Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour told the Voice of Lebanon radio station ( VOL) on Sunday that Lebanon’s decision to abstain from voting on the UN Security Council presidential statement (pertaining to the brutal crackdown against the pro democracy protesters in Syria) was an appropriate step, adding that Lebanon cannot take a decision that opposes Syria.
Mansour who headed to Syria today said: “Lebanon’s abstention from voting did not harm any of the countries.”
Mansour added that Lebanon’s decision does not necessarily mean there will be a confrontation with the international community.
He also denied talks that Lebanese Ambassador to the UN Nawwaf Salam will resign from his post.
March 14 MP Ahmad Fatfat said in an interview with Al-Jumhuriya newspaper published on Friday that he urged Lebanon’s ambassador to the UN, Nawwaf Salam, to resign because Lebanon abstained from voting on the UN Security Council presidential statement pertaining to the brutal crackdown in Syria.
Fatfat said that Lebanon’s abstention “shocked the country.”
He also said that the move “placed Lebanon in disagreement with the international community.”
The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown against protesters and called for those responsible for violence to be held “accountable.”
Lebanon did not block the adoption, but disassociated itself from the document.
Several March 14 officials and religious leaders criticized Lebanon’s vote at the UN
Commenting on mansour’s visit today to Syria former minister Hassan Mneimneh said: This visit is natural for a government that was formed by Syria and Hezbollah. He stressed that Hezbollah and Syria are making all the cabinet decisions
Mneimneh told VOL on Sunday that this visit comes after Lebanon’s shameful stance at the UN security council .
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