U.S. Proposes Removing Syria From Terror List

U.S. Proposes Removing Syria from Terror List

WASHINGTON [MENL] — The Bush administration has proposed removing Damascus from the State Department’s list of terrorist sponsors if Syria joins a U.S.-led coalition against Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden. U.S. officials said the State Department has relayed such a message to Damascus. Officials said the message asserted that Syrian participation in an international coalition would be seen as evidence that Damascus has renounced support for terrorism. The message also urged Syria to restrain Hizbullah and Palestinian groups from attacking Israel’s northern border.

The removal of Syria from the State Department terrorist list would make Damascus eligible for both military and civilian aid. Officials said Syria remains on the terrorist list largely because of its refusal to expel Kurdish, the Lebanese Hizbullah and Palestinian insurgency groups.

“We view Syria as small potatoes in terms of terrorism,” a State Department official said. “Syrian participation in the coalition could tip the balance and finally remove Damascus from the terrorism list.”

President George Bush has requested from Congress legislation that would grant him the authority to waive restrictions on U.S. military and civilian aid to any foreign country. Officials said the request is meant to grant the president the ability to quickly reward so-called rogue states such as Iran, Syria and Sudan for any support of the U.S.-led battle against Bin Laden and his cohorts.

“We have an ongoing dialogue with Syria on the subject of the activities in the Bekaa Valley, and other activities that Hizbollah has carried out,” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. “And we have asked them, as well as all others, to use their influence to rein in these kind of activities.”