Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Connelly to Geagea: US to look into Cabinet line-up before settling on bilateral ties.

NNA - 8/2/2011 - A statement by the US Embassy in Beirut on Tuesday stated that the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Maura Connelly, held a one-on-one meeting today with the chief of Lebanese Forces executive committee, Samir Geagea, and tackled with him the latest political developments in Lebanon.

Connelly reiterated to Geagea that the USA believes that the formation of the new Cabinet in Lebanon is a sheer domestic process which ought to remain in the shadow of any foreign interference.

She stressed that the US is to look into the Cabinet's new line-up and ministerial statement and performance before taking any decision with respect to the bilateral ties.

The international community was crystal clear in expressing its expectation that the upcoming government should raise to the level of its international commitments, namely the full implementation if the related UNSC resolutions and the abiding by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Any Cabinet which allegedly enjoys a true representative capacity shall realize that it is impossible to relinquish the tribunal's efforts aimed at ending the impunity era in Lebanon."