Syrian Foreign Minister flays US stand in Lebanon's presidential vote crisis
Damascus (AP): Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem criticized on Thursday the United States in the Lebanese presidential crisis, accusing it of allegedly blocking Syrian and French efforts to end the deadlock that has paralyzed Lebanon.
The remarks by Moallem followed a visit to Lebanon by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch, who this week accused Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition of obstructing the vote for the country's top post.
Moallem's comments reflected consistent Damascus support for the Hezbollah-led opposition in the neighboring country.
The Syrian official, speaking to reporters in Damascus, also expressed regret over what he described as failure of the French mediators in Lebanon to distance themselves from the American stand.
Lebanon has been without a president since Nov. 23, when Emile Lahoud stepped down without a successor.
The sharply divided Lebanese parliament is expected again _ for the tenth time _ to try Saturday to elect a president, but prospects are unlikely because of a lack of agreement between rival groups.
The latest crisis follows a yearlong political struggle between anti-Syrian politicians who support U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and hold a slim majority in parliament, and the opposition, led by Hezbollah, which has strong ties to Iran and Syria.
Moallem said Syria and France, whose foreign minister has been mediating among the Lebanese, both support the choice for Army Commander Michel Suleiman as a consensus presidential candidate the rival sides agreed on.
He claimed Damascus and Paris had also agreed that Suleiman's election in parliament should be followed by the formation of a national unity government.
Moallem said Welch's comments earlier in the week in Beirut ``confirm that America does not support consensus and instead wants there to be a conqueror and vanquished in Lebanon.''
Moallem also dismissed Welch's accusations that Syria was the one blocking the Lebanese presidential election. ``This is nonsense, he knows exactly who is blocking the election,'' he said of Welch.
``We in Syria want there to be elections in Lebanon at the earliest time possible,'' Moallem added.
The anti-Syrian ruling coalition in Lebanon has accused the opposition of obstructing the presidential vote under orders from Syria and Iran. In turn, the opposition claims pro-government groups in the parliament majority follow U.S. policies.
The opposition has demanded the ruling coalition agree on the shape of the future government ahead of the parliament vote, including the division of the posts in the next Cabinet. The ruling coalition says the opposition is setting conditions which are rejected by pro-government groups.
Moallem on Tuesday also backed those Lebanese opposition demands, saying a national unity government should be agreed on before Suleiman is voted in.
A unity government ``is as important as electing a new president,'' Moallem said.
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