Minister Dermot Ahern condemns assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D., has this afternoon condemned the assassination in Beirut today of the Lebanese Industry Minister, Pierre Gemayel.  The Minister said:

“I deplore and condemn in the strongest possible terms the assassination earlier today of Pierre Gemayel, the Lebanese Minister of Industry.  The killing is an appalling tragedy for Mr. Gemayel's family.  It would also appear to be a further challenge to the legitimate, democratically-elected Government of Lebanon. 

All parties in Lebanon and in the region now have a clear responsibility to act to stabilise the situation in the country, to focus on the work of reconstruction, and to ensure the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which is the basis for the ceasefire and the presence of the UNIFIL mission.  The Government and our EU partners are determined to maintain our support for the Lebanese people and their Government.

ENDS +++
21 November 2006
Press Office