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| Arab World Worries About Escalation of Lebanese Conflict |
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The Arab world is worrying about possible escalation of the on-going political crisis in Lebanon as the international mediation between the country's opposition and pro-government factions has seemed to be in little progress. Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa, who just returned to Cairo from Beirut on Saturday after wrapping up the second phase of his mediation, urged Sunday all Lebanese factions to stop escalating the domestic tension to avoid a further complication of matters in the country. Lebanese sectarian tension began to escalate last month when six pro-Syrian ministers resigned after their talks with Prime Minister Fouad Seniora and the anti-Syrian majority in the parliament on the formation of a new national unity government collapsed. The opposition, led by Shiite movement Hezbollah, have been holding an open-ended sit-in since Dec. 1 outside the government headquarters in downtown Beirut in a bid to topple the Fouad Seniora government, saying that the Seniora government had lost its legitimacy since Shiite Muslims are no longer represented. However, the anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority has accused the opposition of doing Damascus and Tehran's bidding and seeking to undermine the formation of an international tribunal on the case of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing. Vowing to continue the Arab efforts in solving the Lebanese problem, Moussa called on all parties to stop escalating the domestic tension in Lebanon in light of each party digging their feet in, expressing hope that there would not be any further escalation of the political crisis there. "The Arab League is not working for a particular party in Lebanon, but it works for all Lebanese. It does not believe in sectarianism or factionalism, but its interest is Lebanon's interest and all brethren there," Moussa told reporters. Hany Khallaf, Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs told Xinhua on Sunday that the situation in Lebanon needs internal coherence. "First of all, everyone should consider the Lebanese security and stability because any personal or partisan consideration will lead to catastrophe," he said. Khallaf stressed that all the Lebanese powers should lead the country's citizen to unity and allow them to have calm situations based on dialogue and to be away from any stance that can lead to an internal conflict. Echoing Khallaf's call for unity in Lebanon, AL Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmed bin Hilli told Xinhua that the situation in Lebanon is very serious and needs the Lebanese citizen to be united to get out of the current political deadlock. "If the current situation gets out of control, it will serve the enemies of Lebanon, not the Lebanese citizens. It also will lead to foreign interventions in the Lebanese affairs, Lebanon will see a regional conflict and may be an international one," he added. Earlier on Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheitalso called on Lebanese political powers to reach agreement on outstanding issues to defuse likely escalation of tension in the country. During a meeting with visiting Lebanese top Sunni Muslim cleric Mufti Sheikh Mohamed Rashid Qabbani, Abul Gheit made it clear that it is necessary for Lebanese political powers to show flexibility to achieve a success for the Arab League mediating efforts and end the current crisis. He pointed out that suggestions to form a new government are logical compromises, calling on all the parties to cooperate to make it work. For his part, Qabbani urged an end to foreign pressure on his country, saying "Lebanon and its people should be left alone, free of any foreign pressure." (Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2006) |
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