A senior U.S. official said that Washington will await the outcomes of the Lebanese June 7 elections and the formation of new government to assess its policy and aid program to Lebanon, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported Friday.
Sunday's poll results will decide if the country maintains independence and sovereignty or choose "forces of violence and extremism to reach political goals," the U.S. official said, hinting to a possible victory of the Hezbollah-led opposition in the elections, Xinhua reported.
About Hezbollah's criticism against visits by U.S. officials to Lebanon, the U.S. official said that "visits and aid to the Lebanese army reflects our support for the Lebanese government and the constitutional institutions."
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden paid a one-day visit to Lebanon two weeks before the scheduled parliamentary elections.
The official added that supporting the Lebanese army is crucial to maintain the independence of Lebanon, fight terrorism and ensure the implementation of UN resolution 1701 which ended the 34- day war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The upcoming elections witness sharp competition between the ruling coalition and the opposition. The winner will form the next government and rule the country for the coming four years.
...