Welch: Hizbullah is Destabilizing Factor in Mideast
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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch has said Hizbullah is a destabilizing factor in the region and accused it of operating as a state within a state.
"Hizbullah is a major destabilizing factor in the Middle East, closely allied with Syria and Iran. The Lebanon war instigated by Hizbullah this summer must therefore be seen in the context of the broader Middle East situation which we face," Welsh told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday.
"Hizbullah has operated as a "state-within-a-state" in the Lebanese body politic, outside of the control of the central government," he said.
Welch stressed the need to provide assistance to Lebanon particularly the Lebanese army to help its deployment in the south in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
"An effective and well-trained Lebanese Armed Forces is a crucial component to the implementation of UNSCR 1701, the sovereignty of government of Lebanon, and lasting peace in the region," he said.
He suggested providing more assistance to the country in order to help Premier Fouad Saniora's government and the Lebanese army in asserting control over all of Lebanon.
"While progress has been made, much remains to be done. Our challenge now is to maintain the momentum towards a lasting peace in Lebanon while countering the efforts of Hizbullah, Syria, and Iran to repaint the conflict as a victory for Hizbullah. We will need to move quickly."
"The key to Hizbullah's disarmament, and to a lasting peace, will be to ensure the conditions necessary to permit the Lebanese government to assert its sovereignty across all of Lebanon. Our security and reconstruction assistance is designed to do just this," he said.
"The international response so far to the needs of Lebanon has been impressive," he said. "It's necessary to distinguish between what has been delivered and what has been promised, and to emphasize the urgency of delivering on the promise," he said, adding that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is trying "to show some delivery."
Welch also said it was vital to help Lebanon in making its border more secure.
"But that responsibility is not Lebanon's alone. UNSCR 1701 imposes a legally binding obligation on all states to ensure that weapons are not supplied to Lebanon without the authorization of the Lebanese government or UNIFIL," he said.
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