Paulo Casaca, Portuguese socialist MEP, ended today, the 27 February, a 3 day mission to Lebanon in the scope of an initiative by "The International Lebanese Committee for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559" (Committee 1559).

On the 25th in the morning, Paulo Casaca was first received by the Prime-Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Fouad Sniora and afterwards by the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and member of the Lebanese Parliament, Walid Jumblatt. The PSP is member of the Socialist International.

On the afternoon of the 25th, the Portuguese MEP accompanied a Lebanese security forces patrol on south of Lebanon, namely in the Jezzine Region and by the Shebaa Farms.

After this patrol, Casaca was received by Abot Hanna Slim in the Monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and later on was homage at the Convent of Saint Antony.

On Sunday the 26th Paulo Casaca accompanied another Lebanese security forces patrol mission on the border with Syria.

Later, in Anjar, nearby a former centre of the Syrian Army and a mosque, the Committee visited the site were very recently human remains of dozens of people were found. 

On Monday, MEP Casaca was received by his eminency Nasrallah Sfeir, Maronite's Patriarch, and by the Lebanese Army Commander in-Chief General Michel Sleiman.

During the various meetings Paulo Casaca, President of the European Parliament Delegation for the Relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, took the opportunity to stress is total commitment to the implementation of Resolution 1559 on the withdrawal from Lebanon of all occupying foreign forces and the disarmament of the militias.

Paulo Casaca presented his condolences to Saad El Hariri, soon of Prime-Minister Rafik Hariri, murdered on the 14 February 2005. Saad El Hariri is member of the Lebanese Parliament and leader of the political movement "Current for the Future", the main faction of the Rafik Hariri Martyr List that won the legislative elections of May-June last year.

The Portuguese socialist presented also condolences to the family of Gebran Tueni, Lebanese Parliamentarian and journalist, and his companion in "Committee 1559" that was murdered last  12 December, in the latest of several terrorist attacks aimed at personalities of the Lebanese political and media that stood out on the fight for Lebanese national independence and democracy. 

During these meetings Paulo Casaca addressed to both families an invitation to participate in a posthumous homage to the two victims of the foreign sponsored fanatic terrorism which will take place in Portugal in April.   

The European parliamentarian also held working meetings with several Lebanese MPs, officials, and members of Committee 1559 and Cedars Revolution organisation Leaders. 

During the visit the several interlocutors of Casaca unanimously stressed the need for the International Hariri Court to conclude its proceedings and that the truth is found being those responsible for the several political assassinations identified and punished. It is only having truth as a basis that reconciliation and democracy can be attained.

We recall that in November 2005 Paulo Casaca was invited by Committee 1559 to attend a hearing in the US Congress for the discussion of Lebanon's sovereignty and the democratic process in the Middle-East.

Recently (1 and 2 February) Paulo Casaca was one of the hosts in the European Parliament in Brussels of the "Interparliamentary Dialogues on Lebanon" where Members of the Lebanese and European Parliaments, representatives of Committee 1559, of the Cedars Revolution Council, journalist, diplomats and officials of the several European institutions had the opportunity of discussing the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559.   

Paulo Casaca's mission ended with a press conference in the Alnahar Building.

Casaca thanked the high security measures by the Lebanese Army, which provided for a military force that accompanied him at all times.

Paulo Casaca ended this tour optimist on the possibilities of the full implementation of Resolution 1559, necessary basis for the full reestablishment of Lebanon's sovereignty and democracy.