Clinton Says Lebanese Must Find Their Own Way Out of Crisis

The United States stands ready to help Lebanon out of its ongoing political impasse, but it is ultimately up to Beirut to resolve the crisis, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters Thursday.

Asked at a press conference about international mediation efforts following the collapse this week of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government, Clinton said: "We stand ready, as do many others in the region and beyond, to be of assistance," Clinton said.

But she said "any decision will have to be made by the Lebanese people."

The top U.S. diplomat added: "Any mediation effort engaged in by anyone outside of Lebanon itself should be aimed at supporting the people of Lebanon and making decisions that lead to stability and security, justice and a commitment to bringing those who committed the murders of prime minister (Rafik) Hariri and 22 others to account."

Her remarks came after Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia all abandoned efforts to mediate in the standoff.

Beirut has been in political turmoil since the prosecutor of the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) on Monday filed sealed indictments for the 2005 murder of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Speculation was rife that the inquiry names Hizbullah members in connection with the massive car bombing that killed the former premier and 22 others on the Beirut seafront.

Some mediation efforts called on the Beirut government to repudiate some findings of the tribunal, but Clinton said the body has Washington's full backing.

"We strongly support the ongoing work of the tribunal and believe that it is in the long-term interest of Lebanon to end impunity for political killing," she said.