By NNN-KUNA,
Washington : US and Lebanese officials and experts gathered in Washington on Friday to discuss the future of US policy towards Lebanon and how could the next Lebanese parliamentary elections change the dynamic in the Middle East.
Stability and democracy are important for Lebanon and Lebanese democracy has to deliver for its people”, said Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a close advisor of President-elect Barack Obama.”
“Iraq gave a bad name for democracy, we must restore that by showing that democracy can deliver and it is an important issue”, she added at a conference by the Aspen Institute and the Lebanese Renaissance Foundation.
The conference, titled “Lebanon: the swing state of a new Levant”, focused on the policy of the next US administration towards Lebanon, the impact of the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections, militant Islam in Lebanon.
“The extraordinary determination of the Lebanese people in their quest for sovereignty and ending the Syrian hegemony was strongly matched by unanimous support from the international community”, said Lebanese Minister of State Nassib Lahoud.
“The United States and the international community are strongly expected not to allow Lebanon sovereignty to be put in jeopardy at the Syrian Israeli negotiations”, he added.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said that “the weakness of the Lebanese state made other groups to have alternative services,” and noted that many reform decisions cannot be taken by the current Lebanese government because of the political circumstances.
Director of Saban Center for Middle East Policy Martin Indyk said that “it is a problem for US public diplomacy” if Hezbollah wins the next Lebanese parliamentary elections and had control of the government, since the US administrations advocates democratic elections.
Among the speakers for today conference are Congressman Nick Rahal, Congressmen Charles Boustany, Lebanese MP Antoine Zahra, Lebanese MP Nayla Mouawad, Lebanesse MP Ghassan Mukhaiber, Lebanese MP Ghenwa Jalloul.