Washington Welcomes Syrian-Lebanese Ties But Cautions Damascus
The United States responded cautiously to an agreement Wednesday between Syria and Lebanon to launch full diplomatic relations and pushed for Damascus to stay out of Lebanese affairs.
"We have long stood for the normalization of relations between Syria and Lebanon on the basis of equality and respect for Lebanese sovereignty," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
"One of the steps that has long been required is the establishment of a proper embassy for Syria in Lebanon and vice versa," she said.
"Now, if the Syrians will go ahead and demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria, and respect (Lebanon”s) sovereignty in other ways, then this will have proved to be a very good step," she said.
Rice spoke after Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad agreed to start diplomatic ties for the first time since they gained independence from France in the 1940s.
The United States also condemned a bus bombing in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement that the morning rush hour blast "underscores the importance of bringing all arms in Lebanon under the control of the institutions of the state."
He said the United States strongly supports the Lebanese army as the "legitimate protector of Lebanon”s security."