Syrian president appoints his brother-in-law military chief

THE Syrian president, Bashar Assad, has replaced the chief of military intelligence with his brother-in-law.

Sources said Brigadier-General Asef Shawkat has taken over from General Hassan Khalil, who had left after reaching retirement age.

The news of the replacement comes five days after the assassination in Beirut of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, which increased international and Lebanese calls for Syrian forces to leave Lebanon.

Brig -Gen Shawkat moves to a post that oversees all domestic and external intelligence operations, including Syrian activities in Lebanon.

Syria has been under intense international pressure since Mr Hariri’s assassination. On Thursday, the US president, George Bush, said he will work with his European allies to put pressure on Syria to pull out from Lebanon, saying Syria "is out of step" with progress being made in the Middle East.

The assassination prompted accusations from Lebanese political opposition members that Syria was responsible for the attack. Suspicion also fell on possible rogue elements in the Syrian intelligence services or militant groups in Lebanon.

The appointment is seen as a sign the young Syrian leader is consolidating his hold on the security services.

Meanwhile the Lebanese tourism minister, Farid Khazen, quit yesterday, saying the government was not capable of running the country at this crucial period.

He said his resignation conforms with "my convictions and my sense of national responsibility".