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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Bush, Chirac: International Tribunal Key to Lebanon Settlement |
| 2007-01-06 |
| The presidents of France and the United States have said the key to a settlement in the ongoing political crisis gripping Lebanon is the formation of an international tribunal to try suspects of the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri. U.S. President George Bush said the answer in resolving Lebanon's impasse was to move "as fast as possible" with the Special International Tribunal for Lebanon. Bush was speaking after a Washington meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday on reviving the Middle East peace process and promoting closer transatlantic economic ties. Merkel also supported the Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fouad Saniora. "We also want to strengthen, to bolster, the evolution of a strong Lebanon. We discussed this today, too, and we also discussed the measures that we think need to be taken," said Merkel. Bush has rejected calls to broaden the quartet's mandate to issues like Lebanon. French President Jacques Chirac, in a wide-ranging New Year's foreign policy speech on Friday, hailed Saniora's government measures recently announced that aimed to boost investment, increase sales tax and extend privatisation over the next five years. Chirac appealed to the Lebanese people to rally behind Saniora to "build their future regardless of outside interference Â… and look for the truth, particularly through the formation of an international tribunal." |
| Posted by:mrp |