UK queen voices “deep respect” for Lebanese
President Michel Sleiman started Wednesday his three-day official visit to Britain with a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The Lebanese president, who was accompanied by first lady Wafaa Sleiman, held talks with Britain”s queen, who expressed her "deep respects" to Lebanon and the Lebanese.
The British monarch told Sleiman that she had urged British NGOs "to provide necessary help to alleviate the pain of the Lebanese."
Sleiman also met Wednesday with Britain”s Defense Secretary John Hutton. The Lebanese president will hold talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Thursday.
Lebanon”s first lady also held a series of meetings on her first day in London. She held talks with representatives from several NGOs, including the British Lebanese Friendship Association, the United Lebanon Foundation, and the Give a Child a Toy association.
British Foreign Office spokesman Barry Marston lauded Sleiman”s role since his election last year. He told pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat in comments published Wednesday that the president "is personally playing a fundamental role in bringing together points of views of different Lebanese parties."
Lebanon has witnessed "positive changes" in the past nine months, according to the Foreign Office spokesman.
Marston added that Sleiman would also discuss with British officials the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, stressing that Britain wants the Lebanese to know London "considers it [the court] very important for achieving justice."