U.S., U.N. React To Syria Unrest

Around the world, signs of concern are springing up for the unrest in Syria and Lebanon brought to light by Monday's deadly blast in Beirut.

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday called for an urgent report from the U.N. secretary-general on the "circumstances, causes and consequences" of the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, and the United States demanded the immediate withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country.

The council expressed grave concern at the possible impact of the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on the ongoing efforts of the Lebanese people to solidify democracy and stressed that the "terrorist act" must not jeopardize upcoming parliamentary elections.

Hariri was killed Monday in central Beirut in an explosion that Lebanon's interior minister suggested might have been carried out by a suicide bomber.

A statement approved by all 15 council members urged the Lebanese government "to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this heinous terrorist act."

"The Security Council is concerned by the potential for further destabilization of Lebanon, and expresses hope that the Lebanese people will be able to emerge from this terrible event united, and to use peaceful means in support of their long-standing national aspiration to full sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity," the presidential statement said.

The United States also recalled its ambassador to Syria amid rising tensions over the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri of Lebanon.

President Bush recalled Ambassador Margaret Scobey for "consultations" in the wake of Hariri's assassination, reports CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts. It's part of the administration's program to express displeasure with Syria and put pressure on Damascus.

Before departing, Scobey delivered a stern note, called a demarche in diplomatic parlance, to the Syrian government, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Bush administration condemned Monday's killing in Beirut of Hariri, the billionaire construction magnate who masterminded the recovery of his country and insisted that Syria comply with a U.N. resolution calling for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

"The United States government is calling on Syria to comply immediately with the provisions of Resolution 1559," said Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, the acting U.S. representative to the United Nations, in a press conference. "And it is totally consistent with the statement the Security Council has just passed."

The original French-drafted text referred directly to a Sept. 2 U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that Syria withdraw its remaining 15,000 troops from Lebanon. But Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said the reference was dropped to gain support from all council members.

Syria sent troops in 1976 to help quell a civil war in Lebanon. They remained through 14 years of fighting and are still there. Damascus is seen as pulling the strings in Lebanese politics — most recently in pressing for a constitutional amendment to allow a second term for pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.

The final statement dropped the resolution's number, 1559, but still referred quite specifically to it.

"The Security Council reaffirms its previous calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Security Council for the full implementation of all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon," the presidential statement said.

"The United Nations is hoping to internationalize the conflict in order to avoid a return to the bloody civil war period and expects the Security Council to enforce U.N. resolutions calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops," said CBS News Foreign Affairs analyst Pamela Falk from the U.N.

Asked at the press conference whether the United States blamed Syria for Hariri's assassination, U.S. envoy Patterson replied, "We don't know who did this horrible act at this point, but let it be clear that the message [from] the council is that other countries should get out of Lebanese affairs."

Patterson became angry when asked whether the United States was politicizing the assassination by referring to 1559.

"Well good grief, a man just got blown up in downtown Beirut in the middle of the day and hundreds of people have been injured," Patterson said. "This is not a political act on our part and what I think that you need to take on board here is that the Security Council has a long history of engagement on this issue. The message has been very consistent — that other countries need to stop interfering in Lebanon."

Earlier, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan told reporters he sent his special envoy on the Lebanon-Syria resolution, Terje Roed-Larsen, to the two countries last week with messages for Lahoud and Syrian President Bashar Assad that 1559 must be implemented.

The message was "that we needed to see more progress and hope that there will be actual action and actual, clear signs of withdrawal by the time that I submit my next report to the Security Council, which is due in April," Annan said.

Calling Hariri "a great patriot," the secretary-general said his murder was "a great loss" for the Lebanese people and the region and "every effort" should be made to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

"I think it should be investigated," Annan said. "At this point, I'm not very sure who should do it."