Lebanon drafts reply to US demand for Hezbollah to disarm: Sources tell Reuters

Lebanese officials were drafting a response on Tuesday to U.S. demands for armed group Hezbollah to relinquish its weapons across the country by November in exchange for a halt to Israeli military operations, two sources briefed on the matter said.

The deadline has turned up the heat on Iran-backed Hezbollah, which was struck hard by Israel during last year's war, is suffering a financial crunch and faces pressure in Lebanon to disarm.

Washington's demands were conveyed by Thomas Barrack, U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, during a trip to Beirut on June 19.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters Barrack had shared a written roadmap with Lebanese officials and told them he expected to hear back by July 1 on any proposed amendments.

The six-page document centers on the disarmament of Hezbollah and other militant groups, and urges Lebanon to improve ties with neighboring Syria and implement financial reforms, they said.

It proposes a phased approach to disarmament, in which Hezbollah would hand in its arms throughout Lebanon in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying areas in South Lebanon, the sources said.

Barrack said full disarmament should be completed by November or by the end of the year at the latest, they said.

The U.S. has said Washington will not support reconstruction in Lebanon without Hezbollah laying down arms.

The proposal also refers to establishing a mechanism overseen by the United Nations to secure the release of Hezbollah-linked prisoners by Israel, the sources said.

They said Barrack had urged Lebanese officials to seize the opportunity laid out in the roadmap as it "may not come up again." He is set to return to Lebanon next week.

Barrack had not yet gotten Israeli approval for the roadmap, the sources said. 

Lebanon has appointed a committee to formulate a preliminary response, comprised of delegates from the offices of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, the sources said.

It was not clear whether the initial reply would be ready by Tuesday. The U.S. proposal includes a condition that the final deal be sealed with a unanimous decision by Lebanon's government, the sources said.

The second source, and a third source briefed on the matter, said Berri was in close communication with Hezbollah to secure the group's input.

"Hezbollah has not refused to cooperate with the committee and in fact began sending signals of cooperation - but has not committed to disarming," the third source said.

Hezbollah has not commented publicly on Barrack's proposal. But in a televised address on Monday, its secretary general, Naim Qassem, reiterated Hezbollah's resistance to U.S. and Israeli pressure and urged other Lebanese to do the same.

"We have the right to say 'no' to them, 'no' to America, 'no' to Israel," Qassem said. "We call on you in Lebanon: do not help Israel and America with their plans."

Qassem said the U.S. and Israel "want to exploit the moment to turn the equation in the entire region in their image."



Reuters