Syria commits to April 30th deadline for full Lebanon pullout before elections News
Syria commits to April 30th deadline for full Lebanon pullout before elections

[JURIST] A UN envoy announced Sunday that Syria will withdraw its 14,000 troops from Lebanon by the end of April, before Lebanese parliamentary elections in May. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara told the UN's Terje Roed-Larsen that "all Syrian troops, military assets and the intelligence apparatus will have been withdrawn fully and completely latest by April 30, 2005." Damascus has faced considerable international pressure – including considerable pressure from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan [JURIST report] – to withdraw following the February 14th assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Damascus has denied any responsibility in al-Hariri's death. Reuters has more.