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U.N. Security Council Commends Lebanese Elections

22 June 2005

Statement calls on international community to support new government

The U.N. Security Council June 22 unanimously commended the Lebanese government for the successful conduct of elections and said it looks forward to the formation of a new government in the near future.

In a presidential statement read at a formal meeting, the Security Council paid "tribute to the Lebanese people who demonstrated, throughout the process, their strong commitment to democracy, freedom and independence."  It also strongly condemned the assassination of George Hawi, former leader of the Communist Party, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The council also called on the international community to stand ready to examine possible requests for assistance for political and economic reform programs from the newly elected Lebanese authorities.

Following is the text of the Security Council presidential statement:

(begin text)

United Nations
Security Council Presidential Statement on Lebanese Elections

The Security Council welcomes the Lebanese parliamentary elections held between 29 May and 19 June 2005. It commends the fair and credible character of the vote and pays tribute to the Lebanese people who demonstrated, throughout the process, their strong commitment to democracy, freedom and independence.

The Security Council congratulates the newly elected members of the Lebanese Parliament.

The Security Council commends the Lebanese Government for the successful conduct of the elections, in accordance with the constitution and the planned schedule. It expresses its appreciation for the advice and technical support given to the Lebanese authorities by the UN Electoral Assistance Division. The Security Council also pays tribute to the crucial contribution of the international observers, notably from the European Union. In this regard, it welcomes the report of the EU observer mission and its conclusions regarding the satisfactory conduct of the four electoral stages.

The Security Council looks forward to the formation of a new government in the near future.  It stresses that the establishment of this government in accordance with the constitutional rules and without any foreign interference would be another sign of the political and sovereignty of Lebanon.

The Security Council reaffirms that the Lebanese people must be allowed to decide the future of their country free of violence and intimidation. It strongly condemns, in this context the recent terrorist acts in Lebanon, in particular the heinous assassination of former leader of the Communist Party George Hawi, and calls for their perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The Security Council reaffirms its profound commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous Lebanon. It underlines accordingly the need for the newly elected Lebanese authorities to exercise their full sovereignty over the entire territory, to preserve unity through national dialogue, to strengthen nation's institutions and to respect the principles of good governance, in the sole interest of the Lebanese people.

The Security Council calls upon the international community to stand ready to examine possible requests from the newly elected Lebanese authorities for enhanced assistance and cooperation, in support of a credible governmental program of political and economic reform.

The Security Council reiterates its call for the full implementation of all requirements of Resolution 1559 (2004) and urges all concerned parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary General to achieve this goal.

The Security Council also calls for the full implementation of Resolution 1595 (2005) looks forward to the cooperation of the newly elected Lebanese authorities in this regard.

The Security Council reaffirms its strong support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)