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Last update - 22:45 09/05/2009
Obama renews U.S. sanctions on Syria
By News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday he had renewed sanctions against Syria because it posed a continuing threat to U.S. interests.

Obama, in a letter to Congress notifying it of his decision, accused Damascus of "supporting terrorism, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and undermining U.S. and international efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq."

"For these reasons I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions," Obama said in the letter to Congress.
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Renewal of the sanctions is required each year by Congress. The announcement came following the visit of two U.S. envoys to Damascus this week to try to improve ties.

The sanctions, imposed by former President George W. Bush, prohibit arms exports to Syria, block Syrian airlines from operating in the United States and deny Syrians suspected of being associated with terrorist groups access to the U.S. financial system.

While the United States has made clear it wants better relations with Syria, a nation it has long accused of supporting terrorism, the renewal of sanctions shows Washington is not yet ready for a dramatic improvement in relations.

The announcement came a day after Jeffrey Feltman, the State Department's top Middle East envoy, held talks with Syrian officials in Damascus.

Feltman was accompanied to Damascus by White House official Daniel
Shapiro. Their trip was part of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration's outreach to nations shunned by former President George Bush.

Meanwhile, a U.S. diplomat told Lebanese officials Friday that his country will not pursue relations with Syria at the expense of its ties to Lebanon.

"There is no deal with Damascus at Lebanon's expense and no compromise on the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon (for the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri)," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Hale said after meeting with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.

The Lebanese daily an-Nahar said Hale is expected to inform Lebanese officials about the results of Feltman's meetings in Damascus. He will also reiterate U.S. support for Lebanon.

Syria, which has been a power broker in Lebanon for 30 years, pulled its troops from its small neighboring country in 2005, but still has influential allies in the opposition. Those allies are in a tight race with the majority in Lebanon's upcoming Parliamentary elections, scheduled for June.

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      1.   Change you can believe in 18:46  |  Frank 08/05/09
      2.   One Word 19:02  |  Yosemite 08/05/09
      3.   Good 19:27  |  Z 08/05/09
      4.   Are these 3 sanctions the only sanctions against Syria?! 22:50  |  JustMe 08/05/09
      5.   Do not disarm in mid-fight 00:01  |  Mark Lincoln 09/05/09
      6.   what happenend to faith hope and charity barma 00:09  |  v hardman 09/05/09
      7.   Coincidently, Bibi Says No Deal on Golan 00:12  |  Binyamin 09/05/09
      8.   @4 justme and missing the point again 00:23  |  v hardman 09/05/09
      9.   Frank 00:44  |  Bretware 09/05/09
      10.   many of us told you so 00:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/05/09
      11.   Good move, but. . . . 00:55  |  MichaelF 09/05/09
      12.   Syria has said repeatedly "no talks without the Golan" 01:07  |  lydia 09/05/09
      13.   Offer Syria Lebanon 01:55  |  The Prophet 09/05/09
      14.   obama 02:10  |  oz 09/05/09
      15.   binyamin 02:20  |  ehud 09/05/09
      16.   Domestic agenda needs congressional votes 02:28  |  Candida 09/05/09
      17.   To CJK (#10): Yes, we were warned. 03:35  |  Morris Valentine 09/05/09
      18.   #17, Morris Valentine 05:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/05/09
      19.   0bama and Syria 05:12  |  Nick in Virginia 09/05/09
      20.   #10 Cipora JK....he still sanctions rendition 05:13  |  Lynn 09/05/09
      21.   Israeli Twadle 05:45  |  Mark Lincoln 09/05/09
      22.   #20, Lynn 05:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/05/09
      23.   Why should Obama think this way? Syria only assist brother Arabs, 07:52  |  Bernarn 09/05/09
      24.   His reaction to Syria is typically of him.... 08:38  |  Soul Brother 09/05/09
      25.   Well, Obama knows how to admit mistaken assumptions 09:33  |  Esther 09/05/09
      26.   # 22 Cipora JK....that Hope and change thingy 13:52  |  Lynn 09/05/09
      27.   Mark Lincoln Twaddel 14:06  |  Librarian 09/05/09
      28.   MV Bitching about Obama 14:46  |  Roo 09/05/09
      29.   Whats in it for me? 15:23  |  BazMann 09/05/09
      30.   #24 Lynn`s `last straw`- the 127th one to be accurate 17:35  |  Roo 09/05/09
      31.   Why the surprise? 17:37  |  Muslim 09/05/09
      32.   Renews? What, no further condemnation? 17:43  |  Lou Medel 09/05/09
      33.   Roo, please concentrate ... 18:14  |  Morris Valentine 09/05/09
      34.   Lou Mandel is wrong 18:49  |  arik 09/05/09
      35.   MV Which election did you vote in? 19:40  |  Roo 09/05/09
      36.   #35..Roo 20:57  |  Malneo 09/05/09
      37.   L Medel #32 Nuty and Liebmn do not see paece as a necessity 21:21  |  American in NY 09/05/09
      38.   That`s a fair question Malneo #36 13:13  |  Roo 10/05/09
      39.   MV,CJK,Lynn,Esther Making mountains out of mole hills 14:14  |  American in NY 10/05/09
      40.   That`s a fair question Malneo #36 14:38  |  Roo 10/05/09
      41.   But a poor answer, Roo (#38) 16:44  |  Morris Valentine 10/05/09
      42.   Morris Valentine. Trying to be too clever? 20:57  |  Roo 10/05/09
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