Lebanon, 2005

Mr. President, first of all, I

would like to congratulate you on your election as

President of this session of the General Assembly and

to thank your predecessor, Mr. Ping, for all his efforts

during his tenure. I would like also to thank the

Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for all his

endeavours in seeking the preservation of this great

institution’s integrity as well as world peace.

This year’s session of the General Assembly

comes days after a landmark meeting of world leaders

at which they adopted a blueprint that aims to increase

the efficiency of the United Nations in the prosecution

of human rights abuses and in the preservation of

world peace and security. Moreover, that instrument

calls on all to move forward with a much-needed,

comprehensive programme of reforms at the United

Nations, including in the Security Council.

This clearly demonstrates our faith in the primacy

of the role of the United Nations in the preservation of

world peace, as the embodiment of our collective

desire and will, and as the legitimate body for crisis

resolution within the framework of every individual

State’s sovereignty.

Truly, the only way out of this dangerous impasse

is a return to a multipolar world order, based on the

rule of international law and justice and on respect for

every nation’s sovereignty. Moreover, such a wise

approach should be complemented by serious and

concerted efforts to fight poverty and oppression and,

consequently, the root causes of terror.

The core values of a democratic and just world

are best served by enhancing the capabilities of the

United Nations and its instruments, and by reinforcing

in-house democratic values. This institution should

remain the primary defender of such human values as

freedom, justice and peace.

The advances in telecommunications and

information technologies, signature traits of

globalization, have led to a withering of geographical

boundaries, along with a strengthening of multinational

corporations, and hence the need for a new approach to

tackling our world’s problems in international

relations. The “crumbs” from the rich nations have

become insufficient to satisfy the needs of a third

world seeking to extract itself from backwardness and

to eradicate poverty and disease. Those ailments have

spread beyond the boundaries of the great development

divide and serve as a stern wake-up call and a ticking

bomb for us all to heed.

That is why it is imperative to call for a serious

and urgent dialogue between North and South, for

rapid and eased transfer of technological advances and

capital, and for bolstering the development of those

nations that seek modernity. Moreover, it is crucial to

encourage interaction and cooperation between

developing States through such forums as the summit

that was held in Brasilia last May, where Arab nations

met the nations of South America. Lebanon looks

forward to the follow-up meetings of the Brasilia

summit, considering the importance of cooperation

between those two important geographic blocs.

At this juncture, it is logical to ask whether

extremism, terrorism and wanton violence against

innocent civilians are the by-products of the

environment of seclusion and deprivation. In view of

the rapid spread of terrorism, we feel that the approach

to countering the plague of terrorism remains

superficial and unable to tackle the root causes of the

plague.

Having suffered the awful consequences of that

plague, Lebanon was always a bellwether in

condemning all terrorist acts around the world. That is

because few nations have so endured and continue to

endure the consequences of that evil. That is why we

know that an effective anti-terror campaign requires an

environment of constructive cooperation worldwide,

remote from politically motivated campaigns of

vilification, and as a platform for a clear definition of

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terrorism, remote from the wilful or unintended

conflation of the inalienable right of people to fight

occupation and acts of wanton terror.

Therefore, and in order to conclusively win the

war on terror, the security approach should be

complemented by mid- and long-term approaches

aimed at resolving political crises in order to deprive

the terrorists of all legitimacy. That is why tackling the

problems of oppression and occupation, along with

bolstering development, education and the attainment

of a better life, will surely lead to shrinking the human

pool that feeds extremism.

For decades now, the Middle East has witnessed

conflicts and unresolved disputes and, as a

consequence, has been subject to the festering wounds

of terrorism. Needless to say, the core of the problem

remains the fact that Arab lands are still under

occupation in spite of the many resolutions of

international legitimacy, many adopted in this very

edifice, calling for an end to occupation.

The immediate implementation of those

resolutions, as well as General Assembly resolution

194 (III) — which affirms the right of return of the

Palestinian refugees to their lands confiscated by Israel

and bars the resettlement of the uprooted Palestinians

in their host countries — remains the only way to

defuse and to dry up the wells of extremism. That will

pave the way to a comprehensive, just and peaceful

settlement in our region, as foreseen in the 1991

Madrid peace summit and the implementation of the

land-for-peace principle.

Those principles of peace were confirmed as a

strategic choice by all Arab leaders during the Beirut

Arab summit of 2002. Sadly, the initiative has yet to be

seized upon to resolve regional conflicts and to achieve

a final and peaceful settlement in the Middle East.

Awaiting the historic resolution of the conflict,

Lebanon commends the United Nations Relief and

Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

for all that it does, and calls upon the international

community to bolster its capabilities in order to

alleviate the hardships of the Palestinian refugees in

their places of “temporary” residence.

The daily Israeli violations of Lebanon’s

territorial integrity and aggressions against the people

of South Lebanon have made that important part of my

country yet another point of tension in the Middle East.

Israel’s violation of the Blue Line and its continuing

occupation of parts of my country, along with the

imprisonment of scores of our citizens without any

recourse to due process, are in clear violation of

international law, to say nothing of the lethal hardships

faced by our citizens in the freed areas of South

Lebanon due to the thousands of land mines planted by

Israel during its two-decade occupation of South

Lebanon.

My country continues to adhere to a

comprehensive and just peace settlement, to the

principle of non-aggression, and to respect for human

rights, and yearns for the implementation of all

international resolutions towards those ends. In the

meantime, we cannot but value the role played by the

United Nations in South Lebanon through the United

Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) — a role

that has been extended to and benefited Lebanon for

almost three decades. Our clinging to the UNIFIL

presence emanates from our commitment to peace and

security, pending a final resolution of the conflicts in

the region.

Here, I would like to avail myself of the

opportunity to salute the UNIFIL forces active in South

Lebanon, to thank them for their sacrifices, and to bow

in memory of the fallen peacekeepers.

Lebanon has long endured Israel’s wars and

occupation, despite a Security Council resolution

calling for the immediate cessation of the occupation.

Alas, Israel ignored that resolution for over two

decades. That gave birth to a staunchly national

movement of resistance and defence of Lebanon’s

territorial integrity, as guaranteed by the Charter of the

United Nations under the right to fight occupation.

Despite the persistence of all the aforementioned

conditions of occupation, violations and aggressions,

and due to Lebanon’s adherence to all resolutions of

international legitimacy — an adherence based on a

clear understanding of the world community’s

demands — the Government of Lebanon launched an

internal dialogue between all Lebanese groups in order

to maintain our unity, security and stability, and to

reinforce our internal and international positions. We

look forward to maintaining that rapport with the world

community in order to achieve those noble goals.

Since the historic reconciliation at Taef, Lebanon

has enjoyed over a decade of stability and tranquillity,

quickly recapturing its regional pre-eminence and its

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pioneering role as a land of religious tolerance — an

example to follow in the dialogue of civilizations.

Moreover, Lebanon has enjoyed an unprecedented

level of economic revitalization and has been able to

forge iron-clad unity in its armed forces and civil

institutions.

However, Lebanon has recently gone through

some horrific and fateful events, one of which — the

assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri —

constitutes the hardest blow in its modern history. That

assassination caused great grief for our nation, and the

repercussions were felt throughout the world. We look

forward to the timely and prompt disclosure of the

International Inquiry Commission’s results of the

investigation into that heinous act, and we thank the

Security Council for consenting to Lebanon’s request

to appoint such a Commission.

Moreover, Lebanon appreciates the great efforts

undertaken by the Inquiry Commission in its search for

the truth, and will afford the Commission all the

support that it needs in order for us to prosecute the

culprits to the full extent of the law. That underlines

the commitment of Lebanon and of the world

community in the fight against terrorism.

Despite the abominable assassination of Prime

Minister Rafik Hariri and the ensuing national malaise,

we were able to conduct exemplary parliamentary

elections, which have been heralded by most observers

as yet another landmark in the democratic history of

Lebanon.

United Nations and international monitoring

officials testified that those elections were held in

accordance with the highest standards. Consequently, a

Government of national unity has been formed, which

has taken upon itself the task of immediately tackling

Lebanon’s internal and external affairs, within the

framework of a serious dialogue aimed at achieving a

national consensus and the preservation of what we all

desire, namely, Lebanon’s stability and national unity.

The new Lebanese Government is determined to

undertake a comprehensive plan of reform that will

encompass all political, administrative and economic

aspects, and as a first step it has established a much-

needed consultative national body to formulate a new

electoral law that will live up to the recommendations

of the European Union’s delegated commission.

Moreover, the Lebanese Government looks

forward to the valuable support of the United Nations,

and conveys the gratitude of the people of Lebanon.

Finally, we commend the precise follow-up provided

by the World Bank and the International Monetary

Fund for the rebuilding of a solid national economy.

From this rostrum, we set forth Lebanon’s

struggle for freedom, justice and the rule of law. It has

been Lebanon’s fate to walk this path in a region of

festering, decades-long conflicts and disputes. As such,

it has ended up paying an exorbitant price in wars,

occupations and assassinations. But Lebanon has been

relentless in its devotion to what is good and right, and

has always been able to defeat the forces of sedition

and destruction.

Today, we owe our moment of triumph to our

perseverance and to the international community’s

commitment to Lebanon. We ask that you take our

hand, once again, as we cross the threshold from fear

and war to hope and peace.