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March 31, 2006 |
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AL-SINIORA IN RIYADH: THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES IS KEEN ON GOOD RELATIONS BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN SYRIA AND LEBANON. COMPREHENSIVE OFFICIAL AND POLITICAL MEETINGS DURING LARSEN VISIT'S TO BEIRUT. LARSEN CALLED ON SYRIA TO "FULLY COOPERATE" TO DEMARCATE ITS BORDERS WITH LEBANON, ESPECIALLY IN THE DISPUTED AREA OF SHABAA FARMS. LARSEN: "WHEN LEBANON AND SYRIAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT THEY CAN GO TO THE U.N. FOR A RESOLUTION, UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THE BLUE LINE MUST BE RESPECTED." The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz al Saud received Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and latest developments in the region. Aspects of cooperation and ways of enhancing them in the interest of the two countries and their brotherly peoples in all fields were also reviewed. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence: Prince Abdulaziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, advisor to the King: Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Bin Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor to the King: Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and Chief of the Court of the Cabinet's Presidency And Dr Musaed Ibn Mohammed Al-Eiban, Minister of State and Cabinet's Member. Lebanese Premier Fuad Al-Siniora commended the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz for his interest in and support for Lebanon in various fields. In a departure press statement, he pointed out that his visit to the kingdom was for consultations, deliberations and briefing the King on the outcome of Lebanese dialogue conference. Al-Siniora noted that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is keen on good relations based on mutual respect between Syria and Lebanon. The Lebanese Premier said that he expressed a desire to meet Syrian officials to settle all outstanding matters through initiatives by the two countries since they are neighbours having between them the history, the present, the future and interests. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud held at his farm at Al Janadriya on the outskirts of capital Riyadh a meeting with Syrian Vice President Farouk Al-Shara. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and latest developments at the Gulf, Arab, Islamic and international arenas particularly the developments of the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq. They also reviewed during the meeting aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them for the interest of the two countries and their brotherly peoples in all fields. The meeting was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister: Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence and Syria's Ambassador to the kingdom Ahmed Nezam Aldin. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz al Saud received a message from King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The message was delivered to the monarch during his audience here today with Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mohamed Ben Eisa. The minister also conveyed to the monarch the greetings of the king Mohammed VI. In turn, King Abdullah sent his greetings to the king of Morocco. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister and Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation And Inspector General, received at his farm Syrian Vice President Farouk Al-Shara. At the outset of the meeting, the Minister conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of President Al-Assad of Syria. In turn, Crown Prince Sultan sent his greetings to the President. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and latest developments at the Gulf, Arab, Islamic and international arenas particularly the developments of the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq. They also reviewed during the meeting aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them for the interest of the two countries and their brotherly peoples in all fields. The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Nizar Bin Obeid Madani, senior royal protocol and Syria's Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmad Nezam Aldin. Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora met with French Ambassador, Bernard Emie, who said that Siniora's talks with European foreign ministers gave them the opportunity to support the Lebanese government as well as the political and economic reform program. Emie also reiterated his support for the national dialogue. In Beirut and following a series of high-level meetings, senior U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen departed Lebanon saying he is encouraged that the country is charting the proper course towards stability and urged all concerned to forge ahead in unity. The boat that is Lebanon is now well on its way across the ocean, said Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen. All the oarsmen must continue to row together and in complete unison, for the sake of the boat's safety and successful journey. He stressed that the Lebanese will be guided by the North Star of their Taif Agreement as well as Security Council Resolution 1559, which supports its aims. By doing so, the Lebanese are also moving into what is truly a new historical era: that of sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and political independence, he said. Mr. Roed-Larsen said we all are witnesses of history in the making, as we observe the National Dialogue and the subsequent implementation of the agreements reached and stressed that at this juncture, the Lebanese must look ahead to the implementation of these agreements and to the new dawn that is breaking. The remnants of the past must not tie them down. Mr. Roed Larsen said he was heartened by his three days of talks with senior officials in Beirut. I am much encouraged by what I have heard and what I have seen here in Lebanon. He also repeated his support for the National Dialogue now being undertaken in Lebanon, calling it truly historic and unprecedented. He noted in particular agreements reached through the process, including on the need to delineate the border with Syria and to establish formal diplomatic relations. This should take place as soon as possible, he said. He also noted recent statements by Syrian Vice-President Farouq Sharaa that the Shabaa Farms are Lebanese territory, a conclusion also reached by the UN Security Council in 2000. However, the envoy added, if both Lebanon and Syria agree that this is the case, and ratify an agreement to this effect through due process, which they deposit with the United Nations, then the international community will not only recognize, but also support this fact. Mr. Roed-Larsen also lauded the agreement on the arms of Palestinian militias outside the camps, calling it a tremendously significant and important step towards the implementation of resolution 1559. The matters of Hezbollah and the Palestinian militias and their arms should generally be dealt with through dialogue and consensus, guided by the Taif Agreement, which ended the infighting and communal violence among the Lebanese, and resolution 1559, he added. Mr. Roed-Larsen's trip to Lebanon came on the heels of a 20-day tour of the capitals of the permanent members of the Security Council and Arab countries. He is scheduled to return to New York to brief UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and prepare a report to the Security Council. During a press conference at the end of his visit UN special Larsen said that Hezbollah can integrate into the Lebanese army. "We do not think it is possible to go to south Lebanon and the Bekaa and disarm Hezbollah, but we think it is possible to integrate Hezbollah arms inside the Lebanese army." Larsen stressed that Hezbollah is now represented as a political party in Parliament and the cabinet, and their integration into the army would enhance Lebanon's military. All Lebanese militias were disbanded following the end of the 1975-1990 civil war, but Hezbollah, which is considered by the Lebanese government as a resistance movement fighting to liberate Lebanese land from Israel, still maintain its arms. Larsen called on Syria to "fully cooperate" to demarcate its borders with Lebanon, especially in the disputed area of Shabaa Farms. Israel captured Shabaa Farms from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, but Lebanon is now claiming the area as Lebanese territory. Hezbollah has also vowed to continue fighting Israeli troops inside the area until it is liberated. "Syria has implemented a good part of UN resolution 1559 by withdrawing from Lebanon last April. It is now required to establish balanced relations with its neighbour and have an official diplomatic representation in the country," Larsen said. Special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen has stressed that a U.N.-delineated line separating Lebanon and Israel is still the official borderline recognized by the world body. Roed-Larsen, said at a press conference that the identity of the Shabaa farms was a matter to be resolved between Lebanon and Syria. "When the two countries come to an agreement then they can go to the U.N. for a resolution. Until that happens, the Blue Line must be respected," the envoy said. UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen strongly urged Lebanon and Syria to "demarcate their borders and establish diplomatic relations as a way of reducing tensions between the two countries." Roed-Larsen, who met with top Lebanese officials including Speaker Nabih Berri, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and Justice Minister Charles Rizk, said that it was paramount for leaders of the two countries to agree on their shared borders. "It is now the time, and urgently, for the parties to sit down and decide, and whatever the outcome is we will support it," Roed-Larsen said after his meeting with Salloukh. "I re-emphasize a border agreement cannot be done by the UN. It can only be done by two sovereign states. It is now urgent for representatives of Syrian and Lebanese governments to sit down and agree on that boundary," he said, adding the UN will lend all the support it can for such an exercise. Roed-Larsen also added that tensions between Lebanon and Syria would only be defused through diplomatic channels. "The best way to do it is through civilized, normal diplomatic relations," he said. He also criticized as "deeply regrettable" repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace. "We will again protest as clearly as we always do these violations of Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty," he said. Roed-Larsen, who arrived in Beirut at the end of his regional tour, also met with Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis. Roed-Larsen had met with Premier Fouad Siniora after paying respects at the grave of late former Premier Rafiq Hariri. Roed-Larsen, who is set to present his report on the progress of implementing Resolution 1559 to UN chief Kofi Annan on April 19, has over the past few days visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan. Roed-Larsen also commended the speaker for being able "gather Lebanese leaders to the dialogue table," and thanked him for the "great job he is doing for his country." Speaking following the meeting with Roed-Larsen, Geagea said the tensions between Lebanon and Syria was because there are "issues pending" between the two countries. "If these issues are solved, and the most pressing is the issue of Shabaa Farms, it will help a lot in defusing the tensions." Geagea said he and Roed-Larsen"did not discuss the issue of the Lebanese presidency," an ongoing demand by the March 14 Forces and one of the two main issues being discussed in the Lebanese national dialogue. In meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Terje Roed-Larsen lauded the initiative to dispatch a ministerial-level delegation to Palestinian refugee camps. The Norwegian diplomat emphasized that the UN was in full agreement and support of the integrated approach the cabinet was pursuing, stating that it was important to view issues relating to the Palestinian militias in Lebanon not only through the lens of security, but also take into account political, social, and economic factors. Mr. Roed-Larsen called on the international community to lend its assistance to the Government's engagement to improve the conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Also, the envoy held talks with Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat; Phalange party leader and former President Amine Gemayel; FPM leader General Michel Aoun; Ghassan Tueni, the father of murdered MP Gibran Tueni; former Prime Minister Najib Mikati; former MP Suleiman Franjieh and a number of other Lebanese political representatives. During all his discussions, the UN Special Envoy emphasized again the historical significance of the ongoing National Dialogue in Lebanon, which was guided by the Taif Agreement that the Lebanese were now seeking to implement. Mr. Roed Larsen, whose mandate derives from Security Council Resolution 1559, said that text was a reflection of the Taif Agreement and was the international reiteration of the Agreement, which was negotiated among the Lebanese in 1989. The UN diplomat also reiterated his view that dialogue and partnership between Lebanon and Syria were indispensable in moving forward, and that the most urgent items on the agenda were now the demarcation of the common border between the two neighbouring countries and the establishment of formal diplomatic relations. |
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