LEBANON: French envoy in Lebanon to help resolve political crisis as fighting in Palestinian camp continues
Record ID:
345939
LEBANON: French envoy in Lebanon to help resolve political crisis as fighting in Palestinian camp continues
- Title: LEBANON: French envoy in Lebanon to help resolve political crisis as fighting in Palestinian camp continues
- Date: 24th July 2007
- Summary: (EU) BEIRUT, LEBANON (JULY 23, 2007) (REUTERS) WIDE OF LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER FOUAD SINSIORA MEETING FRENCH ENVOY JEAN-CLAUDE COUSSERAN CLOSE OF SINIORA COUSSERON AND FRENCH AMBASSADOR BERNARD EMIE COUSSERON ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE TO GIVE STATEMENT JOURNALISTS LISTENING TO STATEMENT BY COUSSERON (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH ENVOY JEAN-CLAUDE COUSSERAN SAYING: "I discussed with the prime minister the results of my visits to Syria, Cairo and Riyadh and the efforts to reestablish dialogue between the Lebanese sides, and also my visit here to prepare for Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner's visit." COUSSERAN SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 8th August 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lebanon
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA399MZC6XZ22KXN1PXE4PX5M5V
- Story Text: A French envoy met Lebanese officials in Beirut on Monday (July 23) in a bid to help end an eight-month political crisis, a week after rival Lebanese leaders met in Paris to discuss their divisive issues.
Jean-Claude Cousseran met Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to prepare for an upcoming visit by France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who will attempt to re-establish internal dialogue between Lebanese as the deadline for a presidential election approaches.
Cousseran held talks last week with officials in Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia -- three Arab countries that have influence Lebanon's political scene.
All efforts, notably those of Arab League chief Amr Moussa, to break the impasse have failed and with time running out before a divided parliament is set to elect a new president from Sept. 24.
Cousseran's visit to Syria where he met with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and Vice President Farouk al-Shara'a was deemed a thaw in relations with Damascus that faltered following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005.
A United Nations investigation blamed senior Lebanese and Syrian security officials for the assassination. Syria denied involvement, but France played a leading role in international efforts to isolate Damascus after the killing.
Lebanon's political crisis has intensified in recent months after the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition failed to agree on a new power sharing arrangement following last year's war between the Shi'ite group and Israel.
France, the former colonial power, and Syria both wield influence in Lebanon, where bombings in and around Beirut and the assassination of an anti-Syrian legislator threaten to escalate tension further.
The political crisis, which had at one time spilled into street violence, and the army's fight against Islamist militants in a Palestinian camp for ten weeks now have further destabilized the country.
The army is believed to be closing on the militants from the al-Qaeda inspired Fatah al-Islam group who have taken refuge in the Nahr al-Bared camp, home originally to some 40,000 Palestinians.
The army continued to shell militant positions on Monday (July 23) as it pushed slowly into the camp, fighting close-quarter battles with Fatah al-Islam militants after bombarding its positions with artillery and tank fire to try to force the group to surrender.
Some 117 soldiers have been killed in the battles that began on May 20.
More than 81 militants and at least 41 civilians have also died.
The camp, home to 40,000 refugees before the hostilities, has been completely destroyed and it is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild. Its residents have sought shelter in other Palestinian refugee camps.
Palestinian sources say there are around 1,000 civilians left in Nahr al-Bared, refugees and wives and children of Fatah al-Islam's fighters.
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