Plumbly Meets Salam: Recent Unrest Illustrates Need for Govt. Capable of Addressing Challenges

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly stressed on Thursday the U.N.'s keenness on Lebanon's stability and stability.

He said after holding talks with Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam that the recent security “developments illustrate yet again the need for a government capable of addressing the many challenges which Lebanon now faces.”

He highlighted the importance of a cabinet capable of keeping Lebanon safe, “that is why we encourage all parties to cooperate with Salam to enable the formation of such a government as soon as possible.”

“I take this opportunity to note our concern over recent events in the Bekaa, including the shelling on Hermel earlier in the week and the attack on Arsal on Wednesday, where there are of course local residents and also at present a high concentration of Syrian refugees,” Plumbly added.

“The U.N. in the past stressed and I would like to emphasize here now the importance of respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he continued.

In this regard, he noted the statements made by President Michel Suleiman and the Lebanese army on Wednesday.

The army announced that it will immediately respond to any further cross-border attacks by the Syrian military after a helicopter gunship attacked Arsal and injured one person on Wednesday.

"Army units deployed in the (Arsal) area took the necessary defensive measures to respond immediately to any similar violations," an army statement said, in a rare warning against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Suleiman later stated that Lebanon "has the right to take the necessary measures to defend its sovereignty," urging an end to the "Syrian violations" against Arsal.

Ever since the Syrian revolt erupted in March 2011, Arsal has become a key conduit for refugees and wounded people fleeing strife-torn Syria.

Security officials say the town has also served as a passageway for fighters and arms flowing into Syria.