VARIOUS: International reaction condemns assassination of Lebanese Industry minister, Pierre Gemayel

U.S. President George W. Bush strongly condemned the assassination of Lebanese Christian Cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel on Tuesday (November 21) and U.S. officials suspected a Syrian role in the death. The slaying of Gemayel, an outspoken critic of Syria, was another setback to the Bush administration's aspirations for stability and democracy in the Middle East. Washington's view of Lebanon as an example of an emerging democracy in the region has already been shaken by the summer war between Israeli and Hezbollah guerrillas and the ensuing political crisis in Lebanon. Speaking to U.S. troops stationed in Hawaii on the way home from a trip to Asia, Bush called for a full international investigation to "identify those people and those forces behind the killing." "Today we saw again the vicious face of those who oppose freedom. We strongly condemn the assassination today in Lebanon of Pierre Gemayel, who was a minister in the government of Prime Minister Siniora . We support the Siniora government and its democracy, and we support the Lebanese people's desire to live in peace. And we support their efforts to defend their democracy against attempts by Syria, Iran and allies, to foment instability and violence in that important country. I call for a full investigation of the murder to identify those people and those forces behind the killing," Bush said. Bush stopped shortly of assigning blame to Syria and Iran for the killing, but made clear who he was thinking about. Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afri said on Tuesday (November 21) that Syria condemned the assassination of Lebanese Cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel and had no involvement in the "horrible crime." "Syria have nothing to do with this. Syria is affected directly or indirectly from such crimes, horrible crimes committed and perpetrated on the Lebanese scene. We have been working very seriously with all those who have good faith toward encouraging the Lebanese to sit together to find out a solution to all their problems around the table, the round table of the national reconciliation. We have no interest to perpertubiate, perpetuate, the national reconciliation process in Lebanon," Ja'afri told reporters outside the UN security council. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton called on states in the region to support the Lebanese government and assist in an investigation to find those behind the killing. "We are confronted with what appears to be yet another terrorist assassination in Beirut. It's a very great tragedy and it's certainly our thoughts are with the family of Pierre Gemayel. But this also makes clear that we have to support the democratic forces in Lebanon against this politically motivated assassination. This is not the way to change a government," said Bolton. He asked that countries in the region to support the Lebanese government. Bolton also hinted at Syrian involvement in the killing of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel by gunmen who opened fire on his convoy near Beirut. He pointed to a string of recent assassinations of anti-Syrian political figures in Lebanon following the February 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri after Hariri spoke out against Syria's domination of Lebanon. "I think the facts need to be developed but if you look at the reports of Serge Brammertz over the months, the evidence that links the Hariri assassination to the other political assassinations...I think people can draw their own conclusions," he said. Gemayel's shooting came as pro-Syrian Hezbollah and its allies prepared to take to the streets to try to topple the government of anti-Syrian Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. It also coincided with the UN Security Council's consideration of the plan for an international tribunal to try suspects in the murder of Hariri and the other recent assassinations, which UN investigators believe are related to Hariri's death. During a Security Council meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Riad Mansour the Palestinian Observer to the UN expressed condolences on behalf of the Palestinian people and governing authorities. "I would like to convey on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership, to the Gemayel family and to the people of Lebanon and the government of Lebanon our deepest condolences for the tragedy and the crime that has been committed this morning in Lebanon. We are confident that our sisterly nation of Lebanon is strong enough to withstand this crime and to move ahead in what is really great things for the great people of Lebanon," said Mansour. Shortly after, before presenting his country's plea to the UN security council, Israel's UN ambassador Dan Gillerman also expressed his country's regrets. "I would like to start by expressing the condolences and the sorrow of the people of Israel for the people of Lebanon for the death of another member of the Gemayel family that has paid over the years so dearly for its moderation, pluralism, and liberalism. This is just another sign of how extremism, fundamentalism are taking its toll in our very very tough neighbourhood, and how the Lebanese people as a whole and that particular family are paying a high price. We all know where that extremism stems from and we all know whose fingerprints are so apparent in this pattern of assassinations. And we wait for the day where moderation and common sense will prevail in Lebanon as well as in our region," said Gillerman. Speaking in Brussels, Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy Chief said that those responsible for the attack must be found and tried. "I am appalled and I want to condemn with all my energy the assassination of Pierre Gemayel, a young man who has worked to have a Lebanon free and independent. I want to see with all my soul the responsible of this horrible crime brought in front of justice. And I want to remember at this point with all my heart of the many people who have been fighting for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon. Some are still fighting and some others unfortunately have been killed like him," said Solana. Gemayel was among the members of the Lebanese Cabinet to have voted last week to approve the UN plan for the tribunal. The vote came after the resignation of six opposition Cabinet members, throwing the Siniora government into crisis. Lebanon's pro-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, had immediately protested that the vote by the Siniora government was illegitimate. NP/JRC/

ITN Source | November 22, 2006

Tags:. .extremism. .ensuing. .sorrow. .topple. .convoy