The Secretary-General met today in Beirut with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri together with Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank, and Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al-Madani, President of the Islamic Development Bank.

The Secretary-General and Speaker Berri discussed the continued impact on Lebanon from the Syria crisis. The Secretary-General underscored the United Nations and international community’s unwavering strong support to Lebanon’s stability and security, as also demonstrated by the London Conference commitments and the United Nations presence in the country.

The Secretary-General commended the Speaker’s efforts to promote dialogue between political groups. He expressed his hope that, in addition to defusing tensions, the ongoing dialogue processes would help end the presidential vacancy. He reiterated the calls of the Security Council and the International Support Group for Lebanon for the urgent election of a President.

The Secretary-General stressed the continued importance of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) ten years after its adoption. Welcoming Lebanon’s commitment to resolution 1701, the Secretary-General urged further efforts by the parties to achieve progress towards its full implementation.