Connelly: Fully-Empowered Govt. Will Help Lebanon Face Local, Regional Challenges

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly stressed on Wednesday that the Lebanese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations.

She said: “Lebanon would be better placed to face current regional and domestic challenges with a fully-empowered government in place.”

She made her remarks after holding separate talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam marking the end of her tenure as ambassador to Lebanon.

She added after meeting Salam: “As always, the U.S. believes that government formation must be a Lebanese process and that the Lebanese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations and that strengthens Lebanon's stability, sovereignty, and independence while fulfilling its international obligations.”

After meeting Miqati, Connelly said: “As my time here in Lebanon comes to an end, I would like to underscore that the United States remains committed to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon.”

“The United States and the international community recognize that Lebanon is grappling with the effects of spillover from the Syrian crisis. The best defense against such spillover and the best means to protect Lebanon is to strengthen the institutions of the state, for all parties to respect Lebanon’s democratic process, and for Lebanon’s leaders to be responsible to the Lebanese electorate and protect the interests of all Lebanese,” she added.

“In order to achieve this goal and insulate Lebanon from the effects of the Syrian crisis, the United States supports the calls on all parties to abide by the disassociation policy and to respect their commitments to the Baabda Declaration,” she stated.

“We strongly encourage Lebanese leaders to expeditiously form a new government and to finalize their work on a new electoral law that would renew the parliament and allow Lebanon’s democratic process to get back on track,” stressed the ambassador.

“We also call on all parties to respect the institutions of the state. Hizbullah’s unilateral involvement in the Syrian conflict risks dragging Lebanon into that conflict and further undermines the Lebanese state,” she remarked.

“As I noted to caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour in our meeting earlier on Wednesday, the United States commends the European Union’s recent decision to designate Hizbullah's military wing as a terrorist organization, which sends a strong message that Hizbullah cannot operate with impunity and that there are consequences for its actions,” Connelly said.

She also reiterated U.S. support for the Lebanese armed forces and the Internal Security Forces who are working in coordination with Lebanon’s leaders to maintain security and stability in Lebanon.

The ambassador renewed the commitment of the United States to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon.

Miqati resigned in March and Salam was appointed to form a new government amid conflicting positions between the political powers that are thwarting the formation of a new cabinet.

The March 14 alliance is demanding forming an impartial cabinet, the March 8 forces is insisting on forming a political one, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat objects to a cabinet that does not represent all Lebanese factions.

Salam has demanded the formation of a cabinet of national reconciliation.