Updated on
Summary
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri told President Barack Obama that the clock is ticking on Mideast peace and that failure to reach an agreement will lead to more violence and extremism in the region.On his first official White House visit as premier, Hariri said he told Obama during an Oval Office meeting that Lebanon is hopeful about his efforts to secure a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. The two sides recently began participating in indirect peace talks. But the prime minister said he told Obama about a pervasive frustration and skepticism in the Muslim world regarding the issue and that the clock is ticking against all those who believe in a just peace. Failure will nurture more extremism and give birth to new forms of violence, Hariri said afterward. This poses great dangers to everyone in the Middle East and to the world at large. But the rewards of success are even greater. Hariri said he also thanked Obama for the US commitment and support for Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and for assistance for its armed forces and other security agencies. Hariri's visit came amid regional tensions over claims by Israel that Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group has acquired Scud missiles transferred from Syria. The White House issued a statement saying Obama stressed with Hariri the importance of efforts to ensure that Iran complies with its international nonproliferation obligations. Obama also commended the prime minister for carrying on his father's legacy. Hariri also met during the day with George Mitchell, Obama's envoy to the Middle East; national security adviser James Jones, and Dennis Ross, a deputy national security adviser on Iran.
