Hizbullah Takes Wait-and-See Approach as Britain Seeks to Encourage it to Renounce “Violence”
Britain”s government spokesman said a decision to engage in direct contacts with Hizbullah”s political wing was aimed at encouraging the Shiite group to steer clear from violence and play a more democratic role.
"Our aim is to encourage [Hizbullah] to stay away from violence and play a constructive, peaceful and democratic role in Lebanese politics," John Wilks told As Safir daily in remarks published Friday.
Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell told a parliamentary committee hearing on Wednesday that his country is prepared to engage in direct contacts with the party”s political wing, ever since the Shiite group became part of a national unity government last year.
London has had no official talks with Hizbullah since 2005, and last July added its military wing to a blacklist of designated terrorist groups.
Hizbullah sources told As Safir that it was waiting what steps Britain would take after Rammell”s announcement.
"In the past months, we were reconsidering our policy towards Hizbullah based on British interests," Wilks told the newspaper.
The change of policy has nothing to do with the policies adopted by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama and its openness to Syria and Iran, he stressed.
Asked if the British announcement would be followed by another decision to remove Hizbullah”s military wing from the blacklist of terrorist groups, Wilks said: "Our policy is to stress Hizbullah”s right to represent its electorates as a political party … The political wing of Hizbullah is of course part of the national unity government in Lebanon and the UK is doing everything possible to back this government."