Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-03-08-Speech-2-199"
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"en.20050308.21.2-199"2
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"Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, Mr President, Lebanon is in the process of writing a new page in its history, and against that background we need not only to be vigilant, but also to play an active political role.
I personally once again vigorously condemn the use of violence as a political tool. The murder of Mr Hariri represented an unacceptable escalation of violence. The vital international inquiry must do everything possible to shed light on those responsible for seeking to destabilise Lebanon and creating a climate of terror.
I wish to congratulate the Lebanese people on the massive scale and fervour of their popular mobilisation, regardless of religious affiliations, in support of full sovereignty for their country. They are looking to the European Union to support their fight and we must not let them down. In this respect, full and rapid implementation of Resolution 1559 is of course a key priority.
Yes, we need to do everything to re-establish a strong, democratic and sovereign Lebanese state and to disarm all the armed militias. Yes, we need to aim for the withdrawal of all foreign forces, but at the same time we cannot forget the issue of the Golan Heights and the Shebaa farms. The situation in Lebanon must not be decoupled from the general situation in the Middle East. An overall and just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is vital, and we must give our support to the new Palestinian leader. And yes, the question of the future of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and elsewhere is crucial: the issue of their return must form part of a global settlement.
Furthermore, the successful experience of the election in Palestine illustrates the advisability of having European observers present, and I hope that the Lebanese Government will accept this offer. I accordingly support the Commission’s exploratory initiative.
Lastly, I wish to stress the need to seek a positive outcome and the prospect of peace in the region as a whole. Syria and Lebanon both have everything they need to develop alongside each other, within the framework of a partnership with the European Union, of our association agreements and our European Neighbourhood Policy. When the time comes it will therefore be up to us to take appropriate initiatives in this context."@en1
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