Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre

Paris Conference on Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform of Lebanon

Paris, 25 January 2007

French version of the speech

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Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Secrétaire général, Messieurs les Premiers ministres, Chers collègues, Mesdames et Messieurs,

Cette conférence intervient à un moment crucial pour le Liban et le Moyen-Orient. Le Gouvernement libanais et le peuple libanais ont besoin d’un soutien politique et une aide massive pour amener à bien ses efforts de redressement. Je salue le Président Chirac et le Governement Français ainsi que le Gouvernement Libanais du Premier Ministre Siniora pour convoquer cette conférence à laquelle la Norvège rend tout son soutien.

Mr President,

This conference must follow up on the pledges and direction adopted in Stockholm in August last year.

Since Stockholm there have been important signs of progress, emerging reconstruction and the deployment of UNIFIL where Norway is actively contributing. Still, there are considerable challenges ahead, political and financial challenges.

I commend the Lebanese Government for its ambitious reform package aimed at modernising the country’s economy. This programme should become a central element of Lebanon’s nation-building process.

Norway has contributed approximately 30 million US dollars for the recovery and reconstruction of Lebanon since the tragic events last summer. This includes humanitarian aid, environmental support and assistance to Palestinian refugees.

Today, I am pleased to announce that Norway is pledging another 100 million Norwegian kroner – or approximately 15 million US dollars – to Lebanon for 2007.

Our assistance will be in accordance with the priorities set by the Lebanese Government. And it will be carried out in partnership with the international community.

Our long-term engagement in Lebanon has a clear nation-building and stabilising dimension. Our goal is to help make Lebanon less vulnerable to internal tension and to pressure from its neighbours.

We have sought to concentrate our assistance on sectors where Norway has expertise and can provide added value. I have the following areas in mind:

• We are ready to continue to support the environmental sector with a view to achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and biological diversity.
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• We are ready to strengthen our support for coastal management in order to secure balanced development, prevent pollution, and respond to oil spills and other hazards.
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• We are ready to help develop the petroleum sector, as regards both management and legislation.
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• We pledge to maintain our long-term commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees.
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• We are prepared to support projects through Lebanese NGOs in cooperation with their Norwegian counterparts.
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• And we stand ready to continue our support for mine and cluster munitions clearance, especially in southern Lebanon. Let me reiterate here Norway’s invitation to initiate a process towards an international ban on cluster munitions that have unacceptable humanitarian consequences – which are creating so much humanitarian havoc in Lebanon and elsewhere.

Mr President,

The Norwegian Government supports Prime Minister Siniora in his efforts to solve Lebanon’s political problems. International support for the reconstruction of Lebanon must also be seen as support for Lebanon's ongoing nation building. They are interlinked.

Resolving Lebanon’s political crisis will require an inclusive approach that engages all legitimate stakeholders in the Lebanese society. Political stability will not be achieved unless the broad majority of all Lebanese can see their interests represented in the key structures of the Lebanese state.

We must be firm in condemning intimidation, disruption of public order and the use of violence. And we must be consistent in expecting that the government and all political parties to opt for dialogue and inclusion. This is the choice of the brave.

We, the international community – including Lebanon’s neighbours and other countries in the region – must support a process towards such an end and refrain from obstructing the Lebanese in addressing the challenges facing the country themselves.

Today, the different conflicts in an extended Middle Eastern region – from the Horn of Africa all the way to Afghanistan – are becoming increasingly interlinked.

Each conflict needs to be addressed on its own merits. At the same time, a broad, inclusive political process is needed to resolve the serious problems this region is facing. To meet these challenges we need to set a regional agenda. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians remains a key stumbling block to peace in the region. The unresolved issues between Israel and Lebanon and between Israel and Syria also need to be addressed.

Again, the approach should be engagement. In order to halt violent extremism, we must involve all parties, including non-state actors, in dialogue and responsible engagement. Failure to do so will leave the initiative in the hands of extremists and others who refuse dialogue, negotiations and compromise. Groups cannot be eradicated by military force or eliminated by decree. They too must become engaged and be held responsible.

The countries in the region are the main stakeholders. But the Quartet and other international actors are also stakeholders. The true role of the Quartet should be to weigh in with real efforts to support and even initiate a process. We wish to see them play that role. I believe it is fair to say that now is the time for the Quartet to demonstrate leadership. I therefore welcome the Quartet meeting on 2 February. The road to renewed political efforts can only be found through strong commitment to dialogue.

Pour conclure, je tiens à vous remercier, Monsieur le Président, ainsi que le gouvernement français pour tous les efforts que vous avez déployés et pour avoir pris l’initiative d’organiser cette conférence.