Ban in Report on UNSCR 1559 Urges End to Presidential Vacuum
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon reiterated his call on all Lebanese leaders to work without any further delay for the election of a new president and work for the nation's interest.
According to An Nahar daily published on Friday, Ban expressed his growing concern over the continued failure to elect a head of state in his semi-annual report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.
The report has not been published yet on the website of the U.N.
The presidential vacuum caused a more delicate situation in the country amid security, economic and humanitarian challenges, Ban said in the report prepared by Norwegian diplomat Terje Roed-Larsen.
According to An Nahar, the report criticized the intentional move to create lack of quorum at parliament.
Ban hoped that the Lebanese leaders would take advantage of the relative stability to work in favor of the national interest.
He also urged MPs to exercise their rights and attend parliament to elect a new president without further delay.
“The Lebanese people have the right to have a head of state who contributes to the unity and stability of the country and resolves issues that have tangible effects on all Lebanese,” the U.N. chief said.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since May last year when President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended.
The majority of the March 8 alliance's MPs have been boycotting the sessions set for the election of a president under the excuse that there should be consensus on a candidate first.
Resolution 1559, which was adopted in September 2004, calls for a sovereign Lebanon, the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country and the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias.
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