Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Lawrence Silverman Visits Lebanon
March 12, 2013 Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Lawrence Silverman continued his visit to Lebanon today and met with senior officials to discuss the political, economic and security situation in Lebanon and other regional issues.
Mr. Silverman had meetings with former President and Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Jean Kahwagi, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, Deputy United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Robert Watkins, and March 14 political leaders.
In his meetings, Mr. Silverman welcomed the efforts of Lebanese leaders to reach consensus and uphold Lebanon's democratic and constitutional principles, and stressed the need to hold parliamentary elections on time. He called for all parties to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon's stability and security and praised the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces in working with political leaders to maintain peace and stability.
Mr. Silverman further recognized the upcoming anniversary of the Cedar Revolution on March 14 in response to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others on February 14, 2005. He noted how a string of political assassinations and assassination attempts have followed since, including most recently the October 19, 2012 assassination of Internal Security Forces Major General Wissam al-Hassan. He reconfirmed the United States' condemnation in the strongest terms of the use of assassination as a political tool, reiterating that Lebanon must close the chapter of its past and bring an end to impunity for political assassinations and other politically motivated violence.
He renewed the United States' commitment to a stable, sovereign and independent Lebanon.
Mr. Silverman had meetings with former President and Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Jean Kahwagi, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, Deputy United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Robert Watkins, and March 14 political leaders.
In his meetings, Mr. Silverman welcomed the efforts of Lebanese leaders to reach consensus and uphold Lebanon's democratic and constitutional principles, and stressed the need to hold parliamentary elections on time. He called for all parties to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon's stability and security and praised the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces in working with political leaders to maintain peace and stability.
Mr. Silverman further recognized the upcoming anniversary of the Cedar Revolution on March 14 in response to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others on February 14, 2005. He noted how a string of political assassinations and assassination attempts have followed since, including most recently the October 19, 2012 assassination of Internal Security Forces Major General Wissam al-Hassan. He reconfirmed the United States' condemnation in the strongest terms of the use of assassination as a political tool, reiterating that Lebanon must close the chapter of its past and bring an end to impunity for political assassinations and other politically motivated violence.
He renewed the United States' commitment to a stable, sovereign and independent Lebanon.
posted by DELTA BLOG at 10:34 AM
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