BEIRUT, 14 December 2006 — Arab League chief Amr Moussa said yesterday he was making significant progress toward a deal to end Lebanon’s political crisis.
“In my estimation, there is a great hope that we will reach something (an agreement) on the various issues,” Moussa told reporters after talks with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
“When I speak of progress, it is progress in the whole package,” he said, saying his talks with various Lebanese leaders focused on a number of controversial issues, not just a government crisis.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, and other opposition factions want veto power in the cabinet of Siniora, who is supported by the United States. The opposition has declared Siniora’s government illegitimate and has been staging a round-the-clock protest in central Beirut since Dec. 1 to press its demands.
The League is pushing for a deal based on a number of contentious issues, namely the shape of the Cabinet, early presidential and parliamentary elections, and passage of a law setting up an international court to try suspected killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. Moussa, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, said all leaders must make concessions to resolve the crisis.
“There can be no progress without all sides agreeing on a common ground that has gains and maybe some concessions. What is important is the Lebanese principle of no victor and no vanquished,” he said.
Senior League official Hesham Youssef told Reuters the mediators had an “extremely positive” meeting on Tuesday with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose powerful group is leading the opposition.
Youssef, a senior aide to Moussa, said: “Responses are so far encouraging, but we haven’t reached a conclusive outcome as of yet. “We are awaiting responses from key political forces.”
“We’re hopeful that it will be a quick process because the situation is extremely tense. I am hopeful.” Moussa said he would hold more talks with several Lebanese leaders from both camps later in the day.
Moussa was expected to meet Maronite patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, anti-Syrian MP and Druze chief Walid Jumblatt, and former President Amin Gemayel, whose son, anti-Syrian Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated last month. He was also to hold more talks with pro-Syrian Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and President Emile Lahoud before departing tomorrow.
With thousands of protesters camping on the government’s doorstep, the opposition has threatened to form its own interim government in the coming days if its demands for a national unity government are not met. Moussa was optimistic but appealed for patience when he held separate talks with Nasrallah, Siniora and Berri.
Nasrallah said he “was open to certain ideas put forward by the Arab League secretary-general, which encouraged Moussa to pursue mediation,” a source close to Moussa said after his first-ever meeting with the Hezbollah leader.
