Brussels, 17/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Lebanon and the EU held their 5th Association Council meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday 15 June. The meeting brought neither final statement nor press conference. According to one diplomatic source, it was just a routine annual meeting to take stock of cooperation, with no real problems.
Most of the work had already been reviewed in the five sub-committees set up in the second half of 2009. There are sub-committees on transport, energy and the environment, including water; customs cooperation and taxation; economic and financial issues; the internal market; and industry, trade and services. Three others were set up in 2010: justice and security; human rights, democracy and governance; and agriculture and fisheries.
On the economic level, the EU congratulated Lebanon for the considerable effort it made to ensure macro-economic stability in 2009, despite domestic and external pressure, but it noted that several reforms had not progressed.
The EU repeated that it lays great store by the political dialogue institutionalised by the Association Agreement and noted with satisfaction that the recent general elections had passed off well. The EU called on Lebanon to continue with the reform of electoral law and said it was ready to support future efforts to bring Lebanese electoral procedures into line with recognised international standards. Reform has to continue, the EU said, especially towards independence of the conduct of elections. The introduction of pre-printed ballot papers would substantially improve the electoral process. €2 million has been promised to fund the reform of the electoral system in Lebanon.
The EU also hailed the formation of a government of national unity and encouraged it to step up its efforts to implement the reforms. The EU welcomed the normalisation process for relations between Lebanon and Syria, and encouraged the two parties to make further progress. At the same time, it reiterated its support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was set up following the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, and called for all members of the international community to lend it their support and to cooperate fully with it. The EU also noted the efforts made by Lebanon to improve management of its external borders. The EU is willing to help it put in place a national strategy. Lebanon was called on to extend its authority over its own soil by means of its armed forces, and the EU and its member states are willing to consider fresh requests for assistance from the Lebanese armed forces. The EU highlighted the role of UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, including its maritime component, which is continuing to fulfil its mandate successfully and is contributing to the maintenance of peace in Southern Lebanon, an area under Hezbollah authority.
Also discussed was the issue - of great sensitivity for the Lebanese - of the status of the Palestinian refugees. The Lebanese fear a political solution in the Middle East will be achieved to their detriment, with uprooted Palestinians remaining in Lebanon. The EU, without prejudging the outcome of peace negotiations on issues relating to the final status, was pleased to note that the Lebanese authorities had pledged to continue to improve the economic and social situation of the Palestinian refugees. The EU called on Lebanon to take steps to improve living conditions in the camps, changing the law, if necessary. (F.B./transl.rt)