White House Calls Syria's Behavior "Unacceptable"

White House Calls Syria's Behavior "Unacceptable"

White House Report, September 16: Syria, ambassadorial nominations

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters September 16 that Syria "has a history and continues to harbor and assist terrorists and terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and others."

Syria's behavior "is unacceptable," he said. "And states that harbor terror, as the president has made clear, will be held accountable."

The United States, he said, is concerned about Syria's "weapons of mass destruction program, and we are concerned about the cross-border infiltration of foreign fighters or foreign terrorists that are coming into Iraq, trying to attack the Iraqi people, coalition forces, the United States included in that.

"So there are a number of longstanding concerns that we have with regards to Syria. They know our views, they know what needs to be done. And we will continue to make clear what our view is."

Asked if economic sanctions are a possibility, the White House press secretary replied, "I'm not speculating. I'm making it very clear that their behavior is unacceptable and they will be held accountable for that behavior."

AMBASSADORIAL NOMINATIONS SENT TO SENATE

President Bush sent the following nominations to the Senate September 15 for confirmation:

-- H. Douglas Barclay, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of El Salvador.

-- W. Robert Pearson, of Tennessee, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Director General of the Foreign Service, vice Ruth A. Davis.

-- Randall L. Tobias, of Indiana, to be Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, with the rank of Ambassador.

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