CAIRO: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit agreed that the Lebanese conflict must be solved with help from other countries in their meeting in Cairo Sunday night.
“The Lebanese situation is complicated and difficult, and needs efforts from other countries, like France, Saudi Arabia as well as the Arab League, Aboul Gheit said.
Kouchner said, “Pressure is needed on the environment [of Lebanon], meaning that Syria and Iran must not exercise influence that could lead to war.
The French foreign minister had just arrived from Lebanon, where he was pushing a French initiative for the country, and where he alluded more than once to the fact that the country was “prone to war.
Both ministers met with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa over dinner to discuss the Lebanon dilemma, as well as the situation in other hotspots in the Middle East.
Aboul Gheit warned that a breakthrough was imperative before the upcoming presidential elections which begin in September and end in November.
“We must not be amiss to the fact there are sensitive dates coming up. [The elections] are a vital time, he said.
Kouchner did confirm that he had met officials from Hezbollah, who said they are an integral part of finding a solution for Lebanon.
He said: “Yes we did meet with Hezbollah in Paris, and again today at the embassy. I’m just a facilitator, we want to restart the talks and they are a part of that.
Aboul Gheit warned against connecting the Lebanese and Palestinian conflicts and stated that each should be solved on its own merit.
“To tie all the causes of the Middle East together in an attempt to solve them comprehensively is very dangerous, he said. “Let us approach the Palestinian and Lebanese issues separately and work on each front. That’s not to say that the problems aren’t related in any way, but let us separate the issues and deal with them accordingly.
Kouchner was asked about French intervention in the case of the Bulgarian nurses in Libya who were accused and found guilty in a Libyan court of infecting over 400 children with AIDS.
“The nurses were released. Yes, Madame Sarkozy and the president interfered and they achieved success, so what else is there to say? he said.
Kouchner then reacted somewhat vehemently to repeated questioning on the matter saying, “I try to push for the release of the nurses in my humble way, and it was a victory for all the world.
The French Foreign Minister’s visit to Beirut was an attempt to kick-start the political process in Lebanon after eight months of political chaos and disputes between rival factions, which saw opposition demands for veto power in government lead to the resignation of six pro-Syrian ministers last November. Five of these were Shia.
