BEIRUT (Agencies)
Lebanon's cabinet was expected on Wednesday to cancel measures it took against Hezbollah that triggered fighting during which the Iranian-backed movement briefly took over parts of Beirut, political sources said.
"You can say it's a done deal, but we're waiting for the cabinet meeting," one political source said. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who is supported by the United States, was due to hold a cabinet meeting at 1530 GMT.
Rescinding a ban on Hezbollah's communications network and the sacking of Beirut airport's security chief, who is close to the group, is one of Hezbollah's demands to lift its blockade of the airport and its campaign of civil disobedience.
It would also be a first step towards easing a broader 18-month-long standoff between the anti-Syrian cabinet and opposition forces backed by Damascus that has left Lebanon without a president since November.
At least 81 people have been killed since violence broke out on May 7 following the cabinet decisions against Hezbollah. The clashes were the worst spate of violence among Lebanese since the country's 1975-90 civil war.
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Bush accusations U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday reaffirmed his support for Lebanon's elected government against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and for Israel against the Hamas movement.
"Hezbollah, the so-called protector of the Lebanese against Israel has now turned on its own people," Bush said in Jerusalem after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"Hezbollah is supported by Iran, and it's an Iranian effort to destabilize Lebanon's democracy, and the United States stands strongly with the Siniora government," he said. |
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Arab delegation Siniora earlier met a high-level Arab League mission which is trying to mediate a solution to the standoff.
The delegation, which includes eight Arab foreign ministers, was led by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani and Arab League chief Amr Moussa.
"Everything is fine," Siniora said after meeting the Arab ministers, but gave no details.
"The general direction of the Lebanese government is ... to put civil peace above all else, including the latest (cabinet) decisions," Wael Abu Faour, a parliamentarian in the ruling coalition, told Reuters.
If it succeeds in easing tension, the delegation is expected to invite the rival leaders to Qatar for talks aimed at resolving their protracted political conflict.
The broader political dispute revolves around how to share power in cabinet and a new parliamentary election law.
The recent fighting raised concerns Lebanon was edging towards wider civil strife among Druze and Sunni supporters of the governing coalition and Shiites who back Hezbollah.
Saudi Arabia, also a backer of the governing coalition, has said Hezbollah's actions, if backed by Iran, could threaten Tehran's ties with Arab states. Iran has blamed the United States for the violence in Lebanon.
Governing coalition leader Saad al-Hariri, Lebanon's most powerful Sunni politician, said on Tuesday there would be no political surrender to what he called an attempt by Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian backers to impose their will. |
