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White House opposes withholding of Lebanon aid by Congress

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, October 1, 2002

The Bush administration has objected to a move by Congress to withhold $10 million in U.S. aid to Lebanon.

Administration officials said the congressional decision will reduce Washington's ability to win support in Lebanon and Syria for the U.S. effort to topple the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. They said the freeze also cuts into the president's authority to conduct foreign policy.

In Beirut, Lebanese authorities arrested three Al Qaida suspects. The suspects were identified as two Lebanese nationals and an Arab resident from a Gulf Cooperation Council country, Middle East Newsline reported.

Congress decided to withhold $10 million in U.S. economic aid to Lebanon in response to Beirut's refusal to stop Hizbullah attacks on Israel.

Congressional leaders said Lebanon has ignored the Hizbullah military buildup along Israel's border, including the deployment of nearly 10,000 rockets.

[On Tuesday, the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat daily reported that Argentina has submitted a request for the arrest of Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah. The Argentinian request asserted that Hizbullah, with Iranian help, masterminded the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.]

The administration allocated $32 million for Lebanon this year.

Officials said the congressional freeze will not affect funding approved for fiscal 2002.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Secretary of State Colin Powell had expressed opposition to any cut in U.S. aid to Lebanon. Boucher said U.S. aid is meant to bolster Lebanon's economy as well as promote democracy and development.

"We have to work with the Congress to ensure our assistance programs are fully supportive of our foreign policy goals," Boucher said on Monday. "But we have that $32 million for Lebanon, and there has been no shortfall in our assistance."

The London-based Al Hayat daily reported on Tuesday that the three suspects were detained last week. The suspects were not identified.

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