Britain Says U.S. Does Not Object to Negotiations with Hizbullah
The new U.S. administration under President Barack Obama is reportedly "comfortable" with the British government”s attempts to engage Hizbullah in negotiations.
Bill Rammell, Britain”s Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said in Damascus last week that despite protests to the contrary, the Obama administration does not object to the fledgling contacts with the political wing of Hizbullah, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday.
"We have a different approach on this issue at the moment with the United States," he said. "But it”s not an issue of disagreement in intentions. The feedback we had on Lebanon is that the Americans are comfortable with us doing things differently than they are."
While Britain favors attempts to outreach to Hizbullah, senior U.S. officials have privately ridiculed and publicly rejected the U.K.”s idea.
"Our position on Hizbullah remains unchanged," Jeffrey Feltman, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of State for Near East affairs, told MPs last month. "We see no distinction between the leadership and funding of the group”s terrorist, military, political and social wings."
The Bush administration also has vehemently slammed the British decision, expressing concern "it wound be seen as a policy coordinated with the U.S. government."
Rammell said initial U.S. alarm has given way to curiosity and that there is "no antagonism" between the two allies over the issue.
France has long maintained relations with Hizbullah.
Rammell said the British effort to engage Hizbullah would proceed incrementally, in an attempt at "testing the waters."
He also said during a meeting last week with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem that Britain was ready to engage with Hamas, if it renounced violence.
"I would like to talk to Hamas, but we need change before engaging in that position," he said at the meeting.
Rammell believed Hizbullah, too, must reject violence before any dialogue could broaden.
He said the West must acknowledge what he described as "positive changes" that have taken place in Lebanon over the last few months, including the formation of a unity government and the appointment of a consensus president supported by U.S.-backed political groups and the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition.
Rammell pointed to Hizbullah”s increased involvement in Lebanon”s ordinary political life, with "Hizbullah (MPs) sitting side by side with their opponents" in parliament.