Clinton visits Beirut ahead of elections

Mitchell Prothero, Foreign Correspondent

• Last Updated: April 27. 2009 12:57AM UAE / April 26. 2009 8:57PM GMT

Hillary Clinton signs a condolence book at the grave of the slain former prime minister of lebanon, Rafik Hariri. Ahmad Omar / AP

BEIRUT // Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, surprised Beirut yesterday with an unexpected three-hour visit that US diplomats billed as an effort to reassure the country of support despite the Obama administration’s recent overtures towards Syria and Iran.

Many Lebanese have been concerned that US support for Lebanon could fade in favour of a broader Middle East peace deal. The United States has backed the current governing coalition, commonly known as “March 14”, against a Hizbollah-led opposition that is competing for control of the parliament in elections scheduled for early June.

Mrs Clinton avoided direct endorsements of either side in her visit, preferring to express broad support for the democratic process.

“We believe strongly that the people of Lebanon must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections, without the spectre of violence or intimidation and certainly free of outside interference,” she said.

“We will continue to support the voices of moderation in Lebanon and the responsible institutions of the Lebanese state they are working hard to build.”

Although Lebanon lacks reliable political polling data, an opposition victory appears quite possible, putting the US in the position of potentially having to accept Hizbollah as a leading party in government.

The United Stats considers Hizbollah a terrorist organisation.

Mrs Clinton firmly rejected any argument that the United States would abandon its allies in Lebanon, saying that the best way to promote stability is free and fair elections.

“There is nothing that we would do in any way that would undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty,” Mrs Clinton told reporters after her talks with the president, Michel Suleiman, at the presidential compound outside Beirut. “The United States will never make any deal with Syria that sells out Lebanon and the Lebanese people.

“You [Lebanese] have been through too much and it is only right that you are given a chance to make your own decisions.”

The Obama administration has avoided the sharp rhetoric often employed by its predecessors towards Hizbollah and its key sponsors, Syria and Iran, but has not indicated if a Hizbollah-led victory would change US support for Lebanon.

Over the past few years, the US has allocated almost US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) in aid for Lebanon, including more than $400 million to help modernise the armed forces. Strengthening the army appears to be a key goal of Hizbollah’s domestic and foreign critics, who argue that only the government can legitimately conduct armed operations.

Hizbollah’s military wing has hundreds, if not thousands, of highly trained fighters as well as a huge arsenal of rockets and anti-tank missiles and has shown little inclination to disarm, citing the inability of the army to protect Lebanon from Israeli aggression.

For its part, the Shiite militant group dismissed Mrs Clinton’s visit as another attempt to project power in the region.

“The policy of the United States is one of interference,” the group’s spokesman, Ibrahim al Mousawi, told Hizbollah’s al Manar TV.

“This interference is not in the interest of the countries they interfere in but to serve the American interests in the region.”

A diplomat travelling with Mrs Clinton said the US reaction to a potential opposition win would depend on the post-election political climate in Beirut. “If Hizbollah wins, we will have to look at the composition of the government, and particularly at the programme, to evaluate … what we are going to do in Lebanon,” a senior state department official told Agence France-Presse.

The visit, essentially limited to a meeting with Mr Suleiman, who is widely perceived as neutral in the contest, received some kudos from the Lebanese public for its tenor compared with the Bush administration.

“I see it as a good sign from the Obama administration,” said Hiba Bader, a 32-year old Shiite from Beirut. “At least they are showing support and making our army and security stronger. The good thing is that Clinton is speaking in a better tone than Condoleezza Rice. Today we only heard positive things; there was no agitation or disrespect towards other parties.”

But one supporter of Hizbollah pointed to Mrs Clinton’s trip to the grave of the assassinated prime minister Rafik Hariri and her brief meeting with Saad Hariri, a top leader of the March 14 movement and the son of the former leader, as evidence that the visit is designed to bolster their allies.

“It’s obvious why she is here: Backing their allies with the March 14th movement,” said Fouad Bazzi, 35.

“They think they are smart, giving the army guns, and training, thinking this will dismantle the resistance, but no, my friend, they are wrong. The resistance will remain and Hizbollah will always defend us as long as the Israelis are next door and our land is occupied.”



mprothero@thenational.ae