Albright concludes her visit to the Middle East in Lebanon
Lebanon, Politics, 9/16/1997

American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright went yesterday to Lebanon. This visit, though long rumored, was not planned in her schedule and was kept secret until only one hour before she arrived. This sudden visit did not last long. It started at 1:10 p.m. and ended at about 3:00 p.m., and American reporters accompanied Albright.

After Albright arrived at Awkar in a private helicopter coming from Cyprus, she met Lebanese President Elias Hrawi, Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Foreign Affairs Minister Fares Boueiz at Presidential Palace at Baabda. The Lebanese leaders said that Lebanon insists reaching a global and permanent peace.

Albright stated that her visit has the object of reviving the American involvement in the peace process and she called once more for a stop to terrorism. She added that all the United States is doing is to put the peace process back in motion, and that she found it most appropriate to conclude her trip in Lebanon, a friend who is heading positively in the peace process.

Albright insisted on the willingness of the United States to cooperate with Lebanon in order to reach peace. "We want to work with the Lebanese people and government to establish peace," she said. She also said that she had the pleasure to notice "how Beirut can and does look," and promised that she will be back to check the further positive changes that she expects to occur. Albright compared Lebanon to the United States, saying that both are a symbol of tolerance, and she announced that the United States intends to support Lebanon in its reconstruction efforts. She moved then to "Forum de Beyrouth", where she said she regretted the sad events that are still happening in the region and condemned terrorism.

Albright reviewed her visit to the Middle East in a speech where she asked for security in Israel and autonomy in Lebanon, without mentioning the 425 resolution. "Peace is the only option, and I found in each of the three governments--the Israeli, the Palestinian, and the Lebanese ones--a willingness to reach peace, but unfortunately there is still not an agreement," she added. Albright said that she is optimistic, but she could not make predictions, and that there was not yet an elevator for the peace process, so "we will use stairs," she said.

Before she left, Albright announced that other meetings with Israeli and Syrian and Lebanese foreign ministers are planned and that they will be held in Washington next week.

This visit was a very positive step for Lebanon, for this was the first trip by an American personality since Albright raised the ban on American travel to Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri in Paris   (9/12/1997)
  Albright tomorrow in Lebanon   (9/11/1997)

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