AMERICA TO PROVIDE LEBANON WITH ARMS
By Petros Keshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
12/09/2006

The USA elaborated a program for rendering military assistance to
Lebanon. Within the framework of this program, the Lebanese Army will
be provided with new arms and be retrained. The program is aimed to
increase the efficiency of the country’s army so that it can face
and response the attacks of Hezbollah extremist groups.

According to Yediot Ahront newspaper, in the initial stage, USA
will provide Lebanon with $30 million of military hardware and
equipment. American instructors will leave for Lebanon to teach the
Lebanese soldiers.

Steven Headley, Assistant of Bush for Security Issues, represented
the program to the representatives of Ehoud Olmert, the Israeli Prime
Minister, in Washington. Israel is principally for the above program,
fearing only of the risk that the military aid may appear in the hand
of Hezbollah.

They also touched upon the relations between Syria and Israel
in Washington. The Americans are against the negotiations of the
authorities of these two countries and the call Bashar Asadi, President
of Syria, "the hostage of Iran." The representatives of Olmert assured
the American that Israel is not going to negotiate with Syria.