US Ambassador to Lebanon Vincent Battle said Monday that his country remained “deeply troubled” by Hizbullah’s activities abroad and would continue its dialogue with the Lebanese government on the matter in a “focused and quiet way.”
He was speaking to reporters after calling on Public Works and Transport Minister Najib Mikati, one of many meetings he has been holding with Lebanese officials following his return from Washington, the Lebanese Daily Star reported.
A US Embassy statement quoted Battle as saying: “We have been talking to the government about Hizbullah activities. “What Hizbullah’s secretary-general said confirmed what we have been telling the government … about Hizbullah’s activities abroad,” he added.
Battle was referring to Nasrallah’s address on Friday, in which he acknowledged that two Lebanese arrested and later released in Jordan in November were trying to smuggle Katyusha rockets to the Palestinians. The suspects, Ali Fayyad and Issam Hodroj, were arrested on suspicion of having links with Hizbullah and plans to carry out terrorist activities in Jordan.
“We are deeply troubled,” the US diplomat said, “and we shall continue our dialogue in a focused and quiet way with the government.”
Hizbullah’s activities have been at the forefront of a political dispute between Washington and Beirut, which has rejected US allegations that the resistance movement was a terrorist group with “global reach.” (Albawaba.com)
