The U.S. Ambassador to Beirut, Dorothy Shea, has completed her farewell tour with officials in Lebanon before departing to take up her new position in New York. The new ambassador, Lisa Johnson, is expected to arrive before mid-next month. Johnson is familiar with Lebanon, having spent about two years there from 2002 to 2004, and she is well-acquainted with its files. Shea concluded her official meetings with former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, whom she visited in Clemenceau, in the presence of Mrs. Nora Jumblatt and Democratic Gathering member MP Marwan Hamada. A statement indicated that the meeting reviewed various political developments in Lebanon and the region. However, Shea excluded "Hezbollah" and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Jibran Bassil, from her tour due to U.S. sanctions on him, instead opting to meet with former President Michel Aoun.
In this context, MP Marwan Hamada revealed to "Anbaa" that Ambassador Shea informed Jumblatt about the U.S. position on unresolved issues in Lebanon, particularly those related to the southern situation, in light of escalating security developments and daily Israeli aggressions. She anticipates the return of U.S. State Department Energy Adviser Amos Hochstein to Beirut mid-next month, bringing with him a new initiative concerning the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which was adopted by the Security Council following the Israeli aggression in 2006. However, the resolution has yet to be fully implemented, having only temporarily halted military operations and the ceasefire, which has now resumed.
Hamada added that the new American approach, alongside the quintet, will work on continuing efforts starting next month, in parallel with domestic initiatives, including those expected from President Nabih Berri, who is set to activate communications specifically regarding the presidential file. They hope for the necessary responsiveness to achieve positive outcomes, noting that they do not support his presidential candidate, Sleiman Franjieh.
On this issue, Hamada emphasizes that the Democratic Gathering supports all steps taken to ensure dialogue is prioritized to resolve various outstanding issues, and the continuation of its movement is essential to ending vacancies in all positions. He added that the file of the Chief of Staff in the army needs to be resolved by making an appointment in the Cabinet, especially after the extension of the army commander’s term. This is not merely a Druze demand, but rather an overarching initiative by the Democratic Gathering and the Progressive Socialist Party concerning all appointments in the military council and state to complete its structure, with the election of a president being a top priority.
