BEIRUT: The Turkish and Qatari foreign ministers have met with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as part of efforts to mediate the latest political crisis in Lebanon, the Shia group announced Wednesday. Ahmet Davutoglu and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jaber Al-Thani met with Nasrallah at a secret location and made no comments afterwards. A statement issued by Hezbollah said the talks late Tuesday focused on finding a solution to the deepening political crisis in Lebanon that many fear could spiral into sectarian violence. "The meeting addressed the current political crisis in Lebanon, notably the issue of the international tribunal and the new government," the statement said. It was referring to the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri and the collapse last week of the unity government of Saad Hariri, the slain leader's son. The STL, which issued indictments in the case on Monday, has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and the Western-backed Hariri. Nasrallah has said he believes members of his party will be implicated in Hariri's murder and has warned against such a scenario, accusing the STL of being part of a US-Israeli plot. Davutoglu and Sheikh Hamad, who is also Qatar's premier, met on Tuesday with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Hariri. The two men also held talks in Damascus on Monday with Syria's leadership. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has abandoned efforts to mediate in Lebanon's political crisis, removing a key US ally from talks to ease tensions after Hezbollah toppled the government in Beirut last week. In an interview Wednesday with the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV, Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said the Saudi king has decided he is "withdrawing his hand" from Lebanon. Asked about the situation in Lebanon, Al-Faisal said: "It's dangerous, particularly if it reaches separatism or the division of Lebanon. This would mean the end of Lebanon as a model of peaceful coexistence between religions and ethnicities and different factions." Lebanon is enduring a political crisis stemming from a UN court investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The Shia group, which denies any role in Hariri's 2005 killing, forced the collapse of Lebanon's Western-backed government last week in a dispute over the court. The Iran- and Syria-sponsored group says the tribunal is a conspiracy by Israel and the United States. Many fear the political crisis could lead to street protests and violence that have been the scourge of this tiny Arab country of 4 million people for years, including a devastating 1975-1990 civil war and sectarian battles between Sunnis and Shias in 2008. The Hague-based tribunal released a sealed indictment in the case on Tuesday, but its contents may not become public for weeks as Belgian judge Daniel Fransen decides whether there is enough evidence for a trial. The indictment is the latest turn in a deepening crisis in Lebanon. Last week, ministers from Hezbollah and their allies walked out of the Cabinet when Prime Minister Saad Hariri — the son of the slain leader — refused to renounce the tribunal. Lengthy negotiations lie ahead between Lebanon's factions as they attempt to build a new government. On Tuesday, Turkey's foreign minister was in Beirut in a coordinated visit with Qatar's prime minister to discuss the political crisis in Lebanon. The officials met with Saad Hariri — who is staying on as a caretaker prime minister — and, separately, with Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. According to Lebanon's power-sharing system, the president must be a Christian Maronite, the prime minister a Sunni and the parliament speaker a Shia. Each faith makes up about a third of Lebanon's population of 4 million.
