Hezbollah and officials criticize US tour near Lebanese border

Apr 29, 2010, 17:49 GMT

Beirut - The Lebanese Foreign Ministry was joined by other officials and the militant Hezbollah group in criticizing on Thursday a visit by a US security team to the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah called on the government to explain 'why a US security delegation from the Counterterrorism Office visited the Masnaa border with Syria.'

He described the visit on Lebanese territory 'as a major security violation.'

It comes days after Israel accused Syria of providing Hezbollah with Scud missiles, an allegation that Syria and Lebanon have dismissed as 'lies.'

Fadlallah warned that Israel has access to all information obtained by the US and wondered 'who will be held responsible if the Masnaa area is targeted (by Israel) in the future.'

'If the visit occurred in coordination with Lebanese officials, then it is a disaster,' Shiite member of parliament Kassem Hashem, who has close links with Hezbollah, said.

'If the state was unaware of such a trip, then it is a bigger disaster,' he added.

The American Embassy said Wednesday's visit was planned months ago and took place in coordination with authorities in Lebanon.

But the Foreign Ministry denied Thursday that it was informed in advance about the visit by the US team to the border crossing.

The ministry added that such acts violate Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates that all diplomatic missions should respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state and should not interfere in its internal affairs.

Unconfirmed reports said the US officials are part of an assessment team from the American Counterterrorism Office.

Okab Sakr, a member of parliament loyal to prime minister Saad Hariri, said he will submit a complaint to the US Embassy in Lebanon asking about the delegation's visit to the Masnaa border area if it turned out that the Lebanese government was unaware of the trip.

Sakr told local television that 'even Internal Security Forces (ISF) Director General Ashraf Rifi did not know the visit took place.'

Sakr urged all parties to help uncover the matter.