His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said Jordan supported Lebanon's national dialogue as a basic step towards fostering Lebanon's unity, strength and stability.



The King was speaking during a meeting with UN Secretary General Special Envoy for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 Terje Roed-Larsen. Resolution 1559, endorsed by the council in 2004, called for free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon, the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and the disarmament of all militias in the country. It also called on all concerned parties to cooperation with the council in implementing resolutions concerning the restoration of Lebanon's territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence.



During the meeting King Abdullah said all parties should respect Lebanon's sovereignty and to refrain from interfering in the country's internal affairs, adding that Jordan supported the cooperation of all relevant parties in the international investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.



Roed-Larsen reviewed the UN's efforts to implement resolution 1559 and elaborated on the world body's position regarding the recent developments on the Lebanese scene.



In remarks to Jordan Television following the meeting, Roed-Larsen called Jordan a “real partner in the peace process that works hand-in-hand with the UN and [abides by] international legitimacy to realize stability peace and security in the region.”



Director of His Majesty King Abdullah's Office Farouq Kasrawi, Director of the General Intelligence Department Major General Mohammad Dahabi and Foreign Minister Abdel Ilah Khatib.