Lavrov, Kouchner United Against Foreign Meddling in Lebanon

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned against any interference in Lebanon”s political crisis, in an apparent message to Syria.

 

“There must be absolutely no meddling, regardless of where it comes from, in solving this problem,” he said in Paris Tuesday.

 

The Russian foreign minister was speaking in a joint press conference with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner.

 

“All possible means must be exerted to guarantee the sovereignty, security, stability and independence of Lebanon,” Lavrov said.

 

He said Russia was using its influence in the region to help solve Lebanon”s presidential crisis.

 

The postponement (of a parliamentary session to elect a new president “must not take us to despair over the election of a head of state and solving the crisis,” Lavrov added.

 

Kouchner, in his turn, said he agreed with Lavrov over demands for “no foreign meddling” in Lebanon.

 

“We tried to create the conditions necessary for elections” but we were not successful, the French foreign minister said, adding “we hope that foreign meddling stops and the Lebanese enjoy more unity.”

 

He said his government was determined to work with Syria over Lebanon”s crisis to achieve a solution.

 

On Iran, Lavrov urged the international community to do “everything possible” to engage the Islamic Republic in negotiations over its contested nuclear program.

 

“We must seek an innovative approach. This means first and foremost doing everything possible — and even impossible — to begin discussions with Iran,” he said.

 

Lavrov”s comments on Iran came a week after the U.N. Security Council tightened sanctions against Tehran over its refusal to heed the world body”s calls to freeze uranium enrichment, a potential weapons-making process.

 

Iran on Sunday said it would only hold talks over its nuclear program if world powers stopped threatening it with further punitive measures.