Assad: Syria not behind killing of anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians - Haaretz

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Last update - 19:21 02/10/2007

Assad: Syria not behind killing of anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians

By The Associated Press

Syrian President Bashar Assad rejected accusations that Syria orchestrated the killing of Lebanese politicians opposed to his country and said Tuesday that the assassinations were contrary to the interests of Damascus.

Assad said his country still retains some influence in its Western neighbor but told the British Broadcasting Corp. that Syria had left Lebanon. The killings, he said, were benefiting his country's foes in Lebanon and not Syria.

"Of course, we have influence. This is normal," Assad said. "But having influence is different from committing crimes in Lebanon."

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"This is not in our interest," he added. "What did we get from killing those people? That's the question that we have to ask... We are accused and the other side, the people who are described as anti-Syrians, they get the benefit from that, not Syria," Assad said.

Anti-Syrian groups that control the government claim Damascus is behind a two-year killing spree that has left a number of anti-Syrian politicians and public figures dead.

The latest was on September 19 when deputy Antoine Ghanem was killed in a Beirut car bombing a week before Parliament was to meet for the election of a new president.

The same groups also claim Syria aims to destabilize their country following their forced withdrawal in 2005, following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria, which had troops in Lebanon for 29 years, was accused by many of being responsible for Hariri's death - a claim Syria denies.

Those groups allege Syria wants to bring down U.S.-backed Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government by killing off lawmakers and force an end to his slim Parliamentary majority. They allege Ghanem was killed to prevent the anti-Syrian majority from electing a president.

The Iran and Syria-backed Hezbollah and its allies in the opposition blocked a Lebanese parliamentary session from electing a president on September 25.

The 128-seat unicameral parliament will try again on October 23 to elect a head of state to replace President Emile Lahoud, who leaves office November 24.

If Parliament fails to elect a president, Lebanon could face a power vacuum and the prospects of two rival governments - the current Saniora administration and another one appointed by Lahoud, who is backed by the opposition.

A division of the administration in the last two years of the 1975-90 civil war led to army units loyal to each side fighting each other

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1.	Big Brudder would be proud of that doublespeak	19:33	\|	David Teich	02/10/07

2.	Assad lies, even Behri says of himself	20:38	\|	Lynn	02/10/07

3.	Sure...	22:56	\|	Fortuna Benmayor	02/10/07

4.	Yea we all know who did it?	23:17	\|	jack tanous	02/10/07

5.	Re: Big Brudder	23:18	\|	Abbas	02/10/07

6.	Save it for the Arab press	00:11	\|	Chick	03/10/07

7.	Ye right!	00:19	\|	Rafa	03/10/07

8.	nu? be`emet!!!	01:06	\|	DGS	03/10/07

9.	Mukhabarat`s finesse	02:28	\|	Fortuna Benmayor	03/10/07

10.	TO No 5 Abbas the smart	02:33	\|	LF	03/10/07

11.	Indrajaya, where are you?	03:45	\|	natan	03/10/07

12.	waw	03:53	\|	tantantanoff	03/10/07

13.	Yes, and....	04:07	\|	Webster	03/10/07

14.	Indrajaya, Where are you? Are you in	04:13	\|	Cristo	03/10/07

15.	And remember, Israel attacked an empty Syrian Army building	04:24	\|	Don`t believe a word	03/10/07

16.	MORE ARAB LOGIC	04:35	\|	DJ	03/10/07

17.	#3 Sure	13:40	\|	Advocate4Liberty	03/10/07

18.	RE: LF a.k.a Lebanese Forces (gaegae)	13:49	\|	Abbas	03/10/07

19.	RE: Indrajaya, Where are you? Are you in	14:02	\|	Abbas	03/10/07

20.	Ya abbas it is a big conspiracy	23:52	\|	LF	03/10/07

21.	Abbas of Sydney NSW Yep Yep? when you	04:30	\|	Cristo	04/10/07

22.	5: Funny, an Aussie jihadist claiming others have no clue	15:44	\|	David Teich	04/10/07

23.	Put the blame on Mickey Mouse!!!	11:35	\|	Carlitos Mendez	09/10/07

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