Feltman in Sudden Visit to Lebanon: STL Should Be Allowed to Complete Its Work without Interference

Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, on Sunday arrived in Lebanon on a sudden visit.

Feltman held talks with President Michel Suleiman in Amshit, the president's hometown.

Feltman said he delivered "a message from (U.S.) President Barack Obama that reaffirmed the steadfast support of the United States to the development of a sovereign, independent Lebanon, with strong and effective state institutions."

He was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly.

For his part, Suleiman asked Feltman to pass on his gratitude to Obama for the U.S. support, stressing the importance of preserving stability and national unity in Lebanon in addition to "foiling any attempt at planting the seeds of discord."

The state-run National News Agency reported that Feltman also held talks with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat. However, Jumblat declined in a phone interview with Al-Manar television to confirm or deny the news.

During his brief visit, Feltman also telephoned Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

A statement issued by the Phalange Party said Feltman stressed to Gemayel Washington's support for Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom and constitutional institutions.

"A strong, sovereign, and stable Lebanon is in the vital interests of the Lebanese people, the region, the United States and the international community, and we are concerned by any act that would undermine this sovereignty and stability," Feltman told reporters at the Beirut airport before leaving Lebanon.

"President Obama firmly supports the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, as does the rest of the international community," he added.

Feltman described the tribunal as "a non-political, independent organization that was formed by an agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Lebanon in order to end the era of impunity for political assassinations in Lebanon."

"We believe that the Tribunal should be allowed to complete its work on its own timeline and without outside interference until those responsible for the assassinations of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others are brought to justice," he stressed.

"I think all of us who represent (U.N.) Security Council countries also understand that the work of the tribunal at this point will not be stopped," added Feltman.

"The work of the tribunal will go on."

"We don't know when the indictment is going to happen, we should leave the question in the hands of the independent judicial authorities," Feltman answered to a question.

He noted that Washington was working "on lowering tensions in Lebanon."

Asked about Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent visit to Lebanon, Feltman said: "This is a bilateral issue between Lebanon and Iran. I leave it to the Lebanese to interpret what this visit means."

Feltman's statement comes amid growing tension in Lebanon over reports that The Hague-based tribunal is set to indict members of Hizbullah in the assassination of Hariri.

The reports have raised regional fears of renewed Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence and the collapse of the politically turbulent country's hard-won national unity government.

Feltman's brief visit also coincided with talks between Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Riyadh, a meeting analysts say was to center on the running dispute between Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hizbullah over the tribunal.(Naharnet-AFP)