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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2005
CONTACT: Chris Paulitz

SENATOR HUTCHISON URGES SYRIA SANCTIONS

WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) today sent a letter to President George W. Bush urging him to tighten sanctions on Syria. Sending the letter along with Sen. Hutchison were Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sam Brownback (R-KS), George Allen (R-VA), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Ben Nelson ((D-NE) and Charles Schumer (D-NY). The letter follows:


February 17, 2005

George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush,

In light of yesterday’s assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut, we urge you to tighten sanctions on Syria. Our message to the Syrians, and to other undemocratic regimes in the region, must be clear and direct: terrorist activity will not be tolerated.

The Syria and Lebanese Sovereignty Act of 2003, on which you based your May 2004 trade sanctions against Syria, was passed in response to Syria’s support for terrorism, its occupation of Lebanon, and its pursuit of dangerous weapons. As you know, the legislation we passed gives you the discretion to adjust the level of sanctions on Syria.

The U.S. cannot afford to let Syria off the hook. The Syrians have failed to secure the Iraq border, permitting the infiltration of foreign terrorists into Iraq. Syria continues to harbor leaders who order, plan, and finance terror attacks against Israeli citizens. Operatives of the Islamic Jihad, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades regularly receive training in Syrian camps. As long as Syria continues to occupy Lebanon and train suicide bombers, the region is not safe.

In order to demonstrate our nation’s intolerance for terrorism, we urge you to take strong action against Syria.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

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