US warns of elections postponement in Lebanon

Lebanon would send out a negative signal to the international community, that it is embroiled in the Syrian crisis if elections are not held, US Ambassador Maura Connelly said on Wednesday. “If elections are not held I think it would send a negative signal beyond Lebanon’s borders. For one thing it could have an effect on investment in Lebanon,” Connelly told Future Television. “The other signal it might send rightly or wrongly is that Lebanon is somehow caught up in events in Syria. Even if that’s not true, one has to be careful it’s not the signal that’s being sent.” The envoy also stressed the importance of Lebanon remaining “as separate as possible” from the ongoing conflict in Syria and said her country’s efforts sought to help Beirut maintain its policy of dissociation. “I would hope that any decision not to hold elections wouldn’t somehow be interpreted internationally as Lebanon having become too involved in the Syrian conflict,” Connelly said. Given the lack of consensus over electoral law, there has been speculation that the government would either postpone the June polls or extend Parliament’s term for a indefinite period. She also said that Lebanese politicians want elections to be held under new electoral law. “If we’re concerned about stability in the country, it’s important to allow the people to have their say and I think Lebanese politicians understand that,” Connelly said. As for Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria, particularly its military support to Lebanese Shiite fighting rebel forces, Connelly said this “was a source of concern on a number of levels” and a violation of the country’s policy of neutrality. “I think within the Lebanese context, it creates a number of problems one of them is the fact that it’s a violation of the disassociation policy, it’s a violation of the Baabda Declaration both of which Hezbollah has nominally signed up to,” she said. She also questioned the degree to which the party’s involvement in Syria is acceptable among its own constituencies, saying “I think their involvement there is quite problematic.” Asked how U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 could resolve such an issue, Connelly said Lebanon would have to refer to the council formally. “I think that’s a question that requires further discussion internally among Lebanon’s leaders. The way to spark that discussion internationally would be for Lebanon to take it formally to the Security Council for further discussion,” she said. “I don’t think we’re there yet. I think that idea is under development.” Several politicians in the March 14 coalition have asked the U.N. to deploy peacekeepers along the porous Lebanon-Syria border under the 1701 mandate. Such a decision, however, would require Security Council approval and an amendment to the resolution Connelly also spoke about U.S. ties with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government, saying their work was limited due to Hezbollah’s involvement in the formation of that government. “We had a difficulty with the Mikati Cabinet ... because of Hezbollah’s role in forming it and that made us reassess the relationship. [Our] ability to work with Mikati Cabinet was limited in some respects,” she said. She also hoped that a new Cabinet “would have a configuration that allows us to work more closely with it.” As for extending the term of brigade Ashraf Rifi, Connelly said that they have worked closely with him and found him an excellent partner to work with, but she stressed at the same time that her country did not interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs “We have a mission here and we need to pursue U.S. interests and we need to work to solidify the bilateral relationship and we do those things energetically and avidly but we’re also very clear that we don’t interfere in the Lebanese process,” she added. Connelly announced that her country has provided nearly $ 50 million to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon, referring to the attempt to reach a solution and a speedy settlement in Syria through dialogue.