http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-UN-Syria.htmlune 10, 2005
Syria's U.N. Ambassador Denies Bush Claim
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 3:04 p.m. ET
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Syria's U.N. ambassador on Friday denied President Bush's claim that Damascus was still interfering in Lebanon's affairs, calling the allegation part of ''a smear campaign'' and maintaining that all Syrian intelligence operatives have withdrawn.
Fayssal Mekdad was responding to concerns raised earlier at the White House by Bush that Syrian intelligence officers were still operating in Lebanon in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding the withdrawal of all troops and intelligence operatives.
In comments clearly aimed at the Bush administration, he said the
''smear campaign'' reflects displeasure at the results of recent elections in Lebanon and is an attempt ''to deepen differences between different Lebanese forces, and to create problems for a constructive relationship between Syria and Lebanon.''
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