Minister of International Development Erik Solheim and Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen will visit Lebanon this week to take a closer look at Norway’s military and civilian assistance to the country.

The joint visit is intended to highlight the need for an integrated approach to military and civilian assistance.

“Peace operations and assistance for reconstruction are both equally important in order to create lasting peace in a country following a war,” said Mrs Strøm-Erichsen.

The ministers will travel via Cyprus, where they will be visiting the Norwegian naval vessels and UNIFIL’s naval base in Limassol today.

In Beirut the ministers will have talks with representatives of the Lebanese authorities. The political situation in Lebanon has been difficult since the war with Israel last summer and has deteriorated following the resignation of six cabinet ministers last November.

“We are concerned by the tense situation, and call on all parties to seek a peaceful solution to the political problems the country is facing. Lebanon’s stability and security are important for the whole region,” said Mr Solheim.

The ministers’ programme includes meetings with Minister of Defence Elias Murr, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, Director General Berj Hatjian of the Ministry of Environment

During their talks they will discuss issues connected with the reconstruction of Lebanon, including how Norway can assist the country in addressing its environmental challenges. Last year, Norway provided financial support for oil spill response channelled through the Emergency Response Department of the Norwegian Coastal Administration, and for UNEP’s post-conflict environmental assessment. Norway is in the process of entering into cooperation with Lebanon under the Oil for Development programme. Environmental concerns will be of great importance in this connection.

The Norwegian Minister of International Development will also meet Mr Mohammad Raad, chairman of Hezbollah’s parliamentary group. Hezbollah will take Mr Solheim for a tour of the southern districts of Beirut, where he will also meet Palestinian refugees in the Shatila refugee camp. There are an estimated 400 000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and Norway will continue to support humanitarian relief organisations’ work among the refugees in 2007.

The ministers will also travel to Southern Lebanon to visit the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, where they among others will meet Norwegian officers. Norway is providing assistance for the clearance of land mines and unexploded cluster munitions, and the ministers will also visit Norwegian People’s Aid’s cluster munitions clearance operations in Tyre.

Mr Solheim will travel from Lebanon to the donor conference for Lebanon, which will be held in Paris on 25 January. Mrs Strøm-Erichsen will travel to Israel for talks with Israeli Minister of Defence Amir Peretz and others.

Photos from the visit to Lebanon will, by agreement, be made available to the press.

Press contacts

For the Minister of International Development:
Deputy Director General Aud Lise Norheim, tel. 48 26 83 69
Information Adviser Wera Helstrøm, tel. 99 40 93 23.
For the Minster of Defence:
Acting Press Spokesman Kåre Helland-Olsen, tel. 90 94 70 71