Suspicious Visit…Unsurprising Demand: Government Should Not Witness Light
Local Editor
The mask fell off, and the blatant intervention of US Assistance Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman soon was exposed as he asked the Lebanese officials to burry any hope of forming a government.
US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman delayed the US message during his ‘suspicious' visit to Lebanon, in which he met with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister-Designate Najib Miqati as well as the head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt.
However, Feltman could not meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri because of the latter's ‘busy agenda'. Berri explained to reporters on Saturday that his busy schedule prevented him from meeting with the US official on Friday. "I was in the South and it helped me see the clear picture when he visited various officials, whom we all trust," Berri told reporters
Pan-Arab daily As-Sharq al-Awsat quoted Hezbollah parliamentary sources as saying that Feltman carried a message to President Michel Sleiman and PM-designate Najib Miqati that the government "should not witness light." He stressed to them that the policy statement should clearly refer to Lebanon's commitment to the rulings of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), the sources said.
The sources accused Washington of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip against Syria which they said is now busy with its local issues and is incapable of pushing towards the formation of a new Lebanese government. The lawmakers stressed that the deadlock will continue as long as Syria is in upheaval.
Lebanese officials slammed the Feltman visit, reiterating it aims at killing any chance of forming a government and further aims at securing "Israel's" stability and safety.
Raad: Feltman to Preserve "Israel's" Security
The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Mohamad Raad said, meanwhile, that what happened in the southern border town of Maroun al-Ras is what made Feltman rush towards Lebanon to seek measures that preserve "Israel's" security, because the Americans have sensed real threat coming from the Palestinian people's rising enthusiasm.
"The Americans sensed real danger due to the growth of the Palestinian people's zeal, which drove Feltman to come to Lebanon to protect "Israel's" security," Raad said at a commemorative event in Nabatiyeh.
Fayyad: Feltman Advertising Obama Speech, Securing "Israel"
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc member MP Ali Fayyad described Jeffrey Feltman's visit as "an attempt to advertise for the US President Barack Obama's speech, noting that it aims at employing Lebanon's southern borders as walls of security to the "Israeli" entity, also making Lebanon's Eastern borders as a crossing to target Syria's stability."
Fayyad assured "this is a nasty game that has been exposed and that no one buys it." He reiterated that this plan is doomed to failure. During a ceremony commemorating the Liberation and Resistance day holiday, the MP assured that the Obama speech comes in context of bribing the Arab peoples but to no avail. He also said that "America's priority is to help "Israel" and solve all its issues and problems." Fayyad pointed out that Obama totally ignored the right of the Palestinian refugees to return as well as the cause of Al Quds in his speech. Fayyad praised the stanceof Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri who indirectly refused to meet Feltman, noting that Berri realizes how crucial and complicated the political situation is.
Fadlallah, Haj Hassan: Feltman's Visit Proof to US Ploy
According to the Loyalty to the Resistance MP Hassan Fadlallah, the visit of Jeffry Feltman was proof of this American ploy. "We are witnessing an American incitement campaign against Syria, said Fadlallah in a speech he delivered during another ceremony, warning that the US was trying to use Lebanon as a launching pad for their attack on the Syrian regime. He considered that one day, Wikileaks cables will expose one day the aim of Feltman's visit which is a continuation to the incitement campaign against Syria. MP Fadlallah asserted that the government will be made in Lebanon without any foreign interference, specifically from the United States. He reiterated that the government to be formed will be purely Lebanese and concerned about Lebanon's interests.
In addition, Caretaker agriculture Minister Hajj Hasan said that Assad must be defended against strife-ridden US-orchestrated conspiracies and those efforts to form a new government ought to be speeded up to block what he termed Connelly-Feltman designs. He further foretold total failure of US projects with "Israel" notwithstanding any chances for survival.
Qobeissy: Feltman Visit to Complicate Government Formation
On his part, Member of Parliament Hani Qobeissy, who represented House Speaker Nabih Berri in a ceremony, said that Feltman came to Lebanon to complicate the government formation further. Qobeissy asserted that the next government will be formed based on the new majority and its ministerial statement will be in complete compliance with the policies of March 8 Camp.
"To date we have not seen any changes in the policies of countries which...manipulate decisions of governmental institutions," said the MP. He further criticized how some UN resolutions are implemented while others ignored, rendering all slogans launched by the UN and USA meaningless.
Hamdan: US Employee Instigating Against Syria
Mustafa Hamdan, Former Head of Lebanese Presidential Guard and member of the Independent Nasserite Movement, assured that the visit of US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman comes in context of instigating Lebanese officials against Syira, just like he did during the earlier years where he launched threats and dictated order. Hamdan warned of Feltman's attempt to threaten the Security Forces on top of which is the Lebanese army and push them towards becoming border guards to secure "Israel" after the courageous events that took place in Maroun al-Ras on the 15th of May, the Nakba anniversary.
Feltman ended his visit to Lebanon on Saturday after holding talks with a number of Lebanese officials on the government formation process. A US Embassy statement said that he reiterated the US view that the international community will assess its relationship with any new government of Lebanon based on the make-up of the next government, its ministerial statement and the actions it takes in regard to the STL and Lebanon's other international obligations.
