BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Statements from the Lebanese prime minister regarding his stance toward Damascus are welcome measures, Hezbollah allies declared.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in an interview with London's pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, said there were mistakes made by Beirut regarding the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the current prime minister's father.
"We accused Syria of assassinating the martyred premier and this was a political accusation," he said.
Syrian influence historically weighed heavy on political matters in Beirut. The countries, however, have moved closer to one another in the wake of the Hariri assassination.
Hezbollah officials said the change of heart from the prime minister was the step Lebanon needed to take to prevent a domestic crisis, Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper reports.
Talal Arslan, a leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party, a Hezbollah ally, called on Hariri to dismiss allegations that Hezbollah was tied to the plot.
"(This) will lead to abolishing Israeli attempts to instigate internal strife," he was quoted as saying.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has suggested certain members of his organization may be indicted for their role in the plot. In an August news conference, however, he said he had evidence to suggest Israel played a role in the assassination.
