Beirut, June 29 (RHC)-- President Michel Aoun has censured Washington’s "direct interference" in the internal affairs of Lebanon, against the backdrop of comments by U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea.

“The Americans are directly interfering in the Lebanese domestic affairs; and this is unacceptable,” Aoun said in an exclusive interview with the Beirut-based Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network on Sunday.

He cautioned the U.S. envoy over making more caustic remarks against the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, emphasizing that the group represents the Lebanese society and enjoys popularity among people.  Earlier in the day, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti summoned Shea over her anti-Hezbollah criticism.

The U.S. offers a $10-million reward for information on a senior commander of the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah.   

Al-Mayadeen reported that Hitti is meeting with Dorothy Shea to inform her that, under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, an ambassador must not interfere in the domestic affairs of another country, and that her speech must not seek to pit Lebanese people against each other.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between countries.