US Increases Pressure On Damascus

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice noted that the US ambassador to Syria has been recalled for an indefinite period to express concern over the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and a series of problems in relations between the two countries. Rice said: "The major reason was Lebanon, but unfortunately we have an increasing list of problems. We are going to make sure that it is known that we will take steps." Rice added that it is not yet know who was behind Hariri’s assassination, though Syria has a "special" responsibility for the attack, which risks causing destabilization in Lebanon.