Hariri Meets Kerry, Says Trying to Spare Lebanon Impact of Dispute with Hizbullah

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Wednesday kicked off a visit to Washington, where he announced that his political camp is trying to spare Lebanon any repercussions from the “drastic disputes” with Hizbullah.

“We must exert efforts to end the rift and elect a president for Lebanon,” said Hariri after talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the U.S. capital.

“Lebanon is in the eye of the storm and there are drastic disputes with Hizbullah, but we're trying to spare Lebanon the impact of the disagreement with Hizbullah,” he added.

The ex-PM also slammed “the role of Iran in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen” as “nonconstructive,” revealing that he discussed with Kerry “means to steer Lebanon clear of the current crises.”

Hariri noted that any foreign support must be offered to “the Lebanese state, not to parties in Lebanon,” pointing out that the recent Saudi donations were offered “to the Lebanese army, not to Lebanese parties.”

Turning to Syria, Hariri called for “putting an end to the regime” in Damascus because “it killed its people.”

Asked whether Syria might witness an Arab operation similar to the Saudi-led Decisive Storm in Yemen, Hariri said: “We hope it will move to Syria.”

The so-called “defiant” Syrian regime “did not carry out any act against Israel,” Hariri added.

Before the meeting with Kerry, Hariri had warned that “the involvement of certain factions like Hizbullah and Iran ... in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen has grown to a point that is extremely dangerous.”

Noting that “Iran is a country that we all need to deal with,” Hariri underlined that the Lebanese people reject any “interference” in their domestic affairs.

And as he thanked Washington for its support for the Lebanese army, Hariri reminded that “we’re facing Daesh; we’re facing Nusra (Front) and we’re facing al-Qaida on our border.”

For his part, Kerry emphasized that the U.S. remains “committed to Lebanon’s stability and security.”

“We’re anxious to see the presidency ultimately filled and to try to see the effects of Daesh and Nusra and Syria moved away from Lebanon so that Lebanon can really have its sovereignty respected and its future protected and guaranteed,” the top U.S. diplomat added.

“We are very opposed to entities like Hizbullah and others using locations and places in Lebanon and nearby as pawns in this struggle,” he stated.

Kerry also called on Iran, Syria and other parties to “respect the integrity of Lebanon, and permit it and its people to be able to find the peace and the stability that they have longed for so long.”

“We will continue to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and the forces of moderation and those who want to work together peacefully to provide the future that the people of Lebanon deserve,” he added.

Hariri had kick-started his Washington visit by meeting congressmen of Lebanese origin.

California Congressman Darrell Issa, who is Lebanese-American, said Hariri stressed the importance of resolving the presidential stalemate, which is a “priority.”

“It constitutes a glimmer of hope,” Issa said.

MPs failed on several occasions to elect a new head of state over lack of quorum. President Michel Suleiman's term ended in May without the election of a successor.

Hizbullah and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting electoral sessions due to a disagreement with the March 14 camp over a compromise presidential candidate.

Issa pointed out that Hariri briefed the congressmen on the needs of the Lebanese security forces and the challenges that the country is facing due to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Lebanon is hosting around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, an enormous strain for a country with a population of just four million. The UNHCR has regularly urged the international community to provide Lebanon with greater assistance to tackle the influx.

Hariri is expected to meet senior U.S. officials during his visit to Washington, including U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Sources close to the Lebanese official told al-Joumhouria newspaper that Hariri's visit is to inspect the U.S. stance on the turmoil in the region and the possible repercussions on Lebanon.

Y.R./H.K.