Lebanese opposition leaders have called for a one-day national strike to demand that Beirut's pro-Syrian government resign.
The strike, set for Monday, would come two weeks after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. It would also coincide with opposition plans to call for a no-confidence vote against the government. Opposition leaders blame Beirut and close-ally Syria for the car bombing that killed Mr. Hariri February 14. Both Beirut and Damascus deny involvement.
Earlier Wednesday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak dispatched his intelligence chief to Damascus, in a move to ease post-assassination tensions between Syria and Lebanon. A Mubarak spokesman said the mission was also triggered by growing pressure on Syria coming from a U.S.-European summit in Brussels.
President Bush and European leaders are calling for Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon, and for a speedy investigation into the Hariri killing.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.
