An anti-Syrian and Lebanon’s well-known leader Pierre Gemayel was shot dead in Beirut. He was the outspoken critic of Syrian policy for Lebanon and often called as pro-US leader.
US President George Bush has stoutly condemned the killing of Lebanese Christian Cabinet minister.
The killing of Gemayel has caused serious setback to US policy for stability and democracy in the Middle East region. US administration wanted to present Lebanon as an example of an emerging democracy in the region. But the killing of an important pro-US leader has caused worry for US.
US president Bush has called for an investigation of the murder and identifies forces behind the killing as soon as possible.
Bush said further that the United States would continue the support to the efforts of the Lebanese government to protect its democracy against attempts by Syria, Iran to provoke instability and bloodshed in Lebanon.
Earlier, US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton had said that
US administration had warned Syria and Iran for not taking any stand for attempting coup in Lebanon. Last eight political assassination conducted were against anti-Syrian politicians only in Lebanon.
Bush also called on the UN Security Council to appoint a special tribunal for investigating the circumstances surrounding Rafik al-Hariri’s assassination in February 2005. He was the former Lebanese Prime Minister.
The U.N. Security Council has also condemned the killing and called it as the practice to destabilize Lebanon through political assassinations.
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