revived Western pressure in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Syria of prolonging the crisis between the Western-backed Beirut government and pro-Syrian opposition that has kept Lebanon without a president since November. Saudi Arabia opted to send only a junior official to the summit after mediation efforts with Syria over Lebanon failed. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal urged tough action against Syria during a tour of the United States and Europe in February, days after he made a secret visit to Damascus that failed to produce an agreement, diplomats said. Egypt will be represented by a junior minister at the March 29-30 meeting. Lebanon will boycott the summit altogether. Syria supports demands by the Hezbollah-led opposition for veto power in the cabinet. One Syrian source said Damascus was being asked to sell out Hezbollah by accepting formation of a Lebanese government free to "do Israel's bidding". |
| Posted by:Fred |