The Committee of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Wednesday convened at the House of Parliament, chaired by MP Fadi Alameh, in the presence of United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, along with Members of Parliament: Pierre Bou Assi, Salim Sayegh, Mark Daou, Ali Assi, Kassem Hashem, Haider Nasser, Michel Doueihy, Nasser Jaber, Nada Al Bastani, and Adnan Traboulsi.
In the wake of the session, Alameh stated, ‘We’ve held a meeting over Resolution 1701 with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka. There was an agreement with the UN envoy some time ago to dedicate a session to explain the concept of Resolution 1701 in terms of its role on the ground, sovereignty, and security. At the same time, there was a discussion about the need to change the existing status quo and perhaps the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and southern Lebanon, as an opportunity to reconsider the status quo that has existed since 2006. There was also talk about the necessity of activating the tripartite co
mmittee that existed to resolve disputed points and those who hope it will have a more effective role in the current circumstances.”
He added: “The focus was also on the necessity of returning to Resolution 242, and the need to implement it because it is the basis for the problems we see today in the region. We also discussed the Lebanese town of Shebaa Farms in detail, based on the information available to Her Excellency regarding the maps held by the United Nations, which were handed over in 2000 and are based on maps drawn up in 1966. Simultaneously there was emphasis on the need to expedite the election of a president for the Republic, because there is a need to sign treaties through which Lebanon can be present after the Gaza war.”
He continued: “Many committee members listened to the data they had and focused on the issue of Shebaa Farms being a matter of sovereignty, which the Lebanese agree upon, and therefore the United Nations should assist Lebanon in asserting this fundamental right.”
‘When we d
iscussed Shebaa Farms, Wronecka explained that seven out of the 12 points mentioned in any proposed solution have been agreed upon, and the rest require diplomatic efforts,’ Alameh added.
‘Wronecka also raised a question about the issue of UNRWA and the suspension of aid from supporting countries and reassured us that the funds available are sufficient until the end of March.
A committee has been tasked with fact-finding, and it is performing its role, hoping to issue a report in March in the hope of finding sources of funding and Lebanon not bearing more than it does today,’ Alameh concluded.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
