Mouallem hopes for speedy establishment of the government

Source: nowlebanon.com, 30-06-2008

Al-Hayat daily quoted a well-informed source as saying that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem told the UN special envoy for the peace process in the Middle East, Robert Serry, during their meeting yesterday that he hopes the Lebanese can manage to establish the government as soon as possible.
"Serry said that the UN welcomes the positive developments in Lebanon after the Doha Agreement, the indirect negotiations between 'Israel' and Syria, and the calming of the situation in the Gaza Strip," the source said.

"Some of the things are fragile, and some others need to be strengthened, and the UN is ready to offer assistance in this regard."
The source also quoted Mouallem as expressing Syria's support for the Doha Agreement, which he said prevented Lebanon from entering a dangerous phase.

"Mouallem stressed on the need to carry on with the political solution, which is based on the Doha Agreement and includes the establishment of the national-unity government and the agreement over the electoral law," the source said.
"According to the agreement, Syria does not interfere in the repartition of ministerial portfolios, which is an internal matter that the Lebanese must agree on. We hope they reach an agreement soon," Mouallem said, according to the paper.

The source noted that Mouallem also raised the matter of Syrian-Lebanese relations, which he said must be established based on common interests.