Report: US response to Lebanon 'positive in form, strict in content'

The U.S. response to the Lebanese paper is “positive in form but strict in content” and the Americans want Lebanon to devise a timetable for removing illegal arms across the country, an official Lebanese source informed on the deliberations said.

“The deadline given to Lebanon expires at the end of the year at the latest, and Lebanon is supposed to complete to finalize the disarmament process and the extension of the Lebanese Army and security forces’ authority across Lebanon,” the source added, in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

“The U.S. side sympathizes with Lebanon’s sensitivities and the need for a domestic dialogue to resolve the crisis of Hezbollah’s arms, but it considers that the grace period given to the Lebanese government, which exceeds six months, is sufficient for accomplishing this mission,” the source said.

Lebanon will meanwhile demand “clear U.S. guarantees” as to “compelling Israel to withdraw from the five points it occupied in south Lebanon during the latest war, the demarcation of the border with occupied Palestine, the release of the Lebanese captives, and devising a timetable for the reconstruction of destroyed areas,” the source added.

Lebanon will also ask for “a halt to the territorial, naval and aerial attacks against Lebanon as well as the assassinations that target Lebanese citizens (Hezbollah fighters),” the source said.