Hezbollah accepts election loss, U.S. backs allies

By Yara Bayoumy

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accepted on Monday the result of a parliamentary election in Lebanon in which his U.S.-backed opponents secured a majority over the Iranian-backed group and its allies.

"We accept these results...with sportsmanship and in a democratic way and we accept that the ruling camp has won the parliamentary majority," Nasrallah said in a televised address, a day after the surprise victory by the anti-Syrian coalition.

The United States, which backs that "March 14" alliance, renewed its support to the group, which also enjoys the backing of regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt. President Barack Obama said Washington would "continue to support a sovereign and independent Lebanon, committed to peace."

"It is our sincere hope that the next government will continue along the path toward building a sovereign, independent and stable Lebanon," he said in a statement.

Results declared by Interior Minister Ziad Baroud showed Saad al-Hariri's pro-Western bloc had won 71 of parliament's 128 seats, against 57 for an opposition alliance that groups Shi'ite factions Hezbollah and Amal with Christian leader Michel Aoun.

Hariri's total includes three independents who ran on his lists in Sunday's election. Many analysts had predicted the election would produce a slim victory for the "March 8" alliance, composed of Hezbollah and its partners.

Their loss is a major blow to Hezbollah's patrons, Syria and Iran, where hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will also be competing against rivals who advocate less confrontation with the West in an election this week.

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