Security Council Welcomes International Support Group for Lebanon, Urges Swift Cabinet Formation

The U.N. Security Council has welcomed the mobilization of support by the International Support Group for Lebanon, which the country’s Ambassador to New York described as a reflection of the world body's commitment to protect Lebanon.

In a statement issued following a meeting the Council held on Tuesday, its members “welcomed” the support group's “successful mobilization of support for Lebanon to address the country’s humanitarian, security, and socioeconomic needs.”

“They encouraged continued efforts to rally support for Lebanon,” said the statement read out to the press by Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for November.

President Michel Suleiman hailed the statement, saying it was a sign of the international community's support for Lebanon.

The support group was inaugurated in New York in September on the sidelines of the 68th session of the General Assembly. It undertook to work together to mobilize support for the sovereignty and state institutions of Lebanon and to highlight and promote efforts to assist the country where it was most affected by the Syrian crisis, including in respect of strengthening the capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces, assistance to refugees, and structural and financial support to the government.

During its meeting, the Security Council “urged all parties in Lebanon to engage constructively to facilitate the formation of a government as soon as possible that respects Lebanon’s democratic and constitutional principles, responds effectively to the many security, humanitarian and development challenges facing Lebanon and fulfills Lebanon’s international obligations.”

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam has so far failed to form his cabinet over conditions and counter conditions set by the rival March 8 and 14 alliances.

Council members “expressed their deep concern at the impact of the crisis in Syria on Lebanon’s stability.”

“They appealed to all Lebanese people to preserve national unity in the face of attempts to undermine the country’s stability and stressed the importance for all Lebanese parties to respect Lebanon’s policy of disassociation,” said the statement.

The Security Council also urged the different parties “to refrain from any involvement in the Syrian crisis, consistent with their commitment in the Baabda Declaration.”

Suleiman said: “The statement demonstrates once again Lebanon's success in setting up a safety net of support for its stability, economy, and armed forces, as well as its efforts to resolve the problem of Syrian refugees.”

Lebanon's Ambassador to New York, Nawaf Salam, said the latest Council statement reflected the 15-member body's “resolve to protect Lebanon by adopting the support group which is not only an initiative launched by Secretary-General (Ban Ki-moon) but has renewed the political support for Lebanon and the policy of dissociation.”

Salam told An Nahar daily in remarks published on Wednesday that Lebanon will receive a share of the assistance that world powers will pledge during a Geneva conference on December 16 and the second donor conference hosted by Kuwait on January 15.