Lebanon - Bernard Kouchner welcomes agreement to end crisis

Lebanon – Agreement to end the crisis - Communiqué issued by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs

Paris, 15 May 2008

I salute the agreement just reached in Beirut to end the crisis – an agreement under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Qatar and the Arab League – that marks the end of the violence that has plunged Lebanon into mourning in the last few days.

Since the beginning of the crisis, France and the European Union have condemned the acts of force and supported the Arab League’s mediation.

I welcome the return to normality on the ground and the reopening of Beirut’s international airport.

I want to reaffirm France’s support for Lebanon’s institutions, particularly the Lebanese government and army. Their efforts to maintain Lebanon’s unity, stability and sovereignty were decisive in creating the necessary conditions for ending the crisis.

This evening’s agreement is in line with our approach on a non-exclusive dialogue, which we have always championed as the only possible way to put an end to the political and institutional deadlocks that have for too long paralysed the Land of the Cedar.

France calls on all parties, both inside and outside the country, to make all the necessary efforts to ensure that the discussions beginning tomorrow will swiftly lead to a presidential election, the formation of a national unity government and the drafting of a new electoral law.

France, who has spared no effort to promote such a solution, naturally stands ready to support the dialogue under way./.

Lebanon – Friends of Lebanon statement

Paris, 12 May 2008

We, the Foreign Ministers and Representatives of Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, together with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke by phone today to address the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

We welcome the Arab League Initiative and its 11 May statement and intention to dispatch a delegation to Lebanon to lead a return to dialogue. We fully support the efforts of the Arab League, Qatari Prime Minister Hamid bin Jassim, Secretary-General Amr Moussa, and the delegation of the foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. We call for the immediate election of a president without prior conditions, the establishment of a national unity government, and the holding of general elections in conformity with an electoral law agreed upon by all parties, in accordance with the Arab League plan.

We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Lebanon, which threatens the stability of the country and the region. We are saddened by the loss of life since 7 May, and we express our condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Lebanon.

We call for the immediate cessation of fighting, the withdrawal of gunmen from the streets, the unblocking of roads, and the reopening of Beirut International Airport.

We express our strong support for Lebanese constitutional institutions, in particular the government and Lebanese Armed Forces. We reaffirm our strong support for the sovereignty, political independence, stability, and unity of the Lebanese State./.

Lebanon – Communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic

Paris, 12 May 2008

President Sarkozy spoke yesterday evening on the telephone to Mr Fouad Siniora, Lebanese Prime Minister, and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

The Head of State firmly condemns all the acts committed by armed groups over the past few days in Lebanon and those who instigated them. He calls for the unconditional cessation of violence and condemns all foreign interference in Lebanon.

President Sarkozy reaffirms France’s support for Lebanon, for that country’s legitimate government and security institutions, which must be able to carry out their task and have the monopoly of the use of force.

President Sarkozy calls for the immediate resumption of the dialogue in the context of the Arab League’s efforts to achieve a comprehensive sustainable solution based on respect for Lebanon’s democracy, independence, sovereignty and unity./.

Lebanon – Communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Paris, 8 May 2008

The situation obtaining in Lebanon since yesterday is worrying. France calls, more insistently than ever, for restraint in what is said and done and for the resumption of the dialogue in the institutional framework.

She reiterates her support for both Lebanon’s government and the army in the exercise of their missions and constitutional prerogatives, particularly with respect to maintaining the country’s stability and security.

France calls for conciliation and a peaceful resolution to the current crisis, resulting in a rapid return to calm, particularly by reopening the roads leading to the airport.

We are watching developments in the situation extremely closely particularly in order to ensure the safety of the French community.

France reiterates her deep commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and stability and to unity between every sector of the population of the country of the cedar tree./.