September 8, 2004

On September 2^nd 2004, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 1559, reaffirming its support for the strict respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout the country, and calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon and for the disbanding and disarming of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. This highly-anticipated resolution has come as a result of the continuous efforts of Lebanese-American groups in the United States in coordination with Lebanese groups worldwide particularly in Europe.

Member Organizations of the American Lebanese Coalition have been engaging the United Nations since May 2000 to address the situation in Southern Lebanon in view first of the Israeli occupation and then the takeover of the area by Hezbollah. Contacts included the Office of the Secretary General and the Delegates of the permanent member nations at the United Nation Security Council as well as Ambassadors from the European Union and the Arab League. The focus was to solicit the support of the international community for a comprehensive settlement of the Lebanese dire situation.

During September 2003, and with the appointment of Mr. Walid Maalouf as an alternate delegate to the US mission at the United Nations, the American Lebanese Coalition (ALC) initiated a series of contacts with delegates of the UNSC, permanent and elected (non-permanent), with the purpose of reaching a new comprehensive resolution on Lebanon which would address the major issues facing the Lebanese people and would call for:

1- The withdrawal of all Syrian troops.

2- The disarming of all militias, particularly Hezbollah and the Palestinians.

3- Supporting the Lebanese sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

4- The release of all political prisoners in Lebanon and Lebanese detainees in Syria.

The proposed resolution was drafted by the ALC with the help of legal experts and presented in a series of meetings at the United Nations in New York during the month of October 2003 where it was discussed with the ambassadors at the Security Council, starting with US Ambassador John Negroponte and his team.

Then, the ALC met with the ambassador of Mexico to solicit the support of the South American delegates and the ambassador of Algeria to engage the Arab representatives. The ALC also held detailed sessions with the ambassador of the European Union, Mr. John Richardson following on the EU Parliamentary Resolution issued in January of that same year and which addressed the issue of sovereignty of Lebanon, the Syrian occupation, the disturbing militias’ presence and the abuses of Human Rights.

Following these meetings and consultations, the ALC decided to continue working on refining the text of the resolution while:

1- Pursuing discussions with the UNSC, especially with the American and European members to reach an acceptable wording.

2- Pushing for the finalization and signing of the Syrian Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act (SALSRA).

3- Waiting for the end of Syria’s term as an elected member at the UNSC.

After January 2004, and with the advent of a new membership at the UNSC, the ALC renewed its efforts through:

1- A campaign of letters, e-mails and faxes to the White House, Department of State, and the National Security Council requesting the US administration’s formal adoption of a new UN resolution on Lebanon. The campaign collected about 10,000 signatures, one of the largest efforts by Lebanese Americans in that regard.

2- Rounds of meetings and discussions with high ranking US officials at the Department of State, Department of Defense, and National Security Council during March of 2004.

3- Several visits to the United Nations headquarters in New York involving meetings with ambassadors and delegates of the United States, France, United Kingdom, Russian Federation, China, Brazil, and Romania.

4- A campaign launched in Europe by our fellow organizations targeting the European Union and the French government followed by meetings during the month of June 2004 in Brussels and in Paris with EU and French officials.

5- An official address to the World leaders at the G8 2004 summit.

As a result of this concentrated effort, the ALC received the proper assurances from US and European Officials that a new and comprehensive UNSC resolution on Lebanon based on the draft presented by the ALC, and coordinated in particular by the French and American governments is on its way to the UN. President George W. Bush stood at the forefront of the key supporters to Lebanon’s sovereignty, and had specifically addressed the Lebanese situation in his meeting with President Chirac at Paris in June 2004 as well as with other World Leaders during the G8 summit at Sea Island, Georgia.

During the last week of August 2004, the draft of the resolution was finalized, circulated and forwarded to the UNSC for the final vote where it passed. Resolution 1559 has come at a most crucial time for Lebanon with the imposition of the Syrian dictate over the Lebanese Presidential choice. It constitutes a qualitative leap forward in the struggle of the Lebanese nationals and citizens of Lebanese descent across the globe for freedom in Lebanon. The American Lebanese Coalition extends its gratitude and appreciation to all those who made this effort a success, and look forward to the day we witness the resurrection of Lebanon as a truly free, sovereign and independent nation.

Joseph Gebeily,M.D.

President

The American Lebanese Coalition