New Lebanon leader will defend independence: Rice
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday she looked forward to working with Lebanon”s new president Michel Sleiman, whom she said will defend Lebanon”s independence and democracy.
"We very much look forward to working with the new president of Lebanon. We have long supported his election," Rice told reporters travelling with her to Stockholm for an international conference Thursday on Iraq.
"I”m very glad for the Lebanese people in particular that it”s finally taken place. He is someone we believe will defend Lebanon”s interests, Lebanon”s independence, Lebanon”s sovereignty and Lebanon”s democracy."
Sleiman, Lebanon”s army chief for the past 10 years, became head of state on Sunday following a deal brokered in Qatar to resolve a long-running political crisis in Lebanon.
The accord was reached after sectarian battles earlier this month left at least 65 people dead and saw the radical Shiite movement Hezbollah stage a spectacular takeover of Sunni Muslim sectors of west Beirut.