Situation in the South Dangerous, Arms Smuggling Worries U.S.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Hale said the Bush administration was worried about the "continued arms smuggling" to Lebanon and warned that any crisis in the south could lead to negative consequences.
Hale also stressed in remarks published in As Safir daily Friday on the need to demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria.
He said that diplomatic relations are based not only on the exchange of embassies but also on mutual respect.
Hale said his visit to Beirut last week was aimed at holding talks with Lebanese leaders after political life returned to normal in the country, and to stress the U.S. commitment to Lebanon”s independence and sovereignty.
He told As Safir that he made clear during his visit to Lebanon on the need to implement Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
Hale called for the full implementation of the Doha Accord and holding the National Dialogue Conference under the sponsorship of President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.
He called next year”s planned parliamentary elections an opportunity for the Lebanese to choose who will rule the country and on what grounds.
About French President Nicolas Sarkozy”s attempts to forge better relations with Syria, Hale said that the U.S. and France have a common objective in the Middle East but the Bush administration prefers to see tangible progress by Damascus in its regional policies before anything else.