United Nations Radio

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the formation of a government of national unity in Lebanon.

Ban Ki-moon

In a statement issued late on Monday, he expresses his satisfaction that, five months after the parliamentary elections of 7 June, Lebanese political leaders have been able to reach agreement on the formation of a cabinet.

The Secretary-General hopes that Lebanese political leaders will continue to work together in a spirit of unity, dialogue and cooperation.

He calls on the new Government of Lebanon to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.

That resolution adopted in 2006 called for a total cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hizbollah and mapped out a formula for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.

The Secretary-General urges the new Government of Lebanon to quickly take up the challenges that remain to consolidate the sovereignty of Lebanon.

 He also calls on the government to build the institutional capacity of the Lebanese state, as called for in Security Council resolutions and in the Taif Agreement of 1989 which formed the basis for ending the civil war in Lebanon.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
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