Paris, Rome Ready to Help Lebanon Organize Elections
France and Italy announced their willingness to help Lebanon organize its June 7 legislative elections and send election observers.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini in a joint interview with the French daily Le Monde on Tuesday said: "Lebanese democracy must be protected."
"In this regard we are ready to if the Lebanese authorities want to help organize this election and guarantee its proper path, by sending election observers to ensure a transparent and free election based on international democratic standards," the ministers said.
Both ministers praised the establishment of Lebanese-Syrian diplomatic relations.
In mid-February the European Commission announced a 4 million Euro grant to Lebanon to help organize the parliamentary elections. Moreover, the Jimmy Carter Foundation proposed sending observers to monitor the Lebanese elections.