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Saudi officials tell Syria's Assad to withdraw troops from Lebanon By SALAH NASRAWI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CAIRO, Egypt — Arab leaders grew increasingly impatient at Syria’s resistance to a quick, complete withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon, with Saudi leader Crown Prince Abdullah sharply telling Syria’s president on Thursday to start getting out soon or face deeper isolation, according to a Saudi official. The unusually tough message came when Syrian President Bashar Assad met Abdullah and other Saudi leaders in the kingdom’s capital, the Saudi official told The Associated Press by telephone from Riyadh. Arab League foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo on Thursday, added to the pressure, expressing support for the two Mideast powerhouses’ diplomatic push. Syria has resisted Arab pressure to withdraw, saying in behind-the scenes diplomacy in recent days that it wants to keep 3,000 troops and early-warning stations in Lebanon, according to an Arab diplomat in Cairo. The Syrian army already operates radar stations in Dahr el Baidar, on mountain tops bordering Syria. Israeli warplanes have attacked the sites in the past. But Egypt and Saudi Arabia feel those conditions are impossible, the diplomat said. Abdullah told Assad the kingdom insists on the full withdrawal of all Syria’s 15,000 troops and intelligence forces from Lebanon and wants it to start “soon,” the Saudi official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Assad replied only that he would study the possibility of carrying out a partial withdrawal before an Arab summit scheduled for March 23 in Algeria, the official said. The Syrian leader insisted he is doing everything he can to resolve the problem but that not everything is up to him, the official said. Saudi officials replied that the situation was his problem and warned that if Damascus refuses to comply, it would lead to tensions in Saudi-Syrian ties, the official said. In a further sign of their impatience, the Saudis rejected a Syrian request that the upcoming Arab summit officially ask Damascus to withdraw its forces, which would give any pullback an Arab endorsement, the Saudi official said. Saudi Arabia is said to be angry with Damascus over the Feb. 14 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who also held Saudi citizenship and was close to the Saudi royal family. Assad returned Thursday night to Damascus, where the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported he had discussed Arab affairs, the Arab summit and Lebanon with the Saudi government. “Points of view were identical,” the report said. The Lebanese opposition has blamed Syria and its allied government in Beirut for the killing, which sparked dramatic street protests that forced the resignation of the pro-Syrian government. Damascus and the Lebanese government deny any role in the assassination. Damage in relations with Saudi Arabia would deepen Syria’s isolation after its traditional allies, Russia and France, joined the United States and United Nations in demanding a full pullout. Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Washington, often presents Syria’s point of view to U.S. officials. Egypt and Saudi Arabia fear that unless Syria removes its troops quickly from Lebanon, where it has held control for decades, the United States and other Western countries will start taking concrete action to force it to do so. Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al-Moalim was set to arrive in Moscow on Friday for talks with Russian officials on a possible U.N. resolution urging Syria to pull out, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said. “The role played by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the (Arab League) secretary-general is to avoid situations that will be imposed on us,” Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kerbi told reporters in Cairo after the Arab League meeting. Egyptian President Ffosni Mubarak said he had long encouraged Assad to withdraw. “I have been talking to him about the withdrawal for two years because I was afraid of the external pressure,” he told reporters Wednesday. “Now I hope the issue will pass peacefully.” The Syrian troops were originally deployed during Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war, ostensibly as peacekeepers, and Syria has held sway over Lebanese politics ever since. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to get Syria to carry out the 1989 Taif Accord, which called on it to gradually make a full pullout from Lebanon, but to start it immediately and finish the withdrawal by April. The Arab-brokered accord is named after the Saudi city of Taif, where it was signed, and Saudi officials played a key role in sealing it. It required Syria to redeploy troops to eastern Lebanon, near the Syrian border, and then negotiate a full withdrawal with the Lebanese government. Syria never complied. But under growing pressure said last month it is willing to do so, promising to move troops closer to its border. But it hasn’t yet acted. Assad, in interviews with ifiternational media, ' has given varying estimates for the timing of a withdrawal, from less than two months to at least a year or not until Mideast peace is achieved. KEVIN FRAYER/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The crowd lifts a Lebanese protestor as he and others wave their national flag during an anti-Syria demonstration in Martyr’s Square, central Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday. ■ TANNING Continued from page 1 my cheeks,” said Prohorova, who is headed to Panama City beach for spring break. Tanning might be dangerous, though. A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology last summer put people in a real tanning bed and a placebo bed with no UV light and compared how they felt after tanning. The study found that people felt considerably more relaxed and less tense after lying in the real tanning bed. One Wake Forest study suggests tanning might be addictive. The researchers attribute tanning beds’ addictiveness to the possibility that UV light might produce mood boosting endorphins for a “drug like reinforcing effect.” Henry said she believes tanning beds could be addictive. She tans almost every day. “You always want to go back. I look forward to it,” she said. Dowling said some students say they tan because it relaxes them and others say it makes them feel better. “Exposure to sunlight does make people feel better,” she said. Despite the known health risks of tanning, students continue to use them. Henry said she thinks about the risks, but that she goes to the tanning bed anyway. “I mean, they scare me, but I still go because I want to get tan,” she said, adding that it’s important not to overdo it. Prohorova said she has limited her tanning to only a couple weeks this year because of the skin cancer risk associated with tanning beds. “You never know which visit will cause you cancer. You don’t know if it’s the first visit or the third visit that will make you start developing cancer,” she said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknewS@gwm.sc. edu ■ WIRELESS Continued from page 1 obviously we didn’t have a lot of users.” The network is available for students, faculty and staff, but only in certain areas around campus. “We’re just in phase one,” South said. “Phase one includes the major thoroughfare, the I " Horseshoe — keep in mind this is just outside — outside areas of the residence halls, outside of Thomas Cooper and outside of the Russell House.” She said phase two should be completed by the end of the semester, and that the department was already installing more wireless access points around campus. Phase two includes the areas around Capstone, the Colonial Center and the Greek Village. West Quad is already equipped with interior wireless network access, and South said future buildings would probably be similarly equipped. “I have a feeling we’ll be putting that wireless infrastructure in a lot of new buildings going up,” she said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu -1 ■ DEAN Continued from page 1 USC professors teach them to implement the national program into their high-school classes. “We will have 50 high schools in South Carolina using Project Lead the Way courses,” White said. “As much, as 10,000 students may be learning from teachers who participated.” With almost 1,400 undergraduates attending the engineering school, White said it has reached a good, manageable size, especially during an era of budget cuts. “It is good to grow in a measured way. If you grow too fast then complications arise,” White said. i-:-: White attributed the school’s growth to programs popular among new students. White discussed the FIRST Robotics contest the school held for prospective high-school students. “One of our new faculty members is working on a robotic arm,” White said. “You watch movies like ‘I, Robot’ — we actually have people working on that.” White said the college is preparing students for the engineering world, but also for further academics. “We are putting out graduates, but a larger number of our kids are going on to medical, law and other professional schools,” White said. “At least 20 percent of our graduates go to professional schools.” White said the colleges of engineering across the state are trying to keep up with South Carolina industries. “The industries of South Carolina can’t get enough engineers from within the state,” White said. “So, Clemson and USC don’t even meet the demands of the state.” With the quality and quantity of students and faculty increasing, White said the college’s future looks promising. “We are really upbeat around here. We have no complaints,” White said. “We have great scholarships and programs for kids to come here.” Comments <m this story? E-mail gamecockneTVs@gwm.sc.edu I THlffeAMECOCK Online five days a week. Sweet mother. www. dailygamecock. com Selecting a place to work should be like choosing a fine wine. You want something pleasant that fits your tastes, and only gets better with time. Welcome to Olive Garden - where the authentic Italian dining experience is our passion. Here, we share the spirit of Italy with our ■ guests, and the feeling of family with our employees. Discover why Olive Garden is the perfect career choice for you. Here’s a little taste to get you started. Our benefits include flexible schedules, excellent training, meal discounts, paid vacation, medical/dental insurance, 401(k) savings plan and management career advancement opportunities. Come see the difference we’re making at Olive Garden. To apply, visit us Wednesday, March 9th - Saturday, March 12th from 8am - 5pm. Then Monday, March 14th - Saturday, March 19th from 8am - 5pm. Apply in person at: 10136-112 Two Notch Rd. Columbia, SC 29229. www.olivegarden.com ^ v * An Equal Oppipuniix Employer, MfFID/V. The Clothes Cottage at Chesterfield Court > Don’t Horse Around... Trot to Aiken for Fabulous she Camden Cup Couture Dresses, Hats and a NEW Shoe Salon > Bring a friend and receive 10% off both purchases! •45 minutes from USC Campus ^ • Take 1-20 West to exit 18, take left onto Hwy 19, which turns into Lauren’s Street, take a left onto Richland and a right onto Chesterfield Street The Clothes Cottage at Chesterfield Court 120 Chesterfield Street South 803-648-7700 p * •: ■' *