PRESS RELEASES
Ambassador Feltman met with President of the Lebanese Republic
Emile Lahoud
04 January 2005
Ambassador Feltman met with President of the Lebanese Republic
Emile Lahoud today, January 4, 2005. Noting our hopes that 2005
is a peaceful and prosperous year for the region, Ambassador Feltman
passed on New Year's greetings from the people of the United States
to the people of Lebanon.
Ambassador Feltman raised several bilateral issues with the President.
He also briefed President Lahoud on the January 2 visit of Deputy
Secretary of State Richard Armitage to Damascus. He noted that Deputy
Secretary Armitage had underscored in his meetings with the Syrian
President and the Syrian Foreign Minister the interest of the United
States in seeing UN Security Council Resolution 1559 fully implemented,
with a peaceful and orderly withdrawal of Syria's military and intelligence
forces from Lebanon.
Ambassador Feltman informed President Lahoud that Secretary Armitage
had emphasized in his Damascus meetings that the United States and
its international partners will watch Lebanon's spring parliamentary
elections closely and with great interest. The United States hopes
that, consistent with the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution
1559, the elections will be credible and free from foreign interference.
The United States believes that, to be credible, elections should
provide all candidates a fair opportunity to compete, free from
intimidation or the threat of violence.
The United States believes that Lebanon's spring parliamentary
elections, if fair and credible, are a superb opportunity for the
people and Government of Lebanon to show the world that Lebanon's
historic democratic traditions remain strong.
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