Moussa: Arabs Won”t Be a Party to State Collapse in Lebanon

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said Saturday Arab states would not stand idly by and would not be a party to state collapse in Lebanon, stressing that there would be “changes that I hope for and expect.”

 

Moussa made the remark to reporters at Rafik Hariri Airport before leaving Beirut ending four days of talks with Lebanese officials that failed to put into effect an Arab initiative aimed at electing Army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president.

 

“I will return in days to continue the mission,” Moussa said, stressing that “I do not want to give a dose of optimism and I don”t want to sound pessimistic. We did the work and everybody responded.”

 

He said “some details require further discussion.”

 

“We count on understanding by all to solve the issue in everybody”s favor,” Moussa said.

 

He confirmed that he would visit Syria before returning to Beirut, but did not set schedules.

 

“There will be no escalation and no chaos,” Moussa told reporters in an apparent effort to re-assure weary Lebanese citizens.

 

“What the Arab states would do now is to salvage a sisterly state,” Moussa said after talks with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan.

 

He called for “cooperation by all to salvage Lebanon.”

 

Moussa, after talks with resigned Foreign Minister Fawzi Saloukh, said he would return to Beirut “in a few days.”

 

A visit to Syria also is “possible,” Moussa told reporters.

 

His mission aims at “reviving the political process” in Lebanon, Moussa said.

 

He said his talks covered “whoever is linked (to the crisis) and whoever has a role.”

 

Moussa explained that “I discussed in depth the presidential election and the understanding on a government. But forming it and other details related to numbers fall within the (forthcoming) president”s powers.”

 

He cautioned, however, that the existing situation “leads only to negative” repercussions.