WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has stressed that it does not demand
the dismantlement of Hizbullah.U.S. officials said messages sent by the Bush administration to Lebanon
and Syria have allowed for the continuation of the Iranian-backed movement.
But Washington has insisted that Hizbullah end all insurgency activities and
dismantle what officials describe as its foreign terrorist wing.The U.S. message to Hizbullah was also relayed to the Shi'ite group
through intermediaries. This has included Britain, which sent its ambassador
to Lebanon last week to meet with Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan
Nasrallah."We do, first, recognize that Hizbullah has a number of different
dimensions to it: as a political party; as a social
welfare organization," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns said.
"But the United States continues to be concerned about Hizbullah's terrorist
activities that go well beyond the borders of this country."
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