Lebanon: UN envoy holds talks with parliamentary leader

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon today held discussions with one of the country’s senior parliamentary figures as part of UN efforts to promote an end to the current deadlock on the forming of a national unity government.

Michael Williams met with General Michel Aoun, the leader of the Reform and Change bloc in the Lebanese Parliament, with their talks focused on the delays to the formation of a government, the UN spokesperson’s office reported.

Lebanon held nationwide elections in June but its lawmakers have been unable to agree since then on the composition of a unity government, including a cabinet.

Mr. Williams said today after his discussions with Gen. Aoun that Lebanon is expected to soon take over one of the rotating seats on the Security Council

“This is a very important role for Lebanon, which requires a fully functioning government that can follow up on many important international issues,” he said.

In a meeting with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on the margins of the General Assembly today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed concerns over stalled efforts to form a unity government while congratulating Lebanon on its peaceful democratic progress over the past year.

Mr. Ban also voiced serious concern over recent rocket fire from southern Lebanon into Israel, as well as disappointment at the lack of progress on the Israeli withdrawal from parts of the village of Ghajar, which lies north of the Blue Line separating the two countries. He pledged to take up the issue with Israel along with its flights over the Blue Line in violation of resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict between Lebanon and Israel.