The top United Nations envoy for Lebanon told a meeting of the Security Council on Thursday that the Arab reconciliation initiative launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Kuwait in January this year has helped in stabilizing Lebanon. Terje Roed-Larsen, special envoy for the secretary general on implementing resolution 1559, said that the past six months saw “notable steps towards the normalization of ties between Lebanon and Syria.” He added that regional developments have contributed to stabilizing Lebanon, “in particular in the context of the Arab reconciliation efforts initiated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, at the Arab League Economic Summit held in Kuwait in January 2009.” Lebanon had been on the brink of a civil war a year ago but the country's domestic, political and security situation “has improved markedly” since then. The country will hold parliamentary elections next month and this will mark a milestone toward the full implementation of resolution 1559, Roed-Larsen said. Resolution 1559 called for Lebanon to establish its full sovereignty over the country, the withdrawal of foreign forces, disbanding of militias and free and fair elections.
