Suleiman: Hizbullah is a Lebanese & legitimate party

Local Editor, 17-12-2009

Lebanese president Michel Suleiman arrived on Wednesday from the United States after meeting President Barack Obama. According to Sleiman, the Obama administration lent an understanding ear to Lebanon's official position on Hizbullah's weapons, a position explained by the president himself.

US President Obama told his Lebanese counterpart, prior to his departure from Washington that the United States will not allow any agreement or deal to be made with any state at Lebanon's expense.

On the other hand, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman told Al-Jazeera that "the United States is not having any dialogue with Hizbullah and does not like it. Feltman added that "Hizbullah's weapons are not under the state's control and represent a threat to Lebanon."

Yet President Suleiman reiterated that Hizbullah is a Lebanese party whose MP's take part in the new government, and stressed that as long as a part of the Lebanese territory is still occupied and as long as the Zionist enemy poses a threat to Lebanon, Hizbullah's weapons will be legitimized.