Turkey Says Escalation Harms Lebanese, Regional Stability
Turkey on Wednesday urged Lebanese factions for restraint in the country's political turmoil, warning of broader implications on regional stability.
"We call on all parties to refrain from violence and to act with common sense and within democratic legitimacy," a foreign ministry statement said, a day after protests against the appointment of a Hizbullah-backed premier turned violent.
"The escalation of tensions and the deepening of polarization would harm the people of Lebanon and might lead to instability and divisive movements in the whole region," it said.
Hizbullah-backed billionaire Najib Miqati was named Lebanon's prime minister-designate Tuesday in a move that increased the Shiite armed group's clout in the deeply divided nation and sparked violent street demonstrations.
Hizbullah and its allies brought down the government of Saudi- and Western-backed Saad Hariri on January 12 after a long-running standoff over a U.N.-backed probe into the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri, Saad's father.
Last week, Turkey and Qatar attempted to mediate in the crisis but failed to clinch a breakthrough after two days of intensive talks with rival parties.
Source: Agence France Presse
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