Visiting Solana Reaffirms EU Support for Lebanon
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana began a visit to Beirut on Friday for talks with the country”s leaders and, for the first time, a member of Hizbullah.
Solana held seperate meetings with President Michel Suleiman, MP Walid Jumblat and Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh. He will hold separate talks on Saturday with Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, an EU representative said.
The meeting with Hajj Hassan will be the first such high level contact between an EU official and Hizbullah, the official said.
During talks with Suleiman, Solana reiterated the EU”s support for "Lebanon”s stability and economic growth."
Solana pointed that "for the first time the United States and the EU shared close positions" on Lebanon and the Middle East, the National News Agency reported.
"Europe and the United States are determined to achieve progress on the regional level before year”s end, on the basis of taking into consideration the Arab peace initiative," he added.
Solana later held a closed meeting with U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell, U.S. Ambassador Michele Sisone and EU Ambassador Patrick Renauld at the Rafik Hariri International Airport ahead of Mitchell”s departure to Damascus.
Earlier, Solana met with Jumblat in Clemenceau and commended the Lebanese government for its "wise management of the parliamentary elections." He also praised Jumblat”s "commitment to his pledges."Solana expressed hope for "a new page in the Lebanese political life."
On expected talks with Hizbullah”s leadership, Solana said he will meet with "all the Lebanese political teams."
Upon his arrival in Beirut, Solana underlined the need for "serious efforts toward deepening ties between Lebanon and the EU, which has always supported (this country)."