Lebanon Calls for Clarifications on Suspension of Voting Rights at UN

Abdallah Bou Habib. (National News Agency)  
Abdallah Bou Habib. (National News Agency)  
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Lebanon Calls for Clarifications on Suspension of Voting Rights at UN

Abdallah Bou Habib. (National News Agency)  
Abdallah Bou Habib. (National News Agency)  

Lebanese caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Abdallah Bou Habib has asked for clarifications from the United Nations on the suspension of Lebanon’s rights to vote before the expiry of the extended deadline to pay its contribution to the UN.

Bou Habib met on Monday with the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, and her deputy Imran Riza, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon.

They followed up on the issue of Lebanon paying its dues to the operating budget of the international organization.

Bou Habib said that "the Lebanese mission in New York had previously been informed by the Contributions Office to the United Nations of extending the payment deadline, in which Lebanon would maintain its voting rights until the end of January 2023."

He called for "clarifications on the reason for the change that occurred and the suspension of voting rights before the expiry of the period referred to above."

Bou Habib added that Lebanon is bearing the burden of the Syrian refugees on behalf of the international community and expects a different attitude from those who praise it for hosting the displaced.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.