P 181159Z FEB 85
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1795
INFO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
UNCLAS BEIRUT 00992 

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINT PTER LE
SUBJECT: HIZBALLAH CALLS FOR ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IN LEBANON 

¶1.  IN A STATEMENT PUBLISHED IN BEIRUT NEWSPAPERS ON
FEBRUARY 18, HIZBALLAH DECLARED ITS ALLEGIANCE TO
AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI AND PLEDGED TO ESTABLISH "REVOLUTION-
ARY ISLAMIC RULE" IN LEBANON.  STATEMENT DENIED THAT
HIZBALLAH WOULD ESTABLISH ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST RULE
BY FORCE, BUT "WE DO NOT HIDE OUR COMMITMENT TO
ISLAMIC RULE, AND WE CALL ON ALL PEOPLE TO CHOOSE THIS
REGIME.  WE WILL FIGHT ABSOLUTISM TO ITS ROOTS." 

¶2.  STATEMENT IS REPORTED BY LOCAL PRESS TO BE
HIZBALLAH'S FIRST PUBLIC MANIFESTO. 

BARTHOLOMEW