Rubio says US 'hopeful' Lebanon-Israel talks will lead to deal
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington is "hopeful" the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations will lead to a potential deal.
"The goal everybody shares is a strong Lebanese Government that controls the country and Hezbollah is disarmed. They’re no longer an armed element that can threaten Israel’s security – that's the goal here," Rubio said at a press conference in response to a reporter's question.
"And we have tried, in a cooperative way, to do everything we can to empower the Lebanese Government to have the ability to do that. And so, I hope that’s what these talks are aimed towards, and we’ll be supportive in every way we can to achieve that outcome," he added.
"What I think is abundantly clear to everybody is no one is in favor of a Hezbollah that can once again threaten the region, act as a direct Iranian proxy. And obviously if they threaten Israel, we’re not going to have peace. So, we are hopeful that the talks between Lebanese authorities and the Israelis will create outlines and a way forward that prevents further conflict," Rubio said.
"I think -- I don’t speak for the Israeli Government -- I can only tell you and echo what they’ve said publicly, and that is that if they feel threatened by Hezbollah, they will take actions in their defense against them," the top U.S. diplomat went on to say.
"We would all hope – in order to have peace, you have to avoid that. And the best way to avoid it is to have a strong Lebanese Government that can actually control the country and that Hezbollah is no longer an armed threat to Israel or to the Lebanese state. And that’s what we’re committed to hoping to achieve and we hope – I can’t speculate on what the talks will lead to, but we’ll do we can to make them productive," Rubio added.
Asked if the U.S. administration is "considering a broader military support involving also potential Arab partners not only in providing weapons but also going to the field to disarm ... Hezbollah if the diplomatic talks ... fail," Rubio said: "I have not heard anyone sort of suggest that at the level of detail that you’ve talked about. I think regionally – for example, if you talk to the Syrian authorities – they’re very concerned about Hezbollah. I think most of the countries in the Gulf region view Hezbollah as an agent of Iranian influence and Iranian action. But as far as what you’re discussing, which is sort of a coalition of armed units going into Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, I’ve not heard that proposed by anybody."
Asked about Senator Lindsey Graham's remarks about the matter, Rubio said: "You should ask Lindsey about how he’s going to put that together, because – but we just haven’t heard it. I’m not – I don’t – I’m not saying you may not hear that one day in the future."
"But I think what is clear and I think may – perhaps what Lindsey is speaking to is that it is clear that if you talk to leaders in the region in all these countries, they all have the same goal, perhaps not – which is to ensure that Hezbollah can no longer play the role that they’ve played in the past, not just threatening Israel but being an agent – an open agent, really a proxy – of Iranian influence in the region," Rubio added.
Source: Naharnet
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