Lebanon's prime minister Saa Harir warned President Barack Obama on Monday of "pervasive" Arab frustration with Middle East peace efforts. Te wo leaders also discussed U.S. concerns that Syria may be arming Hizbullah. Speaking after the White House meeting, the Lebanese leader hailed Obama for seeking to revive Israeli-Arab peace process, but said he told the president "the clock is ticking, and it is ticking against us."
"I also pointed to the pervasive frustration and skepticism in the Arab and Muslim worlds regarding this issue," Hariri said, according to Reuters. "Have no doubt. Failure will nurture more extremism and give birth to new forms of violence." "Arabs are ready and they expressed their will in Madrid; and Arabs extended their hands for peace and there is no better time for peace than now, and for the Palestinians to have their (independent) state with Jerusalem as Capital," Hariri added. "Failure will nurture more extremism and give birth to new forms of violence," Hariri said after the meeting with Obama. "This poses great dangers to everyone in the Middle East and to the world at large. But the rewards of success are even greater."
Asked whether he and Obama had talked about American concerns that Syria may have sent missile parts to Hizbullah, Hariri said, "We discussed all these issues."
