Suleiman from Romania: Lebanon to Work on Restoring Syria’s Membership in Arab League
President Michel Suleiman said Tuesday that Lebanon will exert efforts to restore Syria’s membership in the Arab League whose decisions are respected by Beirut no matter what its stance is.
“No matter what Lebanon’s stance is at Arab League summits, it commits itself to its decisions,” Suleiman said at a joint press conference with his Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu in Bucharest.
“We will work on restoring Syria’s membership in the Arab League” which “is not only for Arab regimes but for the Arab people,” he stressed.
“Lebanon’s stance has always been in favor of Arab consensus,” Suleiman told reporters, saying that no Arab country should be isolated.
The president also expressed keenness on finding a solution to the Syrian crisis as soon as possible.
The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in November. But Lebanon voted against the decision.
“Lebanon will attend the next Arab League summit and will take the appropriate decision depending on the resolutions that will be adopted,” he stressed.
Suleiman also said he asked Basescu for Romania’s contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and stressed on preventive diplomacy as a solution to conflicts.
He reiterated the rejection of Lebanese authorities to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon.
On bilateral cooperation, Suleiman said he agreed with his counterpart to consolidate economic and cultural collaboration between the two countries.
The foreign ministries of the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding and preparations are underway to sign a deal to cooperate in the education, cultural and sports fields, Suleiman said.
Basescu, in his turn, vowed to consolidate the Lebanese army by providing it with ammunition. He also said Romania will seek to increase the number of scholarships provided to Lebanon students.
Suleiman arrived in Romania at the head of a ministerial delegation on Monday.
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