U.S. President George Bush stated Thursday he is "deeply concerned about foreign interference" by countries like Syria in Lebanon's upcoming presidential election.
"I am deeply concerned about foreign interference in the election. The message has been sent to nations such as Syria that they should not interfere," Bush said as he met with Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, the son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
"As a result of that cold-blooded murder, the international community has demanded accountability" but the resulting plan for a U.N.-backed court has not made enough progress, Bush said during a brief joint public appearance with Hariri.
"That tribunal is taking too long to get started. The international community must work more quickly to stand up this tribunal so people will be held to account," he said.
"And not only that, this tribunal will send a clear message that there will be justice delivered" for Hariri's murder and other political assassinations in Lebanon, Bush said.
On his part, Hariri blamed "terrorists that want to finish our democracy" for the attacks and vowed: "We will stay resolved, we will stay focused on our democracy. We will not let those who want to destroy our democracy succeed."
Hariri also thanked Bush "for the political and all the support that you have given Lebanon, from the international tribunal, from helping the security forces also, and fighting those terrorists in Lebanon." "We in Lebanon have a very important constitutional presidential election that we don't want any foreign interference in this presidential election," said the lawmaker, according to AFP.
