Another year of sanctions for Syria by Washington

President George W. Bush has extended US economic sanctions against Syria for one year, on the grounds that Syria still pose a threat to national security, foreign policy and the economy. The president said in a written statement that Syria still supports terrorism by "continuing its occupation of Lebanon," as well as "pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs."Bush also said that Syria also was responsible for "undermining" international efforts to rebuild Iraq and bring stability to the region. This statement comes at a time after which Syria claim to have withdrawn its 14,000 troops from neighboring Lebanon. Syria confirmed this in a letter to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last month: "Syria has fully withdrawn all ... military, security apparatus and assets to their positions in Syria on the 26th of April 2005." The UN sent a team of experts to verify the claim. Sanctions were imposed by Bush back in May 11, 2004, using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The sanctions state that assets of a number of Syrians were frozen in the United States, banking relations with the Commercial Bank of Syria were suspended, and Syrian flights to and from the United States were also suspended.Â