Beirut
The last of 25,000 Syrian troops exited Lebanon this week, leaving the country free of occupation for the first time in 29 years. But U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Syria has still not completely complied with the Security Council resolution ordering the withdrawal. Syria has made “no progress,” he said, on disarming Hezbollah or guaranteeing Lebanese sovereignty. The council passed the resolution last fall, following widespread protests in Lebanon against the Syrian occupation. Many Lebanese blamed Syria for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The first elections in unoccupied Lebanon are scheduled for the end of May.
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