Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and the outstanding endeavors by the Arab League and H.E. its Secretary-General. We congratulate Lebanon on the election of H.E. President Michel Suleiman and the formation of a government of national unity. It is our hope that this will put an end to armed conflict among Lebanese, that efforts to embark on a comprehensive national dialogue will be expedited and that the Lebanese Government's endeavors to extend its authority over all Lebanese territory will be crowned with success. We also welcome the agreement between Lebanon and Syria on the exchange of diplomatic representation, the demarcation of their borders and normalization of their relations. We reiterate our support for Security Council resolutions 1757 and 1701 and call for rapid Israeli withdrawal from the Shebaa farms area which Israel itself acknowledges to be occupied territory. Mr. President, Effective resolution of the problem of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction requires the renunciation of double standards. We therefore emphasize the importance of turning the entire Middle East, including the Gulf region, into a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction. In fact, Israel is the only country in the Middle East which is armed to the teeth with all types of weapons of mass destruction that are totally exempt from any form of control. --More
