The Daily Star, Lebanon
April 2 2004

Hariri describes the situation in region as ‘complicated’
Prime Minister speaks out on visit to Armenia

By Karine Raad
Daily Star staff

Prime Minister Rafik Hariri described the situation in the region as
“complicated and difficult,” but that a solution was not impossible
if there was a true will to respect international laws.

Hariri said that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories
was a dangerous move that could detonate the region at any minute,
stressing that peace was always possible if Israel implemented the UN
resolutions.

The premier arrived on Thursday in Armenia where he was welcomed by a
delegation of Armenian officials led by the Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Gargarian and Lebanon’s Ambassador to Armenia Gabi Geara.

A meeting was held at the Armenian government headquarters for the
Joint Lebanese-Armenian Governmental Committee.

Armenian Deputy Speaker Tigran Torossian praised Armenian-Lebanese
relations and called for consolidating ties on the political,
economic and commercial levels.

Torossian said both countries were linked by historic ties and hoped
obstacles would be removed to allow the implementation of bilateral
agreements.

Hariri applauded the role Armenians played in developing and
rebuilding the economy and industry in Lebanon after the civil war.
He said that agreements between the two parliaments required the
contribution of the private sector.

Commenting on the regional situation, Hariri condemned the latest
developments in Iraq and Palestine. The premier said that Israel was
trying to evade the implementation of UN resolutions, he said that
Lebanon’s relations with states across the world were excellent
except with Israel because of the latter’s occupation of Lebanese,
Syrian and Palestinian territories.