Rice: Washington Ready to Cooperate with “Very Fine” Suleiman, Backs Government and Berri
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a five-hour unscheduled visit to Lebanon on Monday, declaring support to the nation”s president, government, parliament speaker and democratic system.
After talks with President Michel Suleiman, Rice declared Washington”s support for a demarcation of Lebanon”s borders with Syria and the establishing of diplomatic ties between the neighboring states.
Lebanon and Syria are two neighboring states and their relations should be between two peoples, Rice noted.
Washington, according to Rice, declared support for the Doha Accord, seen as a chance to settle the Lebanese crisis that has lasted so long.
"We expressed support to the president, to Lebanon and the Lebanese government," Rice said stressing that Washington is ready to cooperate with President Suleiman.
She described Suleiman as a "very fine man."
Rice, talking to reporters at Ain al-Tineh said Speaker Nabih Berri realizes that he enjoys the backing of the United States.
"I congratulated Speaker Berri for reopening parliament gates," Rice said.
In answering a question as to whether Washington would recognize a Lebanese government that included representatives of Hizbullah, Rice reiterated that the United States had long ago listed Hizbullah as a terrorist organization and nothing has changed in this regard.
However, forming a government in Lebanon is a Lebanese issue, she added.
"We hope that the composition of the government proceeds and proceeds rapidly," she said.
Prior to meeting Berri, Rice held talks at Qoraitem Palace with the March 14 majority alliance represented by Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri, Democratic Gathering leader Walid Jumblat, Phalange Party head Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.
After the talks, rice reiterated Washington”s commitment to the cause of Lebanon and praised its steadfastness against external pressures.
Rice said she made her unscheduled trip to "express the United States” support for Lebanese democracy, for Lebanese sovereignty."
She also met Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora and reiterated to reporters "the United States” commitment to a Lebanon that is truly sovereign and independent where foreign interference and foreign intimidation should never be permitted."
She rejected accusations of U.S. interference in Lebanese politics saying: "We support the democratically elected government of Lebanon. That is what we support."
Rice, who was in Beirut after a two-day visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank, rejected charges that the Doha deal was a slap in the face for U.S. policy in the region as it had given the Iran- and Syrian-backed opposition veto power over government decisions.
"Obviously in any compromise there are concessions," she said. "But this was an agreement that I think serves the interest of the Lebanese people and since it serves the interest of the Lebanese people, it serves the interest of the United States."
Rice called for U.N. action on the disputed Shebaa Farms, a district that remains occupied by Israel.
"The United States believes that the time has come to deal with the Shebaa Farms issue… in accordance with (U.N. Security Council Resolution) 1701," Rice said after discussing the issue with Saniora.
She told reporters Washington intends to press U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon to "lend his good offices" to resolve the sovereignty dispute over the Shebaa Farms.
"The secretary general should intensify his efforts," she said.
Rice last visited Lebanon during the devastating 2006 Israel-Hizbullah war that left more than 1,300 people dead, most of them Lebanese civilians.(