Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-03-08-Speech-2-194"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050308.21.2-194"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, we are all still reeling here from the shock of the barbaric murder of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which also took 18 lives and injured hundreds of people. We are certainly unanimous in calling for a united response based on a combination of principles and action.
President Bashar al-Assad announced last Saturday that his troops would be withdrawn from Lebanon in two phases. This came in response to demands by France and the United States in particular, but also reflected the pressure of international opinion and that of the Lebanese people. This represents a first step towards the military withdrawal that should have taken place years ago. It also represents a first step by Syria towards the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559. We should take account of this first step, but remain firm and unyielding in our demands for the future. Our road map here is Resolution 1559 as a whole, and we must first and foremost ensure that it is implemented rapidly and in its entirety.
That means Syria totally withdrawing from Lebanon, to allow that country to regain its sovereignty and rapidly organise free and democratic elections, in response to the unanimous aspirations of the Lebanese people, whose concerted action and desire for freedom are most impressive.
The European Union must also remain highly vigilant in view of the evolving political situation in Lebanon. Many speakers have mentioned Hezbollah, but what is also needed now is a government. On the other hand, even if a date for the parliamentary elections has not yet been set, it would be advisable for them to be held in the presence of international observers, particularly observers from Europe. What is more, we need to maintain pressure on the Lebanese authorities to continue to cooperate fully with the UN commission of inquiry, so as to investigate thoroughly the circumstances surrounding the attack on 15 February. The reasons for the murder and its perpetrators have yet to be clearly identified. It was an attack on the entire population of Lebanon, regardless of religion or political persuasion. It is out of the question that Lebanon should continue to be associated with the images of division, occupation and violence that we have now witnessed for three decades. The European Union should give its full support to the Lebanese people so that they can regain their liberty. That is the message that this House should forcefully and unanimously convey."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples