Egyptian FM Meets Senior Officials: Lebanese Must End Own Crisis Themselves

Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for a two-day visit to meet with senior Lebanese officials and stress his country's support to the resumption of the national dialogue among the political foes.

He kicked off his visit by meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab and later Speaker Nabih Berri and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel.

He said after meeting Berri: “Egypt stands by the Lebanese people and their choices.”

“Egypt is prepared to present anything that it sees will benefit the people,” he added.

Asked if he brings with him an initiative to end Lebanon's political crisis, Amr replied: “I do not have an initiative, but I am here to express Egyptian interest in Lebanon. The solution to the crisis must come from the Lebanese people themselves.”

All sides must be in agreement over the solution and “we are ready to meet any request,” he stressed.

“History has demonstrated the Lebanese people are capable of overcoming any obstacle,” added the foreign minister.

Earlier on Tuesday, Amr had held a meeting with Geagea, which he described as “fruitful.”

He pointed out that the “formation of a new government in Lebanon is up to the Lebanese people.”

Amr urged authorities to carry out a “serious investigation” to reveal those behind the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan on October 19.

The assassination of Hasan mirrored the deep political rift in the country as the opposition insists on the resignation of the cabinet as a main condition to continue any political activity with its foes, while the March 8 coalition rejects the formation of a new government on allegations that there's no alternative.

“They should be brought to justice,” Amr said.

For his part, Geagea told reporters that the two officials didn't tackle the formation of a new cabinet as “it is a local affair.”

He reiterated calls for the formation of a new government.

“We will accept the results of the constitutional procedure, although the current cabinet doesn't have the least amount of political support,” Geagea said.

He noted that if others fear any political vacuum in the country, “then they should facilitate the efforts exerted by President Michel Suleiman to form a new government.”

Upon his arrival in Lebanon, Amr telephoned Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to discuss the latest developments, announced the PSP in a statement later on Tuesday.

It said that the MP reiterated to the minister his rejection of a political vacuum in Lebanon, demanding the formation of a national unity government.

Suleiman has been carrying out consultations with rival political parties over the resumption of the national dialogue, however, his efforts have reached a standstill as several parties at the opposition decided to boycott any official activity and discussions with the March 8 forces until the cabinet resigns.

Egypt's Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Hamdi said in comments published earlier in An Nahar newspaper “the visit aims at voicing Egypt's support to the efforts exerted to resume the all-party talks between the Lebanese, exchanging opinions regarding the developments in Syria and tackling the Palestinian developments.”

Lebanon has presided over the Arab League Ministerial Council for a six-month period starting September 5.

Diplomatic sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Egypt fears the turmoil in Syria might spill over into Lebanon.

The bloodshed in the neighboring country, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, has so far killed more than 36,000 people since mid-March 2011.

The sources said that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi sought to delegate the FM to Lebanon to discuss the recent developments in the region and the conditions of the Egyptian community in the country amid the recent local developments.