Foreign ministers from all European Union (EU) member states, who gathered
here for a meeting,on Wednesday urged Syria to withdraw its troops completely
from Lebanon.
"The (EU) Council emphasizes that Syrian troops and intelligence services
must be withdrawn completely, in accordance with a precise timetable," said a
statement after the meeting.
The ministers called on Syria to implement rapidly the pledgesmade by Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad on March 12, 2005 to withdraw all Syrian troops from
Lebanon.
The EU also urged Lebanon to hold a "free, fair and transparent"elections on
schedule "without any outside interference or meddling".
The ministers hint that the EU would possibly dispatch an election observer
mission to Lebanon.
The meeting also called on the Lebanese authorities to clear upthe
circumstances of the killing of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
and identify those responsible.