On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that “the assassination of one of the most respected figures among the Lebanese people in its modern history remains an irreplaceable loss for Lebanon and its friends around the world.”
“On February 14, the 18th anniversary of the assassination of a senior national figure, prominent politician, friend of Russia Rafik Hariri and a number of his comrades falls under a despicable act of terrorism in Beirut,” the embassy said in a statement.
“Rafik Hariri played an important role in reaching the Taef Agreement, which put an end to the bloody and devastating civil war in Lebanon 1975-1990. Being a sincere patriot, he exerted all his efforts and energies in the cause of rebuilding the homeland after the war. He visited Russia many times and made an impressive personal effort in strengthening and developing Russian-Lebanese friendship,” the statement concluded.
Source: National News Agency