U.S. Congress Delegation Insists on Timely Elections
'Strong Syrian Influence has led to Many Problems'
BEIRUT: A U.S. Congress delegation arrived in Lebanon Wednesday and met with Lebanese politicians, stressing the need for the Lebanese parliamentary elections to take place on time. The delegation, which consisted of five congressional representatives headed by David Dreier - the chairman of Committee on Rules and Committee on Homeland Security - held meetings with opposition MPs as well as governmental officials.
Following a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri, Dreier said: "We encourage the presence of international monitors to supervise the parliamentary elections that should take place within their constitutional limits."
"We also hope that the Lebanese people will have a chance, like they had in the past, to hold fair elections that are free from all external pressure," added Dreier .
Sources close to Berri said the speaker accused the U.S. administration of interfering in Lebanese domestic affairs and asked the congressional delegation to "pressure the U.S. administration until it changes its policy in Lebanon."
The delegation then met with Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud, where they discussed a number of issues, including the Syrian withdrawal, U.S.-Lebanese bilateral relations, the parliamentary elections and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559.
Following the meeting with Hammoud, Dreier said: "We held constructive and encouraging discussions with the foreign minister, and we saw he strongly believes the elections will take place in their constitutional time-frame, and that the new government will be formed within the next few days."
He added that the delegation discussed the implementation of Resolution 1559, and said the aim of this resolution was to guarantee that free and fair elections take place this spring.
He also said: "Through our meetings with many Lebanese politicians, and through our observation, we found that there is a strong Syrian influence in Lebanon which has led to many problems."
Dreier added that his meeting with Lebanese activists in Martyrs' Square during the morning showed that the Lebanese people were keen to attain their freedom.
He said: "Their message was clear, they demanded the freedom of expression, and this is an essential thing to be attained following the Syrian hegemony over Lebanon."
The delegation also expressed concern over the security situation in Lebanon.
"There have been many victims in Lebanon so far, and we are worried just like the Lebanese people are worried."
The delegation had also held a closed meeting with number of opposition MPs at the house of Metn MP Nassib Lahoud. The meeting witnessed the presence of Chouf MP Marwan Hamade, Zghorta MP Nayla Mouawad, Beirut MP Mohammed Qabbani, Tripoli MP Mosbah Ahdab and Batroun MP Butros Harb.
No statements were made following the meeting, but according to Antoine Haddad,the Democratic Renewal Movement's press officer, the delegation discussed the opposition's demands, including an international investigation into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, the resignation of heads of security services and the main demand which is the establishment of a neutral government the oversees the elections.
Upon their arrival, the delegation drove to Martyrs' Square in Downtown Beirut where members paid tribute to late Hariri at his grave and signed a petition calling for an international investigation to reveal and punish the assassins.
The delegation then left Beirut in the evening to continue its tour around other Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
