No Mideast Deals at Lebanon”s Expense
Visiting U.S. envoy George Mitchell said Friday Washington will not sacrifice Lebanon as it seeks to reach comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
"Lebanon will play a key role in the long term effort to build lasting, comprehensive peace and stability in the Middle East," Mitchell said after meeting Prime Minister Fouad Saniora at the Grand Serail.
"Clearly, there can be no lasting solution reached at Lebanon”s expense and we look forward to continuing to work with Lebanon to build this solution," he added.
Mitchell, who held separate talks with Saniora, President Michel Suleiman, Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallouk and MP Saad Hariri, said his latest Middle East tour as well as previous visits were clear proof that U.S. President Barack Obama”s administration was committed to "actively and aggressively" seek peace in the region.
"This includes supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state as a homeland for the Palestinian people as soon as possible," Mitchell told reporters.
He hailed parliamentary elections in Lebanon as "a milestone" for the country, adding that the U.S. remains committed to providing support for a "sovereign, free and independent Lebanon."
Suleiman said Lebanon was ready to take party in any international peace conferences based on the Saudi-sponsored Arab peace initiative.
The 2002 plan, backed by all 22 members of the Arab League, offers Israel full normalisation in return for a withdrawal from territory occupied in the 1967 Middle East war, a Palestinian state and an equitable solution to the Palestinian refugee problem.
Vice President Joe Biden had hinted during a visit to Beirut ahead of the June 7 elections that Washington may cut off military aid if the Hizbullah-led coalition won.
Damascus was Lebanon”s powerbroker for nearly three decades until it was forced to pull out its troops from the country in the aftermath of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri.
Mitchell was due to head later on Friday to Damascus, where he will hold talks with Syrian leaders.