EU foreign policy chief comment on Lebanon

Описание: (13 May 2008) SHOTLIST

1. Exterior of Council of the European Union building
2. EU High Representative Javier Solana arriving
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Javier Solana, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy:
"We are following very closely the events in Lebanon, we are very, very worried about this situation, and I think that everybody has to use restraint, and act in a constructive manner for Lebanon. I do know the problem, Lebanon has a problem that comes from some time, 18 months. Without opening the parliament, 18 months without, several months without the election of the president, this is something that is very difficult to understand for us, and therefore that has to change and I would like very much to have a president elected, the sooner the better, and to stop this wave of violence that has arrived in Lebanon. We support the legitimate government of Lebanon, this is something we have done and will continue to do."
4. Cutaway of Solana speaking to reporters

STORYLINE

The EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, on Tuesday said the European Union was "very worried" about a surge of violence in Lebanon and urged restraint.

Lebanon is caught in rising violence between government loyalists and the Hezbollah-led opposition that has killed more than 50 people in the last few days.

Violence erupted last week when Lebanon's government decided to sack the chief of airport security for alleged ties to Hezbollah, and also declared the militant group's private telephone network illegal.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said the decisions amounted to a "declaration of war".

On Tuesday, Solana said the EU bloc supported the country's legitimate government.

"Lebanon has a problem that comes from some time, 18 months. Without opening the parliament, 18 months without, several months without the election of the president, this is something that is very difficult to understand for us, and therefore that has to change and I would like very much to have a president elected, the sooner the better, and to stop this wave of violence that has arrived in Lebanon," Solana told reporters in Brussels.

"We support the legitimate government of Lebanon, this is something we have done and will continue to do," he added.

Lebanon has been without a president since Emile Lahoud's term ended in November.

The divided parliament has agreed on army chief Michel Suleiman as a consensus president but has failed to elect him because the government and the opposition are at loggerheads over power-sharing and the shape of the future Cabinet.

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