Opposition Slams Welch Lebanon Visit

Source: Alalam TV, 18-04-2008
BEIRUT--Lebanese opposition say the US officials are visiting Lebanon to entice Lebanese groups and pit them against each other.
Amal Movement representative in Lebanese House of Representatives Ghazi Zoeitar told Alalam Friday that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Welch, has come to Lebanon to encourage certain Lebanese groups to escalate tension and insist on the US stances, which are against high national interests of the country.
Zoeitar said the visit is a clear sign of attempts to ruin chance for any intra-Lebanese dialogue.
Meanwhile, Coordinator of the March 14 Groups' Secretariat Fars Saeed told reporters, "We welcome visit by any official, who will unconditionally support the idea of an independent and stable Lebanon that seeks election of a president speedily and without any delay."
Welch, who arrived in Beirut on an unscheduled visit, said he informed the speaker, Nabih Berri of his country's and the international community's wish to activate parliament in order to "elect a president immediately," the state-run National News Agency reported.
He rejected Berri's call for an inter-Lebanese dialogue ahead of the presidential vote, saying such a dialogue can start only after the election of a president.
"Once the parliament reopens, elects a president, the president can consult on forming a new government, and then there can be a dialogue,'' Welch said.
Welch's visit comes ahead of another parliament session, due April 22 and meant to elect Suleiman as president. But parliament sessions have been postponed 17 times since September, as rival factions cannot agree on power-sharing in the future government.