Plumbly Meets Berri, Contacts Hariri, Stresses Importance of Holding 'Fair' Elections on Time
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly emphasized on Thursday the need for the various political powers in Lebanon to agree on a new parliamentary electoral law.
He said after holding talks with Speaker Nabih Berri: “We underlined the importance the U.N. attached to the conduct of free and fair elections in the prescribed time for democracy and stability in Lebanon.”
He also welcomed the speaker’s efforts to promote agreement between political parties on the electoral law.
The discussions also covered the crisis in neighboring Syria and its impact on Lebanon and Lebanese and international efforts to address the influx of refugees, added Plumbly.
He welcomed Lebanon’s response to this massive humanitarian challenge and informed Berri of the steps the U.N. is taking to assist Lebanon in this regard in the coming period.
The Lebanese political powers have so far failed in reaching an agreement over a new electoral law, with discussions focusing on a hybrid law that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.
A subcommittee aimed at studying a new law is set to hold a final meeting on the matter on Friday in a hope to reach an agreement over a law ahead of the elections that are set for June.
Plumbly later telephoned former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Plumbly also visited the tomb of the late Hariri in Beirut to pay his respects.
Following the visit, Plumbly said that the anniversary “underlined the importance of achieving justice in Lebanon.”
“The country had suffered tragically from repeated assassinations and attempted assassinations, including in the past year,” he stated.
The U.N. continued to underscore the need to bring those responsible to justice and to put an end once and for all to impunity in Lebanon.
Hariri was killed in a massive car bomb in Beirut on February 14, 2005.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon set up to try his assassins had accused four Hizbullah members of being linked to the crime.
It is expected to kick off trials in March.
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