Bush ( R) , who was in Vienna to attend the annual U.S.-European Union summit, was speaking to reporters Wednesday after meeting Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel.

"We talked about Lebanon and the need for Lebanon to be free from Syrian influence," said Bush.

He said the United States and Europe "worked very closely together at the United Nations to send that clear message to the Syrians: leave Lebanon alone, let them be, let them be a free democracy, which is a necessary part of laying the foundation for peace in the Middle East."

This was Bush's second message of support for Lebanese sovereignty this week.

On Monday the U.S. president said his country "will not rest until the Lebanese people enjoy full independence."

The United States, France and Britain were the main sponsors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1680 that was passed last month and urges Syria to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon and delineate the common border.

Damascus has rejected the resolution and called it unprecedented international interference in bilateral affairs.

Syria , Israel and the Shebaa farms

Israel has offered to withdraw from Shebaa farms, the area that was occupied by Israel in 1967, if Syria will confirm in writing that it is a Lebanese territory, but Syria so far has only confirmed this orally and refused to put it in writing. Syria's action in this regard has been a very destabilizing factor in Lebanon, since the pro- Syrian Hezbollah organization is using Shebaa as an excuse to hold onto its arms.

Israel also is using the presence of Hezbollah in the south as an excuse to destabilize the area. Last month Israeli Mossad was blamed for assassinating 2 leaders of the Islamic Jihad in Sidon city in southern Lebanon. Israel also continues to violate Lebanon's Air, Land and Sea spaces.

Iran also is using the Shebaa farms as an excuse to beef up the area with Iranian intelligence agents. According to sources Iranain agents have been moving positions from the Bekaa region to the border areas.

Many local observers are of the opinion that Syria and Israel are both conspiring against Lebanon. One observer told Ya Libnan, "the borders between Israel and Syria continue to be the quietest in the whole region and not one shot was fired from Syria into Israel for several years". The observers further commented that " Israel has objected very strongly to regime change in Syria, since they see the Syrian regime as the most convenient for Israeli security"

Sources: Ya Libnan, Naharnet