Report: US Says Aoun's Pro-Hizbullah Stances Could Push Out UNIFIL

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Ambassadors of six countries, the United States and the European Union sounded the alarm over President Michel Aoun's latest statements about Hizbullah's arms, amid threats that the UNIFIL could withdraw its peacekeeping mission from south Lebanon, MTV reported on Friday.

A covert meeting was held on February 15 at the United Nations headquarters in Yarze. It included ambassadors of the International Support Group for Lebanon, the US, France, Britain, Germany, Italy and China in addition to the EU ambassador and Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Lebanon and Arab League Representative, MTV said.

According to information obtained by MTV, the meeting addressed three main issues: The upcoming parliamentary elections and the new electoral law, the security situation in Lebanon including backing the Lebanese Army, the International Brussels Conference on the Syrian crisis and the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

On the elections, the conferees emphasized the need to conduct democratic and transparent parliamentary polls. However, they refrained from making a statement in that regard, avoiding interference in Lebanon's affairs, but agreed to have talks with the government to urge staging timely polls, added MTV.

As for supporting the Lebanese army and ensuring a sound security situation, the ambassadors stressed the need to abide by UN resolution 1701 that comprised limiting the presence of arms to the army and providing it with the aid needed in accordance with the resolution.

Talks highlighted the latest statement of Aoun during an official visit to Egypt, which they said does not abide by resolution 1701, but merely reflects visions of a single Lebanese party.

They agreed to have talks with Lebanese defense minister and other officials prompting the need to respect the resolution, since a failed approach affects international assistance for the army mainly from Saudi Arabia and the US.

The Chinese ambassador has pointed out to lack of harmony between the President's stance and the Prime Minister's, said MTV.

The Italian ambassador has however stated that Aoun's rhetoric does not benefit the Lebanese cause.

The US ambassador has however, revealed a tendency to pull the UNIFIL forces from southern Lebanon if the country does not abide by international conventions.

For his part, owing to Aoun's stance, the French ambassador said it is unlikely for a conference to provide Lebanon with the material and moral support in Paris to be held in the next few months, it concluded.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 26
Thumb i.report 03 March 2017, 14:13

Mr Aoun is a total screw up when it comes to diplomacy. he's absolutely clumsy and will harm not only Lebanon's interests, but also our very own safety. This is another proof that he is not qualified for the job if anyone still had doubts. Our government isn't any better.

Thumb gebran_sons 03 March 2017, 16:05

Agree! Biggest lie is that Aoun is helping Christians and Hizbollah the Shias. Truth is both are causing disastrous irreparable harm to their communities. Christians, Shia and all communities will only benefit and prosper if the country evolves towards real democracy, full independence, regional neutrality, long-term peace and stability, transparent institutions and economic growth. Aoun and Hizbollah are a poison to all these objectives. The damage they are causing is as serious as cutting the spinal cord of the country. Aoun is building a house of card to help Christians that can tumble in one night at Hizb whim, instead of building a country on solid democratic foundation, transparent institutions, and disarming all militias, especially those funded by Iran and Assad. As to Shia, their freedom and openness was once aspiration of the Iranian revolution, now they are being molded by Hizb into the oppressive, indoctrinated, and extremist views of Iranian Junta, emulating North Korea.

Thumb chrisrushlau 03 March 2017, 17:12

In short, get rid of Article 24's set-aside of half of Parliament to Christians!

Thumb Hayek.Feghali.Abdelatif 03 March 2017, 21:37

Hassan Hamdan (Mahdi Amel) - detered Zionist slave
Souheil Tawileh - deterred Zionist slave
Michel Wakid - detered Zionist slaveH
ussein Mrouweh - detered Zionist slave

Thumb Hayek.Feghali.Abdelatif 03 March 2017, 21:37

Hussein Mrouweh

Thumb Hayek.Feghali.Abdelatif 03 March 2017, 21:41

Who are Zionist slaves, Ziad Rahbani explains

https://youtu.be/x98gPBansC0?t=444

(at 7:24)

Thumb _mowaten_ 04 March 2017, 01:12

Nobody has killed more UNIFIL members than israel, and they whine about Aoun being pro hezbollah? Of course he is going to be pro-hezbollah, because he is pro-Lebanon.

Thumb _mowaten_ 04 March 2017, 01:12

and who cares if they want to withdraw the UNIFAL? allah ma3on

Thumb _mowaten_ 04 March 2017, 01:40

pop an artery yet? lol hysterical hag

Missing CFTC 04 March 2017, 11:36

Strikingly Original
Bold, and Hilarious
Always going where no one else dares

@_mowaten_
What can one say, another E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T comment. I particularly enjoyed the part where you said " pop an artery yet? "

Thank you for making this forum lovely, lively and vibrant.
Still laughing since January 2015 when you said the $3 billion Saudi grant was only to teach our soldiers the French language.

Thank you
Yours Sincerely
@CFTC

Thumb Mystic 03 March 2017, 14:26

Now we have a President that can't be bought, a President with honor and love for his country unlike the last one we had.

Thumb Mystic 03 March 2017, 16:00

It is easy to read that the ones against Resistance and the President are all Israelis or Salafis.

Missing peace 03 March 2017, 16:52

waw! so half lebanon is either salafi or israeli... pityful miss tic

but you of course are lebanese as you pledged allegiance to the islamic revolution of iran ma hek? LOL

Thumb gebran_sons 03 March 2017, 16:16

Now we have a president who restores honor North-Korea style while moving the country towards economic ruins, isolation, ridicule, and subservient regime to the force of foreign arms. He is a marionette in the hand of his Handlers. True courage is those Shia and others who dares to stand up to the Hizb and its regional agenda. Hizb is simply Iranian Junta's occupation army in Lebanon. It has destroyed Lebanon in 2006 to serve Iranian interests and will do so again without hesitation when it is ordered by Iran's Junta responsible for making Iran, a nation with a glorious civilization and huge natural resources, a failing state in every respect except arms and threats (like North Korea).

Thumb _mowaten_ 04 March 2017, 10:28

all that? walla very dramatic

Thumb galaxy 04 March 2017, 12:00

an atheist who says 'walla'!

Thumb Hayek.Feghali.Abdelatif 03 March 2017, 17:20

Bought

Aoun: there was no justification for Hizballah's remaining armed in the wake of the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, since both the Israeli threat and Sheb'a farms issue were nothing more than pretexts used by Hizballah. He added that he was seeking to gradually deflate Hizballah's "sacred" image among the Lebanese and Arab public as the victorious resistance to Israel, and show that there was no continued justification for militias independent of the central government.
wikileaks - cables 05PARIS2162_a

Thumb Hayek.Feghali.Abdelatif 03 March 2017, 17:29

Bought

Aoun noted that while considering his return to Lebanon he had met in Paris with the envoys of Lebanese President Lahoud, including Lahoud's son and long-time political operative Pakradouni. He claimed that he had come to an agreement with Lahoud's envoys to drop the legal charges pending against Aoun that were leveled by the pro-Syrian government at the time of Aoun's "war of liberation" against the Syrians. Aoun said charges of misappropriation of state funds had been dropped in a legal proceeding May 4

wikileaks - cables 05PARIS3053_a (May 4 2005)

Thumb Southern...... 03 March 2017, 14:40

"...but merely reflects visions of a single Lebanese party.":

no, Aoun stance reflects the majority of the Lebanese society one, they don't want to be under either ISIS or Israel domination...

Thumb Southern...... 03 March 2017, 15:49

large part of the Lebanese regardless of their sectarian affiliation do support the existence of the resistance, Lebanon now is the most secure country, comparing to the all of the region, the so-called Israel and Nusra's terrorists are the enemy, the resistance is keeping them out.

Thumb janoubi 03 March 2017, 15:02

"Aoun stance reflects the majority of the Lebanese society one"

lol

Thumb Puppet 03 March 2017, 15:04

I respect general aoun who is now president for his pro- hezbollah stances; I just do.

Default-user-icon patriot (Guest) 03 March 2017, 16:15

The US ambassador has however, revealed a tendency to pull the UNIFIL forces from southern Lebanon if the country does not abide by international conventions.

Default-user-icon VOR (Guest) 03 March 2017, 18:33

I don't believe that UNIFIL will be withdrawn as that would open the door to a direct confrontation with Israel, something that no one wants at this time.

Thumb shab 03 March 2017, 19:53

lol

Thumb _mowaten_ 04 March 2017, 11:04

you can't possibly be serious yalla00