SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON LEBANON

 

The following Security Council press statement on Lebanon was delivered today by Council President Peter Burian ( Slovakia):

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the 13 February targeted attacks on two public buses that killed at least three people and caused injury to several others in the north-east area of Beirut. They expressed their sincere sympathy and condolences to the families of those killed and injured and to the people and the Government of Lebanon.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the determination of the Lebanese Government to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this and other terrorist attacks.  They determined that this terrorist attack, which occurred on the eve of the second anniversary of the assassination of the former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, represented a new pernicious attempt to undermine security and all the efforts aimed at preserving stability in the country.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of any attempt to destabilize Lebanon, and recalled their determination to continue to assist the Government of Lebanon in the search for the truth and in holding accountable all those involved in this terrorist attack, as well as in other terrorist attacks and assassinations committed in Lebanon since October 2004. There must be no impunity for such heinous acts.

The members of the Security Council called upon all parties in Lebanon and in the region to show restraint and a sense of responsibility with a view to preventing any further deterioration of the situation in Lebanon.  They appealed to all Lebanese to continue to maintain national unity in the face of such attempts to undermine the country’s stability.

The members of the Security Council also appealed to all Lebanese parties to continue the political dialogue with a view to finding agreed solutions to outstanding issues.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their previous calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently for the full implementation of all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon, in particular resolutions 1559 (2004), 1595 (2005), 1636 (2005), 1664 (2005), 1680 (2006) and 1701 (2006).

The members of the Security Council requested the Secretary-General to continue to follow closely and report regularly to the Council on the situation in Lebanon.  They underlined their readiness to continue to act in support of the legitimate and democratically elected Government of Lebanon.

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For information media • not an official record