By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France and the secretary-general of the Arab League have held a meeting to discuss the situation in Lebanon which required “special attention” because of the threats the recent developments in that country represented both to its own future as well as to regional security.
The ministers, Saudi’s Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Egypt’s Ahmad Abul-Geit and France’s Bernard Kouchner, as well as the Arab League’s Amr Moussa, stressed Late Wednesday the “utmost importance for all the Lebanese” as well as “regional actors” and the wider international community to “firmly stand in the face of the ongoing assassinations targeting members of parliament.”
They welcomed the meeting Tuesday of Lebanese members of parliament and the contacts between majority, opposition and spiritual leaders in the quest for the required understanding around the Lebanese dissensions.
They welcomed the decision to convene the next session of parliament on Oct 23, 2007. They also addressed an urgent appeal to political forces in Lebanon to resume their national dialogue with the specific aim of reaching an agreement on the election of a new president of Lebanon who should work to safeguard the sovereignty and political independence of the country.
They stressed at the same time the “absolute necessity of respecting the timeframe” determined by the Lebanese constitution for holding the presidential elections, which shall be conducted without any outside interference or pressure, in order to preserve the stability of Lebanon.
They further stressed that the contribution of different regional and international actors in helping Lebanon conclude the presidential elections peacefully may help usher a new chapter in regional relations.
They expressed in this regard their readiness to consider any Lebanese request for assistance in achieving its objectives.