Brussels, 22/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - Lebanon and the EU met in Brussels on Tuesday 19 February for a session of the Association Council co-chaired by Matjaž Šinkovec, the Secretary of State to the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, and Tarek Mitri, the Lebanese interim Foreign Minister, against a backdrop of which the seriousness was reiterated.
“We reaffirmed our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and stability of Lebanon”, said the Slovenian Secretary of State, after the meeting. He added that both parties were committed to “achieving the same goal: creating peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East. A comprehensive solution is needed”, said the President of the Council. Previously, he had affirmed the “precious nature” of the relations of the EU with Lebanon, which are based on shared objectives and principles, both specifically and regionally, including a shared assessment of the Iranian nuclear threat. However, the EU is “concerned by the spiralling violence” and the breakdown of the Lebanese institutional system. The EU believes that this breakdown is “unacceptable” and calls for a “spirit of compromise”. At the same time, the EU urges Syria to respect the sovereignty of its neighbour country and to conduct normal relations with it. The President of the Council also voiced the support of the EU for the Arab peace plan for Lebanon.
Mr Šinkovec also congratulated Lebanon on its correct implementation of its reform programme, as it was able to use the funds made available to it, both under “Paris III”, an international support programme, and directly from the EU, “flexibly”. This verdict was returned despite the problems encountered by Lebanon in absorbing a considerable amount of the resources allocated, due, Tarek Mitri explained, to the “political deadlock”. This situation is the result of “the inactivity of the Parliament over the last 15 months”, a reference to problems faced in appointing a Head of State, and which can also be explained by the fact that half of the government is standing down and, as a result, seen as illegitimate by the opposition. In spite of this “legislative breakdown”, the outgoing government led its country, but failed to obtain the support required to implement certain planks of the programme agreed with the EU and the international donors, the Lebanese minister explained. Mr Šinkovec welcomed the reform process in Lebanon: “the country has achieved a number of performance targets in the macroeconomic field”. Lastly, the Slovenian Secretary of State welcomed the partnership with the country as part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. The action plan has been implemented since January.
Overall, the Lebanese minister confirmed, it was a “good meeting”, which lent support to the government team in its chosen policy lines. Mr Mitri also voiced his hopes that the deadline (set at 26 February) for the election of a presidency would see an end to the crisis. “This will allow Lebanon to attend the forthcoming Arab Summit on 29 and 30 March and to set the country back on track”, its economy and its institutions alike, said Mr Mitri. “If, by misfortune (no decision is reached by the meeting of 26 February), the presidency of Lebanon remains unfilled, the government will take on the prerogatives of Head of State”, said Mr Mitri. (F.B.).