U.S.: “No Immediate” Concern over Beirut Cabinet Delay
The United States voiced hope Thursday that a new government could be decided soon in Lebanon but said it had "no immediate" concern about the delay in forming one.
Saad Hariri announced he was stepping down as Lebanon”s prime minister-designate, accusing the Hizbullah-led opposition of blocking weeks of efforts to unlock a political stalemate.
"We hope that both sides will resolve the impasse quickly and respect the process that”s outlined in the Lebanese constitution, put together a government," the State Department”s Philip J. Crowley told reporters.
"We would like to see a government put in place sooner rather than later," the assistant secretary of state for public affairs said.
"I don”t think we have an immediate concern, but we certainly hope all the parties in the Lebanon will engage peacefully and appropriately because it”s important that they put a government in place."