ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CONTINUES OFFICIAL VISIT TO LEBANON
Press Release
GA/9429
ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CONTINUES OFFICIAL VISIT TO LEBANON
19980812 (Delayed in transmission.)BEIRUT, 4 August -- The President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), who is now visiting Lebanon on official invitation of the Lebanese Government, held on Tuesday, a series of meetings with the country's leadership.
In the morning, the Assembly President met with Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, with whom he discussed a broad range of issues related to the situation in south Lebanon and the urgent need for the implementation of Security Council resolution 425 (1978), as well as the Lebanese Government's programme of reconstruction and the role of the United Nations and its various agencies in helping to bring stability to the area and to provide protection and humanitarian and development assistance to the population.
Later in the day, these issues also dominated his discussions with President Elias Hraoui and Foreign Minister Fares Bouez.
After his meeting with the Foreign Minister, the President of the General Assembly visited the United Nations House recently inaugurated in Beirut, where he addressed representatives of various United Nations agencies that have offices in Lebanon. In the evening, Mr. Udovenko met with Nabih Berry, the Speaker of the House. During his discussions with the country's leaders, and at a press conference he gave at the United Nations House, the Assembly President reiterated the need for the implementation of resolution 425 (1978) in all its aspects, drawing particular attention to the recent Security Council resolution that extended the mandate of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and to the presidential statement on the same subject. Mr. Udovenko also spoke highly of the successful efforts of the Government and people of Lebanon in the peaceful reconstruction of their country and expressed his gratitude to the Lebanese Government for the generosity and goodwill that had made it possible to establish the United Nations House in Beirut.
On Wednesday, 5 August, the Assembly President was scheduled to fly aboard a United Nations helicopter to the headquarters of UNIFIL in Naqoura, and to visit the Qana memorial site. The programme of activities also includes a visit to the City Centre to view reconstruction projects.
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