Sleiman and Jordanian king agree on need for full implementation of 1701
Jordan and Lebanon on Sunday called for "full implementation" of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended hostilities in the 2006 war between Lebanon and Israel.
King Abdullah and visiting President Michel Sleiman "stressed the importance of the full implementation," the royal palace said in a statement, without elaborating.
"It is important to intensify all efforts in order to face any possible threat to Lebanon”s security, stability and sovereignty," it quoted the pro-American king as telling Sleiman.
The resolution demanded the pullout of the Israeli Army from South Lebanon and its replacement by a UN-backed Lebanese Army deployment.
It also called for the disarming of all armed groups in Lebanon – an allusion to Palestinian resistance groups as well as Hizbullah – and a halt to arms smuggling.
Sleiman, who will conclude his trip to Jordan on Monday, held talks with the king on the Middle East peace process as well as ways to boost economic links between their countries, the palace said.
The president arrived in Amman on Sunday afternoon. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, Energy Minister Alain Tabourian, Environment Minister Antoine Karam, and other officials.
On Saturday, Sleiman had received a US congressional delegation at the Presidential Palace. The delegation was headed by Democrat Gary Ackerman, who chairs the House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.
The delegation also included Congressmen Jeff Flake (Republican) Joe Wilson (Republican) Brian Higgins (Democrat), and Ron Klein (Democrat).
Ackerman said after meeting Sleiman that the recent election of President-elect Barack Obama would not affect the United States” "support" for Lebanon.
"Obama”s election will not roll back US support to Lebanon”s unity, independence, and sovereignty," he said. "Despite all speculations, there is a kind of consensus between the Democrats and Republicans regarding this issue and I expect no changes in our policy."
Ackerman also said the visit was to assure the United States” "friends in Lebanon" that the new administration”s policy in the Middle East would adhere more firmly to diplomacy and negotiations without putting Lebanon”s future in jeopardy.
"I am also looking forward to working with the next administration to upgrade the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces," he said. "The LAF had proved itself on more than one occasion and I believe that it deserves our support as well as that of the international community."
The US delegation also met with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the Presidential Palace shortly ahead of a Cabinet session on Saturday, as well as parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri and the LAF”s commander, General Jean Kahwaji.
Ackerman said after meeting Hariri that the possibility of holding talks between the US and Syria would not alter the course of the international tribunal to try suspects in the murder of Hariri”s father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Ackerman reiterated that improved ties between the US and some countries in the region would not be at the expense of Lebanon.
The delegation left Beirut on board of a US military jet to Cyprus after meeting Kahwaji.