Syrian Ambassador to the U.S. Discusses Pressure to Withdraw Troops from Lebanon

GWEN IFILL:

By adding his voice today to the growing international pressure directed at Syria, President Bush raised the stakes in a decades-old standoff.

Yesterday, Syrian President Bashar Assad repeated his intention to withdraw Syrian troops from Lebanon, telling Time Magazine it should be very soon and may be in the next few months, not after that.

Syria is suspected in Lebanon and in other Arab countries of playing a role in the assassination two weeks ago of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and of harboring the terrorists behind last week's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister resigned Monday in the face of widespread anti-Syrian street protests.

For the latest official reaction to these and other developments, we're joined now by Syria's ambassador to the United States, Imad Moustapha.

Welcome, Mr. Ambassador.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Good evening.

GWEN IFILL:

What is Syria's reaction to the president's tough talk today about Syria's continuing presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon and of Secretary of State Rice's tough words yesterday?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

I would say, of course, we are disappointed. Syria has repeatedly said that we will not stay in Lebanon one single day more than we are needed there. We have repeatedly said in the past two years that once the Lebanese government will ask us to leave, we will leave. Now, these are not just words.

If you look at what has happened in the past two years… Let me remind you that ten years ago at our peak presence in Lebanon, we had 42,000 Syrian troops. We had them there. We entered Lebanon to end the civil war in Lebanon. People were killing each other. Syria entered Lebanon to end the civil war.

Now, if you look in the past two years, we have had a series of withdrawals and redeployments, and today we only have 13,000 troops in Lebanon, and all of them are outside major Lebanese cities. However, having said this, we will continue to do this. We will continue the redeploying and withdrawing our troops in a way that is orderly and phased and will not create neither chaos nor vacuum. We will do this. As you have just said, our president has said this repeatedly, not only yesterday but in the past two years.

GWEN IFILL:

We have heard of numbers anywhere from thirteen to fifteen thousand, just to be clear about the number of troops there.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

That's all right.

GWEN IFILL:

But with resignation this week of Prime Minister Karami and of the continuing protests and calls, actually, for President Lahud to resign, as well, you don't take that as a sign, a request for Syrian troops the leave?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Let me be clear about this. Why do you think we need a request when I am saying as clearly as possible that we are leaving Lebanon? We will not do this in a way that will create instability. But we are committed to leaving Lebanon. We do not have hegemonous plans on Lebanon. We did not go there as an occupation. We did not impose our political system on Lebanon, nor our economic system, nor our social or cultural system. We went there to stop civil war there, and we are withdrawing.

Now, what has happened is the following: The moment we heard about the tragic assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, we immediately realized that the sinister plan behind killing this national leader goes far beyond merely killing him. We felt immediately targeted. This hysteria against Syria, this agitation against Syria is damaging us a lot.

GWEN IFILL:

You say Syria had nothing to do with that assassination?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Not only nothing to do with that assassination, what I'm saying, as clearly as possible, that Syria is the party that has been most damaged by this assassination, and the destructors and enemies of Syria are the parties that are benefiting and capitalizing from this heinous murder.

GWEN IFILL:

Because Islamic Jihad is headquartered in Damascus, part of it anyway, people have said and the secretary of state has suggested that perhaps there was hand of the Syrian government, as well, in the Tel Aviv bombing last week.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Look, let me say this: Syria has never, ever had any hand with any terrorists or violent, or anything that is happening in the occupied territories. What's happening in the occupied territories, a vicious circle of violence and counter violence, has everything to do with the Israeli policies there. You know, they build their walls deep into the Palestinian territories, they demolish houses there, they expropriate territories, they assassinate Palestinian leaders and people. Syria has nothing to do whatsoever– nothing– in what's happening in the occupied territories.

By pointing fingers at Syria and trying to blame Syria for the catastrophic events that are happening there and the tragic events, I think they're just trying to shift the blame.

Let me tell you what Syria's policy towards the West Bank and Gaza is. We support all the peaceful — the peace process that President Mahmoud Abbas is undertaking right now. We have said this repeatedly. We are supporting his process. We do not want anyone to undermine his efforts.

We believe that there is a window of opportunity for peace in the West Bank and Gaza. And actually, President Abbas said yesterday in London that he knows that Syria has nothing to do with the attack in Tel Aviv. Not only this one, Syria has never ever had anything to do with any attack that took place in the occupied territories or in Israel proper.

GWEN IFILL:

Does something have to happen with the Israeli- Palestinian peace process, some movement on that front, before you fully — this timetable is implemented — and you fully withdraw your troops from Lebanon?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

No, we have said we will withdraw or troops from Lebanon unconditionally, which means leaders of this country should at least be understanding and help us do this in a peaceful way. We — I don't understand what do they get by this continuous campaign of agitation against Syria. I don't think Lebanon benefits from this. Syria does not benefit from this. I do not even think that the long-term interests of the United States of America benefit from creating this atmosphere of instability.

GWEN IFILL:

Did Syria have a role in turning over Saddam's half brother this past weekend, and was that considered — and if so, was that a sign of goodwill in this process?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

I don't think we had any role. However, having said, this let me tell you this. This is not very well known to the American public. Syria has done every possible effort to secure the Iraqi-Syrian borders. We have supported the political process in Iraq. We ended up with a thank you letter from the interim prime minister of Iraq, Iyad Allawi, for the support we gave. We allowed the Iraqi community in Syria, a huge community, to participate in the elections. We opened our schools to use them for voting centers. We supported — we provided security to the Iraqi community in Syria.

And now we are expecting the best possible relations with the emerging new government in Iraq, we also think. And we are very disappointed that we are being unfairly targeted by the United States.

GWEN IFILL:

What about Saudi Arabia and Egypt? They've also been critical.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

No, I will disagree with you strongly. We have the best of relations with both Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Actually, President Assad is going to Saudi Arabia tomorrow and the Egyptian foreign minister was in Damascus yesterday.

GWEN IFILL:

Do you fear in anyway that the United Nations, the United States, any of these people who you feel are criticizing you unfairly will respond by imposing new sanctions against Syria?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Well, let's distinguish between the United Nations and the United States. Why would the United Nations do this? If they want — if they think we should be out of Lebanon, they are saying this clearly and loudly. We are going out of Lebanon.

GWEN IFILL:

No, perhaps…

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

So they will impose sanctions for what? Listen, if they really want to impose sanctions, let me remind you of this: There are standing United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the occupied territories for at least the past 30 years.

If they really are looking for someone to impose sanctions on, they should ask Israel to consider this. We are not an occupation in Lebanon, and we are withdrawing.

GWEN IFILL:

Do you fear at all the threat of military action from the United States or any others?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

Let me say that for realistic and practical reasons we do not fear this. Why? I'll tell you why. First, regardless of how they try to portray us, we will not fall into this trap. We are not enemies of the United States of America. We don't need to create hostilities with this country. Actually, we have repeatedly invited the United States to constructively engage with Syria. We told them, if there are problems and issues between us and you, let's sit together, let's engage, let's put them on the table and let's see how we can find creative solutions.

Let me remind you of this. This is so important. In the past 18 months, Syria has repeatedly invited Israel to reengage in a peace process with Syria – repeatedly — and on the highest possible level. And Israel repeatedly refused to engage. If you look at the Middle East, it's very clear to any fair observer who is really desiring peace and who is really inviting the other party to have peace negotiations and who is the party that is refusing to do this.

GWEN IFILL:

Syria has proclaimed itself to be in a united cause with Iran, which has also attracted the attention of U.S. officials. Is that helpful in these efforts, as you say, to reach this common ground?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

I don't think this was an accurate portrayal of what has happened. Let me say this to you: What happened ten days ago is, the Syrian prime minister went to six Syrian ministers, of economy, of trade, of transport and of culture to Iran. And he signed agreements with Iran that are exact replica, exact replica of agreements Syria has signed with Cyprus, with Greece, with Turkey, and we have just signed the same agreement the day before yesterday with Jordan. I think this is regional cooperation.

Nothing should look at this with paranoia or try to make connections or links that are really undesirable. I don't understand why are they trying to put us in a camp in which we are portrayed like we are the enemies of the United States?

GWEN IFILL:

The president of the United States and the secretary of state are guilty of paranoia in this case?

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

No, no. I'm talking about those who think that if our prime minister goes to Iran and signs a trade treaty, then it makes Syria as an enemy to the United States.

Let me repeat this: We are not your enemies. We really want to engage with you. We want to improve our relations with the United States.

I don't think it's useful to Syria to be portrayed as an enemy to the United States, but it's also — it doesn't serve the long-term interests of the United States to create more and more enemies in the Middle East. We do not understand why is this happening.

GWEN IFILL:

Ambassador Imad Moustapha, thank you very much for joining us.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA:

You are welcome.