Secretary Clinton's Phone Call with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman

Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, October 20, 2010.
Secretary Clinton called Lebanese President Michel Sleiman earlier today to reaffirm the strong commitment of the United States to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and stability and the Obama Administration’s steadfast support for the development of strong and effective Lebanese state institutions. The Secretary also spoke about recent political developments in the region, including the troubling rise of tensions in Lebanon, and reconfirmed the importance to the United States of Lebanon’s stability and independence and to building strong state institutions through our security and economic assistance programs. The Secretary also underscored that the U.S. fully endorses the UN Secretary-General's recent statement that the Special Tribunal’s efforts must go forward without interference, and she emphasized that efforts to discredit, hinder, or delay the Tribunal’s work should not be tolerated.