US President Bush signed into law the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act on Friday, December 11, 2003. The legislation calls on the president to impose sanctions on Syria to discourage support for international terrorist groups and the occupation of Lebanon.
Bush hinted that he might waive some of the measures in the interests of national security In signing the legislation, he said; “My approval of the Act does not constitute my adoption of the various statements of policy in the Act as US foreign policy.”
Accusing Syria of financing terrorists, occupying Lebanon and developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the US House of Representatives' International Relations Committee approved preliminary legislation in October that would impose limited sanctions against the state. In November, the Senate voted in favor of the act and endorsed an amendment that would give the president greater authority to waive sanctions for national security reasons. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
