Beirut - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived
Thursday in Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders on the situation
in Lebanon and regional peace efforts.
'Cabinet formation is an internal issue,' Kouchner said on arrival
at Rafik Hariri international airport. 'They (the Lebanese) can form
their government without anybody's help.'
He said he would meet with 'all Lebanese leaders and
representatives from the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which is
represented in parliament.'
Kouchner was to meet with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih
Berri, Premier Saad Hariri, Free Patriotic Movement opposition
Christian leader Michel Aoun, Phalange chief Amin Gemayel, Lebanese
Forces leader Samir Geagea and Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad.
Saad Hariri, who was appointed Lebanon's premier earlier this
month, is still struggling to form a national unity government which
will include all rival Lebanese factions.
According to an official source who requested anonymity, Kouchner
was to discuss French-Lebanese ties, Lebanese-Syrian relations and US
efforts to restart peace talks in the region.
Lebanese-Syrian ties soured after the 2005 assassination of former
premier Rafik Hariri which was widely blamed on Damacsus and its
allies in Lebanon by his followers, a charge Damascus has vehmently
denied.
Kouchner was due to attend Thursday night a concert by French
singer Charles Aznavour in Beiteddine, southeast of Beirut, and meet
with Druze leader and MP Walid Jumblatt.
The French foreign minister will visit Syria on Saturday.
USA
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