Secretary Clinton, left, and Lebanese President Sleiman April 27.

Washington — The United States supports a free, independent and sovereign Lebanon and parliamentary elections there in June that are without intimidation and outside influence, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says.

“We believe strongly that the people of Lebanon must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections without the specter of violence and intimidation, and certainly free of outside interference,” Clinton said after talks with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman during her three-hour visit to Beirut April 26.

“We will continue to support the voices of moderation in Lebanon and the responsible institutions of the Lebanese state that they are working to build,” Clinton said.

Clinton also said she was in Beirut, at the end of a brief trip to Iraq and Kuwait, to pledge U.S. support for the U.N. special tribunal investigating the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri along with 21 others in a massive bombing in Beirut in 2005. She visited the memorial to the former prime minister, saying, “I will honor his memory and pay my respects to all those who have been killed while defending Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.”

On the parliamentary elections, Clinton said the Lebanese people are taking them very seriously, but she did not want to predict any outcomes. In a press briefing, the secretary repeated that she hoped the elections would be free of intimidation and interference. While saying her trip was cut short by the need to return quickly to Washington, Clinton said her visit was intended, in part, to send a very strong signal of U.S. concern and support for the Lebanese people.

Clinton said U.S. support for the Lebanese armed forces remains a pillar of U.S. bilateral cooperation. She said there is only one recognized, legitimate army in Lebanon and it is the Lebanese army, and not the large guerrilla force maintained by the terrorist group Hezbollah.

Clinton said the United States will not jeopardize the security of Lebanon while pursuing improved relations with Syria. In March, President Obama sent two envoys to Damascus, Syria’s capital, to reopen diplomatic channels.

IRAQ MISSION

While in Baghdad, Iraq’s capital, on April 25, the secretary said one purpose of her visit was to assure the Iraqi people that even though the United States is preparing to withdraw the bulk of its combat forces over the next year, U.S. support will remain strong. Appearing with Clinton, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said recent suicide attacks that have killed approximately 150 people in two days would not “derail the government’s determination to pursue plans to stabilize the country.”

Zebari said his government’s talks with Clinton covered a wide range of issues related to Iraq and Iraq’s relations with the region and the world.

“The secretary’s message today to all of us was a very assuring message that the United States will continue to support the efforts of the Iraqi government and the enhancement of Iraqi security and stability and will work with all of us to add additional gains in the area of democracy,” Zebari said.

Clinton said she found the progress in Iraq encouraging, and that the United States is committed to seeing an Iraq that is sovereign, stable and self-reliant, and that is fully integrated into the region.

“We are working toward an orderly transition of responsibility from the American military to the Iraqi security forces, and we continue to help train and equip these forces so they will take the lead in safeguarding their country,” Clinton said.

The United States has pledged to withdraw the bulk of its combat forces by August 2010, and all of its forces by end of 2011. Clinton said that as the military forces are drawn down, the United States will deepen its civilian cooperation in accordance with an already approved strategic framework agreement.

A transcript of Clinton's remarks in Beirut is available on America.gov.

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