But some MPs argued differently, on the basis of the 1989 Taif Accord, subsequently incorporated into the Constitution. "The Taif Accord clearly stipulated that the Syrian withdrawal should take place regardless of the regional situation," J'beil MP Fares Soueid, told The Daily Star yesterday. He claimed that the relationship between Lebanon and Syria was defined by the Taif Accord and insisted that Syria should withdraw all its troops from Lebanon. "If Lebanon is asked to be a strong ally to Syria, it should be an independent and sovereign country," he said.
Syrian troops first entered Lebanon in 1976, one year after the outbreak of the civil war, ostensibly seeking to prevent a victory by leftist, primarily Palestinian organizations over Maronite Christian militias. The 1989 Taif Accord, which ended the fighting, called for a total Syrian military redeployment from Beirut and other major cities to the Bekaa Valley in Eastern Lebanon by 1992. However, Lebanon and Syria have both insisted that a full withdrawal is linked to a final Arab-Israeli peace agreement. What's more, the Taif Accord set no date for a total withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
According to Dr. Chafic Masri, international law professor at the American University of Beirut, the Syrian intervention in Lebanon is a bilateral matter between the two states, as international law legalizes intervention if it is by invitation. "As long as a state affirms its consent to having another state's forces on its territories, the intervention is legitimate." Masri added, "According to repeated declarations from Lebanese officials, including the president, the Syrian presence in Lebanon is provisional, legitimate and necessary." However, though it is manifested in many bilateral treaties, he does not deny the right of political parties to oppose it.
Beirut MP Nasser Qandil argued, "The assumed withdrawal depends on the political situation. The Lebanese authority is the only one entitled to determine the time of a Syrian withdrawal." He also suggested a national agreement on Syria's role in Lebanon, separating the military role from the political one. "The Syrian military role has to be tied to strategic needs."
In contrast, Samir Franjieh, a member of the Qornet Shehwan gathering, insists that the Taif Accord governs the matter of Syria's withdrawal. "The Taif Accord was signed in 1989 but has not been fully implemented. We refuse to link the issue of Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon with any regional concern, and urge officials to respect the Taif Accord which has became a part of our Constitution," he said. Referring to the President's recent remarks, Franjieh asked: "Is it acceptable that Lebanon be punished because no peace was achieved in the region? Lebanon should not be linked to the struggle in the region. It is a big mistake."
