AMMAN, 19 January 2007 — Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora yesterday rejected any Iranian intervention in Lebanon’s domestic affairs as he won support of King Abdallah for the upcoming donor conference in Paris. “The Lebanese will not accept any dictations or meddling in their internal affairs, because we are a sovereign country that builds up its ties with all on the basis of mutual respect,” Siniora said in response to reporters’ questions after talks with Abdallah.
“We want to have good ties with Iran but on the basis of mutual respect. If the Iranians want to help Lebanon they should do so through the Lebanese government,” he added. Iran backs the Shiite Hezbollah party, which is currently involved in a protest to topple Siniora’s government.
Siniora urged world powers to “put pressure on Israel to evacuate the Shebaa farms” and said his government was willing to place the territory under “UN trusteeship” until a decision was reached — whether it belonged to Lebanon or Syria. “The Syrians concede the Shebaa farms belong to Lebanon but so far refused to sign the relevant documents,” he said.
During the meeting with Abdullah, Siniora won the monarch’s support for the donor conference in Paris next week as well as Jordan’s continued backing for the Lebanese government’s efforts to forge national reconciliation in Lebanon. Siniora met with the monarch on the last stop of his Arab tour designed to seek support for the upcoming donor conference in the French capital.
“Jordan backs efforts aimed at ensuring the Paris conference be a success,” the royal court statement quoted the king as saying. He added that Jordan’s Finance Minster Ziyad Fariz would take part in the meeting that has the aim of shoring up the Lebanese economy.
The conference is rejected by Lebanon’s opposition groups, including Hezbollah, which is pushing ahead with public turmoil to down Siniora’s government. The Lebanese opposition contended that the Paris meeting was designed to bolster the attitude of the pro-West alliance that enjoys majority at Parliament.
Earlier in the day Siniora told reporters that the Paris conference was “indispensable for boosting the country’s financial and economic stability”. During the meeting at the royal palace, Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s support for efforts being exerted by Siniora’s government “to bring about national coherence and safeguard Lebanon’s achievements to the exclusion of foreign intervention in Lebanese affairs”, the statement said.
“Jordan supports reconciliation efforts with a view to reaching understandings that enable the Lebanese people to face challenges and fulfill their aspirations in security and stability,” the monarch said.
