Canada welcomed Lebanon”s new national unity government, hoping it would spell an end to the country”s long political crisis, emphasizing it would have "no contact" with the Hizbullah-led opposition.
"Canada congratulates Prime Minister Fouad Saniora on forming a new Lebanese cabinet, and offers our full support to him and his government," Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson said in a statement.
He called the new administration "another important step … toward ending the political crisis" in Lebanon.
However, Emerson said Canada would abstain from any contact with the Hizbullah "an organization listed as a terrorist entity under our Anti-Terrorism Act."
"While Canada will have full contact with Prime Minister Saniora and non-Hizbullah ministers, we will maintain our principled policy of having no contact with Hizbullah officials," he added.
Lebanon announced a 30-member national unity government on Friday after weeks of negotiations between the country”s political rivals, and more than a year-and-a-half into Lebanon”s political crisis.
A May 21 accord allocates 16 cabinet seats to the Western-backed parliamentary majority and 11 to the opposition led by Hizbullah, giving it veto powers.