PARIS, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the global community must support Lebanon's efforts for economic and political reconstruction.
"Political stability has to be the bedrock on which we consolidate economic recovery and reconstruction," Ban said, pointing to an unsustainable debt level at 180 per cent of the gross domestic product as one of the fundamental obstacles to the country's recovery and long-term development.
"I call on Lebanon's neighbors to fully respect its unity, independence and sovereignty. Lebanese democracy can only work if its leaders are free to make decisions and pursue reconciliation without fear of external pressure or interference," he told the international Lebanon donors conference in Paris Thursday.
Ban urged all parties and communities in Lebanon to engage in meaningful dialogue and avoid recourse to violence and intimidation.
"The only hope for stability lies in the path of national dialogue and reconciliation," he said as demonstrators rioted on the streets of Beirut.
The long planned conference became even more urgent following last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah.
"Today the Lebanese people are once again being tested. Their response will help to determine not only the future of the country but also the prospects for a broader peace in the Middle East," he said.
