Feltman Meets Berri, Geagea, Stresses U.S. Support for Democratic Governments in Region
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman held talks on Wednesday with Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Maronite Archbishop of Beirut Boulos Matar and a number of officials, a day after arriving in Beirut on a two-day visit.
He expressed during his talks “the United States’ steadfast support for pluralistic and democratic governments in the region that protect the rights of all citizens, including ethnic and religious minorities,” announced the U.S. Embassy in a statement.
He renewed the United States’ commitment to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon.
Following talks with Feltman, Geagea said discussions tackled “the situation in the region, especially the events and developments in Syria, without discussing a specific date for the end of the crisis.”
Feltman first met with Matar and left after the one-hour meeting that was attended by U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly without making any statement.
He later headed along with Connelly to Ain el-Tineh to meet with Berri.
Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) said the U.S. official will hold talks with President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Thursday.
Feltman and Connelly also headed to Baaqlin where they conveyed their condolences for the passing of the head of the Druze spiritual authority Sheikh Abu Mohammed Jawad Walieddine.
He also visited Monsignor Mansour Labaki and toured the Kfar Sama Orphanage.
Earlier on Wednesday, March 14 opposition lawmaker Butros Harb told VDL: “It is in our interest in Lebanon to be informed about the American viewpoint on the events in the region.”
“We don’t live on an island and we should interact with others,” he added.
But he stressed that there was no agenda for the talks between the two sides.
An Nahar daily said Tuesday that the U.S. diplomat will meet with several March 14 officials over dinner at Harb’s residence.
Feltman met with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat in Clemenceau on Tuesday night.
Sources close to Jumblat told the Central News Agency that the MP’s talks with Feltman tackled the local and regional political situation.
They both stressed the importance of stability in Lebanon given the critical regional situation.
Jumblat also addressed the Syrian crisis and the importance of maintaining the unity of its people, revealed the sources.
They denied that the two officials had discussed the arms smuggling ship that was heading to Syria that was intercepted by the Lebanese navy last week.
02 May 2012, 11:59
13
oua nabka oua ca nabka Mr feltman despite all and everyone
god bless democracy everywhere even in the gulf countries
02 May 2012, 21:17
32
The fact that the US government speaks for Israel and vice versa leaves US federal officials in an impossible position. Whether or not Mr. Feltman is Jewish, he is serving as the agent of the Jewish state (whatever that term, "Jewish and democratic state", means:--it's like asking, "What exactly does the Taif/National Accord have to do with democracy?").
02 May 2012, 23:37
00
america is changing its politics in the region...since 30 years america worked on the regimes to create stability,now it is working on democracy to create stability... i am doubting that the geographical chapter is opening:sudan divided geographically...iraq too:kurds,sunni,shia...lebanon syria???why the geographical border was never demarcated?????????//exciting!!!!!!
03 May 2012, 11:49
10
the problem of the shia following hizbushaitan is that they act like sheep.
worse, they now have other sheep who follow hizbushaitan: fpmers :)
whatever hizbushaitan says, they follow blindly and stupidly, even when they are taken to the slaughter.
fpm followers are the worst thing happening to us christians in this region, and they will be the cause of our destruction if they are allowed to gain momentum.
all they think about is gaining power given to them by hizbushaitan, but they still do not realize that hizbushaitan will eat them alive once they do not need them.
