Lebanese premier gets message from Blair

Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss on Tuesday received a message from his British counterpart, Tony Blair, conveyed by British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Derek Fatchett, in which Blair expressed best wishes for the success of the new Lebanese government.

Following the meeting Fatchett stressed his country's support for Lebanon in implementing UN resolution 425. He said that that Britain and its partners in the European Union are exerting efforts to resume peace negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

Fatchett described his talks with al-Hoss as "very successful," stressing that his country together with the EU will continue pressures toward achieving peace and justice for the people of the region.

The British minister said the prevailing atmosphere in the region is that things are frozen in the region due to the forthcoming Israeli elections. He stressed that immediately following the Israeli elections and the formation of a new government in Israel, it will be on top of priorities of the British government to revive, once again, the Middle East peace process especially on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud on Tuesday discussed with British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Derek Fatchett the situation in south Lebanon and the question of peace in the region. Talks also dealt with bilateral relations between Lebanon and Britain.

Earlier, speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri reviewed with Fatchett developments on the regional arena and bilateral relations.