White House Press Secretary on Lebanon

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 1, 2006

Press Briefing by Tony Snow
White House Conference Center Briefing Room

Excerpts:

Q Today you put out a pretty tough statement about the Siniora government, saying that Syria needs to watch it, essentially. How concerned are you that there is an effort to topple the Sinioran government, the democracy there?

MR. SNOW: We think it's important -- let me put it this way -- we are committed to the success and the stability of the Siniora government and we want to make it clear to everybody in the region that that's a priority. The President talks often about the importance of a young democracy in the region -- young democracies. Lebanon is clearly one, Iraq is another that we're absolutely committed to, because we understand, again, the power of an example is something that everybody in that region is looking for. And if you have the example of a stable democracy that's able to fend off terror -- in the case of Lebanon, from Hezbollah -- then you have an opportunity to create an entirely different set of circumstances in the Middle East, all of which are going to be good for us.

Q We're interested in the good parts of democracy, but why did you put out the statement? Are you concerned there have been reports about arms smuggling and whatnot?

MR. SNOW: Well, let me just say --

Q Are you concerned about it being toppled?

MR. SNOW: No, we're just -- we're making it clear to everybody in the region that we think that it ought to be hands off the Siniora government. Let them go about and do their business.

Q Hezbollah leader said that there are some U.N.-mediated talks underway possibly to free the two Israeli soldiers. Is the U.S. involved in this at all?

MR. SNOW: Not that I'm aware of, but I don't know.

Q I want to take you back to your Lebanon statement here. You said that there was mounting evidence that the Syrian and Iranian governments and Hezbollah and their allies are trying to topple the government. But the rest of the statement doesn't describe what that evidence is. The only thing it goes on to describe is an effort to stop formal approval of the statute on the international tribunal, which is quite different than toppling a government.

MR. SNOW: That is correct. And, David, as somebody who at least I think spends a fair amount of time talking to people who handle classified information, you will understand why we do not necessarily go into greater detail about those. It serves a diplomatic purpose, and an important one.

Q I can understand that, but at the same time, you're making a fairly serious charge that two governments are seeking to overturn the government of a neighbor. And it would seem to me that that would require at least some characterization of the evidence in declassified form. Could you tell us any more about it?

MR. SNOW: No, but thanks for the advice. We'll pass it on.

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