Feltman: Instability is Hizbullah's Choice

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman affirmed that he did not visit Damascus during his recent trip that took him to Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and France.

He said the reason he did not visit Damascus was because he was on a specific mission in which he, along with the new U.S. Ambassador Maura Connell, was scheduled to convey a message to President Michel Suleiman from Obama.

On the possible indictment against Hizbullah members or Syria, Feltman said in remarks published Friday by pan-Arab al-Hayat there is "no alternative" to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"One cannot choose between instability and justice," Feltman stressed, adding that Washington was maintaining ongoing contacts with Lebanese officials and friends of Lebanon abroad to defuse tensions.

He believed that instability was Hizbullah's choice.

"The absence of justice leads to instability. The choice between instability and the Court is not a right choice. It is Hizbullah's and others' choice. They are trying to impose it on the Lebanese," Feltman said.