Feltman’s Visit “A Lebanese Role to Besiege Syria”

Local Editor

Assafir Newspaper uncovered on Monday some aspects of the visit of Secretary of State's Assistant for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman to Beirut.

The newspaper clarified that as Feltman, neglected the government's formation subject, he came with specific questions to the Lebanese officials regarding tightening the embargo and the international sanctions against Syria. "Washington wants to circulate the North Korean form on Syria and to trap Bashar al-Assad in Damascus as the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il" Feltman said in his meetings.

According to the newspaper, Feltman asked President Michel Suleiman about the way the Lebanese government would react to the option of gradual sanctions that would be taken against Syria and its leadership in particular.

President Suleiman's answer was clear, sharp ,and surprising to both Feltman as well as the US Ambassador Maura Connelly where he assured that "the relations between Lebanon and Syria go back to the age of both countries, and that the conditions of history and geography, present and future make the reality of coherent and close relations between the two countries," noting that " the Taif Accords, which turned to form the Constitution, speaks clearly about the special relations between the two countries, so how do you want us to form a bridge or passageway to besiege Syria and punish it on its national choices and nationalism?"

Feltman repeated the same questions in front of the Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and MP Walid Jumblatt and others whom he met secretly or openly. Furthermore, it was clear that the U.S. administration wants to continue the pressure and the expansion of sanctions in coordination with the European Union and, therefore, it is required, for them, that Lebanon determines how to deal with border issues, transit, banks and all kind of exchanges between the two countries, as well as the political level between the leaderships of the two countries.