Davutoglu calls Hezbollah, Iran part of Lebanon settlement efforts

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, joined by Qatar's prime minister, spoke with Lebanese leaders in Beirut yesterday to try to mediate a solution to the country's political crisis – the latest move in a flurry of diplomacy over the past few days that has included talks with Lebanese, Syrian, Qatari and French officials aimed at finding ways to prevent Lebanon from plunging into further instability. Speaking to a small group of reporters on his way to Beirut, Davutoglu said that Hezbollah – which last week brought down Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's government in a dispute over a UN investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri – and Iran, which has close links to the Shiite group, have to be involved in the efforts to find a solution to the crisis. Davutoglu's visit to Beirut, in a trip coordinated with Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, came after late-night talks with Iran's acting foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, in Ankara on Monday. Turkish officials said Davutoglu had briefed Salehi about a meeting in Damascus earlier on Monday attended by Turkish, Syrian and Qatari leaders. Speaking before the talks with Davutoglu, Salehi said a solution should come from within the region and spoke out against the involvement of "foreign actors." He did not mention any non-regional country, but said actors in the region such as Syria and Saudi Arabia could also be involved in Turkish-Iranian efforts to help stability in Lebanon. Speaking yesterday, Davutoglu appeared to back Salehi's call for a regional solution and said Iran would be part of efforts for this. He said Salehi had told him during their talks on Monday that Iran was ready to contribute to Lebanon's stability and support every Turkish effort to that effect. "Our consultations with Iran will continue. No actor should be left out of this process, or there will be polarization both within Lebanon and on a regional and international scale," said Davutoglu. "The regional momentum must continue. Without this regional momentum, it would be difficult to achieve lasting solutions." Saying that he had discussed the situation in Lebanon on the phone with the French and Qatari foreign ministers, he added that Ankara will continue to work for a solution in Lebanon despite a busy period ahead. Starting tomorrow, Istanbul will host a two-day meeting between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) over Tehran's nuclear program.