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International community condemns assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-22-2006 08:43

The international community has been quick in condemning the assassination of the Lebanese Christian cabinet minister, Pierre Gemayel. Many world leaders are calling for a full investigation into the killing and a speedy process to identify the perpetrators.

Lebanese Industry Minister shot dead. Full Story >>

George W. Bush, the US president said, "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. I call for a full investigation of the murder to identify those people and those forces behind the killing."

Palestinian UN observer, Riad Mansour said, "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."

EU Foreign Policy Chief, Javier Solana said, "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."

US ambassador to UN John Bolton said: "We are confronted with what appears to be yet another terrorist assassination in Beirut. It's a very great tragedy and 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."

Syrian ambassador to UN Bashar Ja'Afari said: "Syria has nothing to 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 towards encouraging the Lebanese to sit together and to find out a solution to all their problems around the roundtable of the national reconciliation."

British prime minister Tony Blair said: "We condemn this murder utterly. It is completely without justification at all. We need to do everything we can, particularly at this moment to protect democracy in Lebanon and the premiership of Prime Minister Saniora."

Israeli ambassador to UN Dan Gillerman said: "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 neighborhood."

 

Editor:Wang Ping