Secretary Powell on Syria
Interview by Hany El-Konayyesi of Abu Dhabi TV
Secretary Colin L. Powell
Washington, DC
October 21, 2004
Secretary Colin L. Powell
Washington, DC
October 21, 2004
MR. EL-KONAYYESI: Moving to Syria, what would be the next step after the latest Security Council, the rejection of the latest Security Council resolution on Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon? What's, what will be the next step towards Syria?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, the next step has been taken by the Security Council to the issuance of a Presidential Statement -- takes note of the fact that Syria still does not respect the UN resolution. And when we see the personnel changes that have taken place with Mr. Hariri stepping down and others coming into positions of power who are even more closely linked to Syria, once again shows that Syria is playing an inappropriate role in political life and in the civic life of the Lebanese people. And that is what this resolution was about.
Syria should allow the Lebanese people to decide how they will be governed, and they ! should remove their military forces from Lebanon after all these years.And the United Nations will continue to monitor this, and we'll be asking for reports on a regular basis.
And I hope the Syrians realize that we are now in a new age. Things are different. And it is time for them to examine their strategic position on
policies they have been following and adopt policies that are more relevant to the new world that we're in.
MR. EL-KONAYYESI: Are you planning any extra sanctions, any plans to put more pressure on the Syrians?
SECRETARY POWELL: We always are reviewing our obligations under the Syria
Accountability Act, but I have nothing to announce today.
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, the next step has been taken by the Security Council to the issuance of a Presidential Statement -- takes note of the fact that Syria still does not respect the UN resolution. And when we see the personnel changes that have taken place with Mr. Hariri stepping down and others coming into positions of power who are even more closely linked to Syria, once again shows that Syria is playing an inappropriate role in political life and in the civic life of the Lebanese people. And that is what this resolution was about.
Syria should allow the Lebanese people to decide how they will be governed, and they ! should remove their military forces from Lebanon after all these years.And the United Nations will continue to monitor this, and we'll be asking for reports on a regular basis.
And I hope the Syrians realize that we are now in a new age. Things are different. And it is time for them to examine their strategic position on
policies they have been following and adopt policies that are more relevant to the new world that we're in.
MR. EL-KONAYYESI: Are you planning any extra sanctions, any plans to put more pressure on the Syrians?
SECRETARY POWELL: We always are reviewing our obligations under the Syria
Accountability Act, but I have nothing to announce today.
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