BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 15 (UPI) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations Kristen Silverberg reaffirmed her country's full commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty.
Speaking after a meeting in Beirut Monday with Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, Silverberg said she expressed "the firm, enduring and non-negotiable support of the United States for Lebanon."
Washington was working in tandem with France and Britain to ensure that the United Nations Security Council "provides its full backing to Lebanon to fully realize its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence," she said.
Silverberg stressed that she discussed with Salloukh the importance of a strong follow-up on U.N. resolution 1559 to achieve that goal.
The resolution, which called for the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, also stipulated the disarming of Lebanese and foreign militias in obvious reference to Hezbollah and Palestinian armed groups.
Syria pulled out from Lebanon in April last year under tremendous local and foreign pressures that were sparked by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005, a crime which many Lebanese blame on Syria and its Lebanese allies.
Silverberg said she underscored the importance that Washington accords to the work of the U.N. independent international investigation commission which was set up to probe Hariri's killing. She underlined the need to pursue the investigation "to its ultimate conclusions, wherever they may lead," denying any possible deal with Syria.
Two previous reports by the commission implicated Syrian security officials who were in control of Lebanon's security at the time of Hariri's assassination.
Silverberg also underscored the United States' support of Lebanon's national dialogue to settle controversial issues, including the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose mandate was extended at Syria's behest in September 2004, and the fate of Hezbollah's arms.
"Discussion and dialogue are the essence of democracy," she said.
