Prime Minister of Lebanon: UN Subject to Well Organised Campaign to Depreciate Its Role

The UN has been subject to "a well organised campaign aimed at depreciating its role," Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafiq Hariri said on Friday when addressing the students and teachers of the Moscow State University of International Relations. "Some people even foretell its end," the premier pointed out.

Hariri believes that the most important values of the UN are the settlement of conflicts by peaceful means, support of the right of peoples to self-determination, and respect of human rights. "The destruction of the institutions, which is taking place today, the institutions, in the creation of which the international community took an active part, is re-assessment of these values on which the present-day world is based," the prime minister stressed. According to him, only the interests of individual sides are being taken into account, and a threat is being posed to international peace and stability." Hariri noted that Lebanon firmly comes out for the UN to play the key and efficient role in settling international disputes, especially in the Iraqi crisis, in the future as well. He believes that this organisation should also have the leading position on the issue of Iraq's future, since "it embodies international will and ensures the right of Iraq to sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to dispose of its natural wealth." Hariri stated that the beginning of the war, despite all calls to solve the Iraqi issue peacefully, means ignoring the efforts of the international community. This is also projected to the UN where conflicts are being solved by peaceful means and where even weak states have the right to vote and find at least some justice.