Military Team to Visit U.S. after Confidence Vote to Stress Commitment to U.N. Resolutions

Well-informed military sources have ruled out the possibility that the U.S. might decide to halt military assistance to the Lebanese army following the letter sent by the Congress to President Barack Obama’s administration in this regard in response to the formation of the new Lebanese cabinet, the Central News Agency reported Friday.

“A high-ranking Lebanese military delegation will visit Washington after the government gains (parliament’s) confidence … to provide the necessary clarifications and stress Lebanon’s commitment to the applicable international principles, resolutions and laws,” the agency noted.

Citing unconfirmed reports, CNA said a U.S. official might visit Lebanon after the cabinet gains confidence in conjunction with a visit to the region by Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

The U.S. official’s visit is aimed at assessing the latest developments in Lebanon in the wake of the formation of the new government, according to the unconfirmed reports.

Several media reports have suggested that the U.S. administration might issue a statement similar to that issued by several EU ambassadors after they visited Premier Najib Miqati – which stressed the need that the government commit to U.N. resolutions and mention the Special Tribunal for Lebanon clearly in its Policy Statement.

But well-informed diplomatic sources told CNA that the U.S. stance in this regard has been clear since day one and that it depends on the make-up, Policy Statement and behavior of the new government.