Looking forward to transparent and democratic parliamentary elections in Lebanon
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, praising several Arab states for their work toward reconciliations, promised that the “UN will remain your partner in these efforts. We will make efforts to ensure further developments [in the region].”
Ban told Arab leaders gathered for the opening session of the Doha Summit, “The Arab community is facing the repercussions of the global financial crisis and those of armed conflicts,” noting that the “Gazans are still suffering. I call for reinforcing the ceasefire and opening all border crossings.”
He said that “the international community is convinced that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict does not only need to be resolved, but it should be permanently settled.
He said that security is missing in the Arab world, while calling on Israel to “stop its settlements in Palestine.”
He said that he would “make efforts to prioritize the Arab Peace Initiative to ensure a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.”
Ban expressed his support the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and said he was “looking forward to transparent and democratic parliamentary elections in Lebanon scheduled for June 7.”
He noted that major progress was being made on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in addition to related resolutions, despite the fact that some issues still needed to be resolved.
“Lebanon prevented the repercussions of the Gaza crisis,” he added.
“I share with you your concerns about the repercussions of the world financial crisis on the Arab community,” he said.