Concerning the deception tactics of the Syrians in the peace process, the Party of the Guardians of the Cedars-National Lebanese Movement, issued the following communiqué:
Ever since the Madrid Conference in 1990, western diplomatic circles, and in particular those of the United States, are exerting immense and sustained efforts to achieve a peace treaty between Damascus and Tel Aviv similar to the ones concluded with other countries of the region, in order to close the last remaining link in the peace process.
And despite these long years of effort no appreciable results were obtained. Yet the diplomacy of the West still perseveres, believing that Syria is genuinely desirous to achieve peace and is sincere in its engagements and intentions.
We, however, are firmly convinced that the Syrian regime is not eager for peace, and that all its declarations in this respect are contrary to its real intentions. In line with its patent covert polity, the positive ideas and proposals it emits every now and then, are nothing but political maneuvers aimed at conditioning national and international public opinion and to while the time away.
The following facts prove
our contention:
1-The Syrian regime still harbors and supports all the Palestinian organizations and the
many terrorist groups openly opposed to peace. While it denounces all the organisms that
support peace, it backs all the belligerent forces and bellows slanders against the
Palestinian Authority every time it reaches a new deal with Israel.
2-The Syrian regime still occupies Lebanon, not only in order to undermine him and eat up
his resources, but also to wield his enormous assets to fight Israel on the political,
security, diplomatic and propaganda levels. It has in effect turned Lebanon into a battle
field against Israel by providing logistical and financial support to the terrorists.
3-The Syrian regime is infuriated by the Israeli decision to withdraw unilaterally from
South Lebanon This decision causes it great embarrassment by eliminating the grounds for
its continuous occupation of Lebanon, and subsequently the base to pursue its war of
attrition against Israel down to the last Lebanese and from Lebanese territory. In other
words, Syria does not want to leave Lebanon nor does it want the other forces to leave.
4-The Syrian regime is ideologically opposed to Israel: not only does it not recognize it
but aim to destroy it when and if conditions will allow it. In the meantime, it endeavors
to delay the conclusion of peace by stalling, tergiversating and double-dealing, in order
to keep the present state of no peace, no war as long as possible. Indeed, the Syrians
realize fully that this state serves them most and that all out war and all out peace will
bring their END!
We hope- and so does the
majority of the Lebanese, that the diplomacy of the West will grasp the reality of the
Syrian position and recognize its Evil designs and thereafter seek to free Lebanon from
its claws, not only to relieve this abandoned country, but also achieve peace.
At the Service of Lebanon,
the Chief,
Etienne Sacre
South Lebanon 4/1/2000
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