Berri Disagrees with Feltman as he Seeks to Garner Lebanese Support Against Assad

Speaker Nabih Berri and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, who was on a two-day official visit to Beirut, have reportedly disagreed on the situation in Syria as the top diplomat sought to garner Lebanese support against the Assad regime.

Sources close to Berri told An Nahar daily published Friday that the Syrian crisis was at the helm of Feltman’s discussions with Lebanese officials.

The speaker reiterated that dialogue between the regime and the opposition was Syria’s only salvation. He also criticized the U.S. administration, saying its “stances and meddling” had led to the collapse of the Arab League initiative that was meant to solve the situation in the neighboring country.

The sources said the meeting between Berri and Feltman showed the deep differences between the two men on the situation in Syria.

The senior diplomat wrapped up his 2-day visit to Lebanon Thursday after holding talks with high-ranking Lebanese officials on “the political and security situation in Lebanon, developments in Syria, and other regional issues,” the U.S. embassy said.

After meeting with Premier Najib Miqati on Wednesday, Feltman held talks on Thursday with Berri, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji, Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, ex-Defense Minister Elias Murr, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and the former head of the church, Nasrallah Sfeir.

The embassy statement said that Feltman “reaffirmed to the patriarch (al-Rahi) the United States' firm view that Syrian President Bashar Assad has lost his legitimacy to lead and the best way to end the brutality is for Assad to step down.”

According to al-Liwaa daily, a Christian party official arranged the meeting between the diplomat and al-Rahi.

Feltman also met with March 14 leaders over dinner on Thursday. The meeting at ex-Premier Saad Hariri’s residence in Center House in downtown Beirut lasted three hours, An Nahar said.

The sources of the conferees told the newspaper that discussions focused on the regional situation and its repercussions on Lebanon. They did not give further details.

But al-Liwaa said that Feltman asked all Lebanese officials that he met with to support the efforts exerted to bring the Assad regime down. He reportedly stressed that such a move would fall in the interest of Lebanon’s stability.

As Safir daily reported the diplomat was clear in his meetings with the March 14 officials and al-Rahi that the Obama administration does not mind to see Islamists at the helm of power in Syria as long as they come through democratic means.

The embassy statement said the official “underscored the U.S. administration’s support for strengthening Lebanon and Lebanon’s institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces, recognizing its importance in serving as Lebanon’s sole legitimate defense force, securing Lebanon’s borders and defending the sovereignty and independence of the state.”

“He noted the importance of Lebanon’s continued cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and of Lebanon upholding its international obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701,” it added.