BEIRUT: The United States is concerned the presidential vacuum in Lebanon will exacerbate political tensions and possibly hinder the Army’s ability to respond to national emergencies, according to Secretary of State John Kerry.
Kerry listed the stalemate and consequent presidential void first in a litany of reasons for his short visit to Lebanon Wednesday, which also included the refugee crisis and concerns about regional stability.
“The political stalemate here in Lebanon is deeply troubling,” Kerry said in remarks after a meeting with Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail.
“The capacity of the armed forces to respond to a crisis could be affected by the absence of a president,” Kerry said, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
“The confidence of the people of the country and the fabric of the politics of the country could be affected by the absence of a president. Ultimately, the tensions that could grow within a Cabinet, or outside of the Cabinet within the Parliament and the politics of the country, could become tenser as a result of not having a sense that there is a respect of the National Pact and for the balance that should exist within the governing of Lebanon,” Kerry said.
“ Lebanon needs and Lebanon deserves to have a fully functioning, complete government, and we hope Parliament will select a president quickly,” he added. “This is not a time for business as usual. The challenges are just too significant.”
Still, Kerry denied that the U.S. was supporting a particular candidate for the presidency. “We don’t have a candidate. We’re not in the business of trying to select or put proposals on the table,” he said. “This is up to the parties here in Lebanon.”
While conscious that foreign parties, notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, have manifested interest in Lebanese affairs, the United States has expressed support for Lebanon’s political sovereignty. Since April, the March 14 coalition and the rival March 8 alliance have been at odds over the country’s top Christian post.
“We need a government that’s free from foreign influence,” Kerry said.
The United States will continue supporting Lebanon during the presidential vacuum, Kerry assured, despite the fact that stewardship of the country is now in the hands of the Cabinet, which includes members of Hezbollah.
“I did assure the prime minister that the United States will remain a strong and reliable partner, and we will continue to support Lebanon and its institutions.”
Kerry said that the United States is currently seeking ways to bolster the capabilities of the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces, both of which have played integral roles in maintaining Lebanon’s security throughout the Syrian crisis. A representative from the Pentagon, Vice Admiral Kurt Tidd, was present at the meeting between Kerry and Salam.
The secretary of state, who has recently announced that President Barack Obama is set to approve additional aid for moderate Syrian rebels, decried the plight of Syrian refugees in no uncertain terms.
“It’s important for all of us to recognize the human catastrophe that is unfolding before our eyes,” he said. He recognized the burden Lebanon has shouldered by welcoming 1.5 million Syrian refugees into the country, stating that “nowhere … has the international impact of what is happening in Syria been felt more.”
Kerry announced that the United States would give an additional $290 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees and affected host communities in the region, $51 million of which will go to Lebanon.
The funds are expected to lessen the strain on Lebanese host communities and help bolster stability in the country. “The bottom line is that a secure and stable Lebanon is a prerequisite for a secure and stable region,” Kerry said.
While pundits have lately speculated about a chilling of U.S.-Israel relations in light of Washington’s support for the new Palestinian unity government, Kerry sharply denied the rumors and spoke at length about his country’s strong alliance with the Jewish state.
The office of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said earlier this week that he was “deeply disappointed” by the United States’ decision to cooperate with the Fatah-Hamas unity government.
In Beirut, however, Kerry reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Israel. “ Israel is our friend, our strong ally.”
“President Obama has constructed a security relationship with Israel that is more interconnected, more cooperative, more extensive than any security relationship between the United States and Israel at any time in history,” he said. “There is nothing changing in our security relationship. That is ironclad.”
The United States has said it will work with the unity government, despite the fact that the United States considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
“He [Abbas] has formed an interim technocratic government that does not include any ministers who are affiliated with Hamas. We have checked that,” Kerry said. “But I want to make it very clear that we are going to be watching it very closely.”
After the meeting, Salam’s office released a statement distancing the premier from Kerry’s comments on U.S.-Israeli ties and denying he had discussed U.S.-Israeli relations during his meeting with Kerry.
Kerry also met with Marionite Patriarch Beshara Rai and, later, with Speaker Nabih Berri at the latter’s residence. “We had a very good meeting,” Kerry said after his talks with Berri.