US affirms Lebanon affairs to be discussed directly with Beirut

Washington (ANTARA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday (23 June) affirmed that Washington will deal directly with the Lebanese government in discussing various issues concerning the country. “That process is separate,” Rubio said while in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when asked whether a Lebanon peace settlement should be decoupled from an agreement between the United States and Iran. “Lebanon is a sovereign country. When it comes to what happens inside Lebanon, we will negotiate an agreement directly with the Lebanese government,” he stated. Rubio also revealed that he had spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun shortly before landing in the UAE, amid US-facilitated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Washington. “There is an Iran issue related to Lebanon, namely their support and sponsorship of Hizbullah. That factor will be discussed as part of our conversations with the Iranians,” Rubio added. He stressed that Lebanon’s future lies in the hands of its people and its democratically elected government, and emphasised that Washington will only work with legitimately elected authorities. Lebanon and Israel are currently engaged in a new round of talks in Washington, taking place from 23 to 25 June.