Suleiman to U.N. General Assembly: Lebanon Committed to U.N. Resolutions, STL
President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday stressed Lebanon’s commitment to international legitimacy and the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was established in 2007 by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1757 to try those responsible for the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.
Speaking at the opening of the annual U.N. General Assembly summit of world leaders, Suleiman said: “According to its constitution, Lebanon is a democratic, parliamentary republic built upon freedom of expression and belief and its people is the source of authority.”
“It has committed itself to these principles and to the participation of all sects in public affairs, despite the wars, and it is committed to the resolutions of international legitimacy, including those related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” the president added.
Addressing the situations in the region, Suleiman said “a just, comprehensive solution must be imposed in order to resolve the all the problems in the Middle East according to the principles of international legitimacy and the Madrid Conference,” adding that “it is time for an understanding between the Orient and the West.”
Commenting on the popular uprisings gripping the Arab region, Suleiman warned against “sliding into sectarian mini-states.”
Separately, he said Lebanon is still waiting for the unveiling of the fate of Imam Moussa Sadr and his companions, who went missing in 1978 while on a trip to Libya.
And he said that Israel “should pay compensations and be condemned for its attacks on Lebanon, including its (2006) bombardment of the Jiyeh power station,” which caused a major oil spill and an environmental disaster in the eastern Mediterranean.
“Lebanon’s commitment to UNSCR 1701 requires stopping Israel’s violations, its withdrawal from the occupied territories and the halting of its threats against Lebanon,” the president added, noting that “we reserve our absolute right to liberate our land with all available means.”
“We also stress our right to benefit from our natural resources without any (Israeli) threats,” Suleiman went on to say.
He thanked the nations contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying “we can’t but strongly condemn the attacks against the Italian and French contingents.”
“We are persistently working on unveiling the perpetrators and bringing them to justice,” Suleiman noted.
Suleiman also threw Lebanon's backing behind the Palestinian drive for full U.N. membership as a state.
"It is important to underscore the rightful Palestinian efforts aiming at earning the recognition of the state of Palestine and its full membership to the United Nations," he told the U.N. General Assembly.
"Lebanon will back these efforts in order for the latter to succeed with the coordination and cooperation of brotherly and friendly countries," Suleiman added.
Lebanon is a non-permanent member and currently holds the presidency of the U.N. Security Council.
President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, which is also a current non-permanent member of the Security Council, earlier called for a state of Palestine to be fully represented at the United Nations.
The Lebanese and Brazilian stands challenge U.S. efforts to prevent the Palestinians from obtaining the nine of the 15 U.N. Security Council votes needed to approve their request, to be made Friday, to become a full member U.N. state.
Diplomats said such a majority is not guaranteed. No vote is yet planned in the Security Council which will first have to examine any application.
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