Clinton: Lebanese People Deserve Govt. That Reflects Their Aspirations, Not Acts as Proxy for Outside Forces — Naharnet
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Wednesday that any power vacuum in Lebanon could be “taken advantage of” by Syria, amid calls by the opposition March 14 camp for the government to step down.
“We don’t want to see a vacuum of legitimate political authority that could then be taken advantage of by the Syrians or by others that could create even greater instability and violence,” Clinton told a news conference.
“We call on all parties in Lebanon to support the process that President (Michel) Suleiman is leading to choose a responsible effective, government that can address the threats that (Lebanon) faces and hold accountable those responsible for last week’s bombing” that killed Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and two other people.
Clinton said the United States would not prejudge the outcome of Suleiman’s call for all-party talks on forming a new government.
“This must be a Lebanese process,” she said.
“But the Lebanese people deserve so much better. They deserve to live in peace and they deserve to have a government that reflects their aspirations, not acts as proxies and agents for outside forces.”
On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said her country backs efforts to form a new governing coalition in Lebanon, after last week’s assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan plunged the country into a political crisis.
“We support the efforts of President (Michel) Suleiman and other responsible leaders in Lebanon to build an effective government and to take the necessary next steps in the wake of the October 19th terrorist attack,” said Nuland.