The Arab world is worrying about possible escalation of the
on-going political crisis in Lebanon as the international mediation
between the country's opposition and pro-government factions has
seemed to be in little progress.
Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa, who just returned
to Cairo from Beirut on Saturday after wrapping up the second phase
of his mediation, urged Sunday all Lebanese factions to stop
escalating the domestic tension to avoid a further complication of
matters in the country.
Lebanese sectarian tension began to escalate last month when six
pro-Syrian ministers resigned after their talks with Prime Minister
Fouad Seniora and the anti-Syrian majority in the parliament on the
formation of a new national unity government collapsed.
The opposition, led by Shiite movement Hezbollah, have been
holding an open-ended sit-in since Dec. 1 outside the government
headquarters in downtown Beirut in a bid to topple the Fouad
Seniora government, saying that the Seniora government had lost its
legitimacy since Shiite Muslims are no longer represented.
However, the anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority has
accused the opposition of doing Damascus and Tehran's bidding and
seeking to undermine the formation of an international tribunal on
the case of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing.
Vowing to continue the Arab efforts in solving the Lebanese
problem, Moussa called on all parties to stop escalating the
domestic tension in Lebanon in light of each party digging their
feet in, expressing hope that there would not be any further
escalation of the political crisis there.
"The Arab League is not working for a particular party in
Lebanon, but it works for all Lebanese. It does not believe in
sectarianism or factionalism, but its interest is Lebanon's
interest and all brethren there," Moussa told reporters.
Hany Khallaf, Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab
Affairs told Xinhua on Sunday that the situation in Lebanon needs
internal coherence.
"First of all, everyone should consider the Lebanese security
and stability because any personal or partisan consideration will
lead to catastrophe," he said.
Khallaf stressed that all the Lebanese powers should lead the
country's citizen to unity and allow them to have calm situations
based on dialogue and to be away from any stance that can lead to
an internal conflict.
Echoing Khallaf's call for unity in Lebanon, AL Assistant
Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmed bin Hilli told Xinhua
that the situation in Lebanon is very serious and needs the
Lebanese citizen to be united to get out of the current political
deadlock.
"If the current situation gets out of control, it will serve the
enemies of Lebanon, not the Lebanese citizens. It also will lead to
foreign interventions in the Lebanese affairs, Lebanon will see a
regional conflict and may be an international one," he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul
Gheitalso called on Lebanese political powers to reach agreement on
outstanding issues to defuse likely escalation of tension in the
country.
During a meeting with visiting Lebanese top Sunni Muslim cleric
Mufti Sheikh Mohamed Rashid Qabbani, Abul Gheit made it clear that
it is necessary for Lebanese political powers to show flexibility
to achieve a success for the Arab League mediating efforts and end
the current crisis.
He pointed out that suggestions to form a new government are
logical compromises, calling on all the parties to cooperate to
make it work.
For his part, Qabbani urged an end to foreign pressure on his
country, saying "Lebanon and its people should be left alone, free
of any foreign pressure."
(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2006)
