Eichhorst Regrets Leaving Lebanon without Seeing Election of President

European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst has expressed regret that she will leave Lebanon at the end of her mission amid a continued vacuum at the presidential palace in Baabda.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Friday, the diplomat said: “I regret that I will leave Beirut in this situation, without knowing when a president will be elected.”

Baabda has been vacant since President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended in May last year.

“You need to move forward,” she told the Lebanese, adding that the government would be able to function properly after the election of a new president no matter who leads it.

“There is also a need for a new electoral law and to hold the elections so that a new parliament rules,” Eichhorst added.

The Dutch diplomat, whose four-year mission ended and will depart soon to Brussels, told the newspaper that the EU did not put preferences on one faction or another in politics.

“Our objective is to have a modern state .. and to have a regular and strong partnership,” she said.

“I have heard that we were not doing enough … it's true the EU cannot alone meet all the demands,” she added.

G.K.

D.A.