Bush says US will insist on full Syrian withdrawal – USDOS press release/Non-UN document (excerpts)

United States Will Insist on Full Syrian Withdrawal, Bush Says

Maronite Patriarch expresses gratitude for Bush's interest in Lebanon

President Bush told Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir that his administration will work with members of the international community to insist upon Syria’s complete withdrawal from Lebanon, so that Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections will be “free and fair.”

Speaking with reporters after meeting Cardinal Sfeir March 16 at the White House, Bush said they discussed “our deep desire for Lebanon to be a truly free country,” where there is freedom of religion and expression and where “political parties can flourish.”

“I assured His Eminence that United States policy is to work with friends and allies to insist that Syria completely leave Lebanon,” including its troops and intelligence services, Bush said, “so that the election process will be free and fair.”

Cardinal Sfeir expressed “deep gratitude” for Bush’s interest in Lebanon, “the freedom of its people, and in peace in Lebanon and the world,” and said the meeting had been a good opportunity for the two to exchange their views on the situation in Lebanon, as well as “the questions of freedom and democracy in our region.”

Sfeir expressed concern over the migration of Lebanese youth from their country due to lack of employment opportunities and “the suffocating political conditions at home.”

“We look forward to see these conditions reverse, because the future of Lebanon requires the talents and energy of all [its] children,” Sfeir said.  

The patriarch said Lebanon was the first democratic country in the Middle East and “remains the home and the point of departure for the spread of democracy in the region.”

Cardinal Sfeir told the reporters he expects the complete withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, and he said that both U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 and the 1989 Ta’if Agreement call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. 

Sfeir later met with members of Congress at the Capitol, and will meet with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan March 18.

Following is the transcript of remarks by President Bush and Cardinal Sfeir:

(begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
March 16, 2005

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AND THE LEBANESE MARONITE PATRIARCH,
CARDINAL NASRALLAH SFEIR
IN A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

The Oval Office

2:00 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT BUSH:  Your Eminence, welcome.  It is my honor to welcome you and your distinguished delegation to the Oval Office.  We're — thank you for your conversation.

His Eminence and I discussed, of course, Lebanon, and our deep desire for Lebanon to be a truly free country — free where people can worship the way they choose to, free where people can speak their mind, free where political parties can flourish, a country based upon free elections.  And I assured His Eminence that United States policy is to work with friends and allies to insist that Syria completely leave Lebanon, Syria take all her troops out of Lebanon, Syria take her intelligence services out of Lebanon, so that the election process will be free and fair.

His Eminence is a man of God.  He brings great prestige of the Church to the Oval Office.  And I'm proud you're here, Your Eminence, and thank you for your time.

Now His Eminence would like to say a few words.

CARDINAL SFEIR:  Thank you very much, Mr. President.  I come to the White House in response to the invitation of His Excellency, President George W. Bush, and to thank him for his courteous and warm reception.  I would also like to express my deep gratitude for his sincere interest in Lebanon, the freedom of its people, and in peace in Lebanon and the world.

This was a good opportunity to exchange views on the situation in Lebanon, and the questions of freedom and democracy in our region.  We profited from this occasion to convey to President Bush the views and aspirations of all the Lebanese.

(Inaudible) — by the continuing migration of Christian and Muslim youth due to the lack of job opportunities and the suffocating political conditions at home.  We look forward to see these conditions reversed because the future of Lebanon requires the talents and energy of all her children.

It is important to recall that Lebanon was the first democracy — democratic country in the region.  Maybe it was not a perfect democracy, but Lebanon remains the role and the point of departure for the spread of democracy in the region.  This is why His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, stated that Lebanon is an ideal for freedom and democracy for the East and West, and this is what we have repeated here.

We are hopeful that the Lebanese, with the support of their friends around the world, will be able to build a better future in a free, independent, pluralistic and sovereign Lebanon.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH:  Your Eminence, thank you, sir.