Yemen’s Ambassador to Lebanon:”Resolution on Lebanon shows Arab weakness” [Archives:2004/770/Front Page]
By Walid Al-Saqqaf
Yemen Times Staff
Beirut – Sep 2nd – Yemen's ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Mohamed Abdulmajeed Qubaty stated that Arab lobbying and efforts in the United Nations were greatly overwhelmed by that of the USA and its allies, who have succeeded in passing the security resolution denouncing Syrian involvement in Lebanese politics. He expressed Yemen's stance in opposing the resolution, but he also stressed the fact that the incoherence, disunity, and weakness of Arab countries has contributed to this result.
He also emphasized Yemen's clear position in rejecting the resolution and opposing foreign interference in another country's internal affairs. “Yemen's position from the very start was that this issue is purely domestic and neither the USA nor any other country should interfere in relations between two sovereign countries. This stance comes in harmony with the Lebanese official stance”, Dr. Qubaty added.
Lebanon itself also rejected the resolution as its parliament had, in the recent referendum, approved extending the term of current Lebanese President Emil Lahhud for three more years by a majority vote.
The ambassador added that there is now greater concern that more similar resolutions could be passed in the near future if no action is taken. “When we see that this resolution on Lebanon was preceeded by the resolution on Darfur, Sudan, and the resolution on Iraq, we begin to become concerned that Arab influence is diminishing in the international arena in this so-called new world order.”
Complete interview on Community page.
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