Roger Runningen Thu Oct 4, 1:01 PM ET Oct. 4 (Bloomberg) — President George Bush again warned Syria not to interfere in Lebanon or try to influence the election of a new president scheduled for later this month.“I am deeply concerned about foreign interference in your elections,” Bush told Saad Hariri, the son of slain former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Hariri, who met with Bush this morning at the White House, is the current majority leader of the Lebanese parliament.
Lebanon has been wracked by violence, including the assassination of Hariri’s father in February 2005 and last month’s killing of another anti-Syrian politician, Antoine Ghanem. Bush has condemned the slayings and accused Syria of trying to destabilize Lebanon. “The message has been sent to nations such as Syria that they should not interfere in the election of the President Busgh said. “We expect Syria to honor that.”
Bush said he’s asked Admiral William Fallon head of the U.S. Central Command, “to go to Lebanon to assess how we can further help the government and the forces protect themselves from radical elements who are willing to use violence and terror to achieve objectives.”Hariri, who is following in his father’s political footsteps, said terrorists want to “finish our democracy,” while the Lebanese are focused on preserving it.Won’t Back Down“We will stay resolved, we will stay focused on our democracy, we will not back down,” he said
Lebanon’s parliament has adjourned until Oct. 23, when it is scheduled to elect a new president. The country’s politicians are locked in a power struggle over who will succeed President Emile Lahoud, whose term ends on Nov. 24.
Lebanon has paid “very dear blood” through the assassination of his father, the younger Hariri said. “We are willing to pay the price to preserve our democracy.”
Bush also urged other nations to support quicker action by a special United Nations tribunal that is conducting an investigation into the assassination of Hariri’s father, whose death was followed by massive anti-Syrian demonstrations.
“That tribunal is taking too long to get started,” Bush said. “The international community has demanded accountability” and the investigation must be completed so that “people will be held to account.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net
