RIYADH, 19 March 2006 — The Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah met Terry Rod Larsen, the UN envoy charged with following up the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, and the accompanying delegation here yesterday.
The Security Council passed Resolution No. 1559 declaring its support for a free and fair presidential election in Lebanon conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence and, in that connection, called upon all remaining forces to withdraw from Lebanon.
The two sides held a closed-door meeting on issues concerning the Middle East and other regional issues.
Al-Attiyah, in the press conference held after the meeting, said: "We discussed cooperation between the UN and the GCC on various issues," adding, "the meeting covered developments occurring in the Palestinian territories, situation in Iraq, the Syrian-Lebanese relations and dialogue among the Lebanese."
Larsen, speaking at the press conference, said "The discussions with the Saudi officials were fruitful."
"Last week, I visited the capitals of the Security Council's permanent members and held talks with the foreign ministers and officials. I conveyed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's concerns about a consensus on the issues related to the resolution," he added.
Asked about the role of the UN in the Lebanese situation, Larsen said: "The secretary-general backed discussions of all issues in the Lebanese dialogue."
