Ban Stresses the Need for Lebanese Unity after Miqati Resignation

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United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged on Friday all sides in Lebanon to unite behind President Michel Suleiman in light of the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

He called on all Lebanese factions to unite and cooperate with state institutions in order to maintain stability and respect the Baabda Declaration.

In addition, he hoped that the people would support the army and security forces in bolstering national unity, sovereignty, and security.

Ban also called on Lebanese parties to maintain their policy of "disassociation" from the Syrian conflict, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement released late Friday.

Miqati announced his resignation on Friday night in light of the cabinet's failure to approve the decisions to form of an authority to oversee the parliamentary elections and extend the term of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi.

He said that all political powers “must assume their responsibilities in order to steer Lebanon away from the unknown.”

Reactions to Miqati's step were mixed with some sides calling for the formation of a salvation government and others condemning his step at such a critical time in the region and ahead of the parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for June 9.

Suleiman accepted the government's resignation on Saturday, tasking it with a caretaker role.

Comments 5
Default-user-icon kazan (Guest) 23 March 2013, 17:08

When our love to our children will win from our hate to our ennemy,only then we might be united .

Thumb chrisrushlau 23 March 2013, 17:53

The Secretary-General says that the International Community agrees that democracy is not what's best for Lebanon due to the majority of its citizens being Shias who are not human beings in the internationally accepted meaning of the word. Mr. Ban says that if evidence could be produced showing that Shias, and more generally Muslims, were humans, he would be the first to call on Lebanon to scrap the confessional system whereby the Christian minority is given half the seats in Parliament. "Show me," he says.

Missing helicopter 24 March 2013, 00:17

Shia are human, but HA is not Lebanese and not for Lebanon. Anyone with foreign allegiances should be jailed and not allowed to vote regardless of their leanings.

Missing alah 23 March 2013, 17:54

Ban, wise as usual, saying the right things at the right time, and minding his business, in that stability in Lebanon is of the interest of th UN and the world

Missing helicopter 24 March 2013, 00:19

Thanks .... You spoke for me. But I want to keep the hope alive. The hope that someday more of our citizens will wake up from their hypnosis and realize that the country needs their sanity and loyalty.