Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea criticized the Lebanese government for abstaining from a vote on the United Nations General Assembly resolution that called for the establishment of an independent institution to clarify the fate of thousands of missing persons in Syria. It is extremely shameful for the Lebanese government to refrain from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution to establish an independent institution for clarifying the fate of thousands missing in Syria over the 12 years of war.
The reasons preventing the Lebanese authorities from supporting such a resolution are incomprehensible, especially since it includes efforts to uncover the fate of Bishops John Ibrahim and Paul Yazigi, as well as Lebanese journalist Samir Kassab. He noted that the UN resolution is not directed against any party and does not assign responsibility for abductions or disappearances to any specific entity; rather, it is an independent inquiry into the fate of all the missing persons. Therefore, from a political standpoint, the government's position is entirely unacceptable.
Geagea added, "Fundamentally, the government’s action is a disgrace as it contradicts the human rights charter, of which Lebanon is one of the prominent contributors. Nationally, it would have been more appropriate for the Lebanese government not only to support the UN resolution but also to request the inclusion of the Lebanese file within its scope to work on uncovering the fate of hundreds of Lebanese kidnapped and detained in Syrian prisons since 1975 until today."
He concluded, "The position declared by the Lebanese Foreign Minister is unbalanced and unacceptable in any way. Does the political team he represents, namely the Free Patriotic Movement, agree with this? The government's decision is a disgrace; it does not represent the Lebanese people or the image of Lebanon, but rather the narrow interests of a few who are held captive at the expense of the state and the Lebanese people and the families of the missing or forcibly disappeared individuals in Syria. Such a government is shameful, and there is disdain for such diplomacy."
