Beirut/Brussels, 14/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - The assassination on Wednesday of Lebanese MP Walid Eido, his son and some of those accompanying him has brought reactions of indignation from Berlin and Brussels. The German presidency of the EU said it was “deeply shocked” and condemned “this attack in the strongest terms”. The EU presidency said that “the attack is another targeted attempt to destabilise Lebanon. This is unacceptable and will not succeed. The background to the bombing must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice”. It “calls upon all parties in Lebanon and the region to take a decisive stand against the violence and to refrain from everything that could further destabilise the domestic situation in Lebanon”. It goes on, “the country's political crisis can only be resolved through dialogue and with respect for democratic principles”. External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she was “deeply shocked by the heinous crime”. She urged “all Lebanese factions to immediately put an end to violence and to return to dialogue,” and she reaffirmed her support for Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
In Lebanon, the anti-Syrian majority accused the Syrian regime of being behind the attack. “It's the same murderer, the serial killer. It's the same killer, the Syrian regime.” Marwan Hamadé, the Lebanese communication minister, did not mince his words when saying who was guilty. He said Syria had wanted “to reduce the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority” ahead of the election of the new Lebanese president. Former President Amine Gemayel, whose son Pierre, a government minister and MP, was killed in November 2006, said that “what happened today means the court which is responsible for finding and punishing the killers has become even more important”. Lebanon and the international community are currently involved in the first stages of the international criminal court, formally set up to judge the murderers of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who was killed in February 2005. A special court for Lebanon, supported by the EU (see EUROPE 9436), has always been rejected by Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallen repeatedly pointing out that the court concerned only Lebanon and that “Syria will not give up its sovereignty”. On Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon promised he would help Lebanon to set up, “in due course”, the international court, a process that could take several months, according to UN diplomats. (fb/ab)