Hoff Worried about Rise in Extremist Rhetoric
U.S. Special Middle East Peace Envoy”s assistant, Frederick Hoff, has reportedly expressed concern at recent developments in the region and the rise in extremist rhetoric.
An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Hoff is on a fact-finding mission in Lebanon. It added that Lebanese officials who met with the envoy on Tuesday got the message that the U.S. is worried about developments in the region and their effects on the peace process.
The Obama administration is also worried about the rise in extremist rhetoric at a time when there should be calm in the region, the newspaper said.
Hoff met with PM-designate Saad Hariri, Caretaker Premier Fouad Saniora and Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah who stressed that he informed the U.S. official about Lebanon”s stance from Arab-Israeli peace.
Shatah stressed that Lebanon abides by U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and cooperates with UNIFIL.
The minister also said that Hoff considered the Lebanese cabinet formation an internal matter and didn”t bring up the issue during his talks with the Lebanese officials on Tuesday.