Lebanese president, premier confers with EU special envoy
Lebanon-European Union, Politics, 1/13/2004

Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud on Monday said Syria and his country have a united policy over the Middle East situation, adding both states seek to boost stability in the region. President Lahoud said during a meeting with the EU envoy to the Mideast peace process, Marc Oti, that threats and pressures would neither change the convictions of Syria and Lebanon, nor affect their national and pan-Arab stances.

He pointed out to the necessity of resumption of the peace process from the point it stopped at, reiterating that the Arab peace initiative endorsed by Beirut Arab summit is still the basic foundation for the revival of the deadlocked peace process.

The Lebanese President said Israel's Sharon policy exploits the Sep. 11 attacks, and the U.S. elections, to win illegal political and military gains, and impose a de facto situation in the region.

For his part, Oti said in a statement that he briefed President Lahoud on the objective his regional tour that led him so far to several countries, stressing the EU interest in working with all Arab states to implement the international resolutions and bring peace back to the region.

He voiced the European bloc's readiness to do its best to secure any mechanism that could lead to the resumption of negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. he also praised Syria's stance over the Middle East peace process.

Earlier, Oti told reporters following a meeting with the Lebanese Premier Rafiqc Hariri that his Beirut visit is "part of regular consultations with our Arab partners." He added he reviewed with Hariri the latest developments in the region and Europe-Lebanon relations.

Previous Stories:
  Lahoud confers with Solana on ME Peace   (9/4/2003)
  Italian presidency of the European Union condemns Hizbullah party   (8/13/2003)
  EU-ME special envoy in Lebanon   (8/4/2003)

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