[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 142 (Monday, September 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S12005]]
 SENATE RESOLUTION 328--CONDEMNING THE ASSASSINATION ON SEPTEMBER 19, 
  2007, OF ANTOINE GHANEM, A MEMBER OF THE PARLIAMENT OF LEBANON WHO 
                 OPPOSED SYRIAN INTERFERENCE IN LEBANON

  Mr. REID (for Mr. Biden (for himself, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Sununu)) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 328

       Whereas Antoine Ghanem and at least 6 others were killed in 
     a car-bomb attack in the Sin el-Fil suburb of Beirut on 
     September 19, 2007;
       Whereas Mr. Ghanem was a member of the Parliament of 
     Lebanon from the Lebanese Kataeb Party representing the 
     Baabda and Aley districts of Mount Lebanon;
       Whereas Mr. Ghanem is the 6th member of the Parliament of 
     Lebanon who had opposed Syrian interference in Lebanon to be 
     assassinated since February 2005, including former Prime 
     Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri, former Economy and Trade 
     Minister Bassel Fleihan, Gebran Tueni, Industry Minister 
     Pierre Gemayel, and Walid Eido;
       Whereas other prominent figures in Lebanon who have opposed 
     Syrian interference in that country have also been 
     assassinated in the same time period, including politician 
     George Hawi and journalist Samir Kassir, while others have 
     escaped assassination attempts, including Defense Minister 
     Elias Murr, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh, and 
     television presenter May Chidiac;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1757 of 
     May 30, 2007, created a special international tribunal to try 
     suspects in the assassinations of former Prime Minister 
     Hariri and others;
       Whereas, by agreement between the United Nations and 
     Lebanon, the special international tribunal can receive 
     jurisdiction for other attacks in Lebanon that ``are of a 
     nature and gravity similar to the attack of 14 February 
     2005''; and
       Whereas these continuing assassinations are intended to 
     undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon and damage its fragile 
     democratic institutions: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its deepest condolences to the families of 
     Antoine Ghanem and other victims of the attack of September 
     19, 2007, as well as to all the people of Lebanon;
       (2) condemns in the strongest terms this cowardly attack 
     and urges that its perpetrators, including any state sponsor 
     or official, be held accountable for their crimes;
       (3) underscores its full support for the special 
     international tribunal and urges the United Nations Security 
     Council to extend its jurisdiction to include the Ghanem 
     assassination;
       (4) urges the President to increase coordination with key 
     partners in Europe and the Middle East to more actively 
     support the sovereignty of Lebanon and strengthen its 
     governing institutions and security forces; and
       (5) reasserts its strong belief that the people of Lebanon 
     should be permitted to choose their next president, in a 
     process scheduled to begin in September 2007, free from all 
     foreign intimidation, interference, and violence.

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