III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 353 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of a sovereign, 

democratic, and prosperous Lebanon and the need for free and fair 

presidential elections in Lebanon without intimidation or foreign interference. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 18, 2007 

Mr. SUNUNU (for himself, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. DODD, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. MARTINEZ, Ms. 

SNOWE, Mr. SMITH, Mr. BOND, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. COBURN, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Ms. STABENOW) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the importance 

of a sovereign, democratic, and prosperous Lebanon and 

the need for free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon without intimidation or foreign interference. 

Whereas, in 2004, the term of the current President of Lebanon, E ́mile Lahoud, was extended through the interference of the Government of Syria in the internal affairs 

of the Government of Lebanon; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, 

adopted on September 2, 2004, called for free and fair 

presidential elections in Lebanon conducted in accordance 


bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
2 

•SRES 353 ATS 

with the constitution of Lebanon and without foreign interference and influence; 

Whereas such a presidential election has not yet occurred; 

Whereas the Parliament of Lebanon is preparing to elect a 

new president of Lebanon before the November 24, 2007, 

conclusion of the mandate of the current President; 

Whereas the Governments of Syria and Iran, through their 

proxies in Lebanon, have sought undue influence over the 

election of the next president of Lebanon; 

Whereas the preparation for these elections has thus far been 

characterized by violence and intimidation tactics, and on 

September 19, 2007, Member of the Parliament of Lebanon Antoine Ghanem became the 8th Lebanese leader to 

be assassinated since 2005; 

Whereas the democratically-elected Government of Lebanon 

has been under steady attack by domestic and foreign 

elements and forces that have been instigating civil unrest, disrupting the operation of the cabinet and Parliament, and perpetrating acts of terror against the people of Lebanon; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, 

adopted on August 11, 2006, reiterated ‘‘strong support 

for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political 

independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders’’, and called on states to ‘‘take the necessary measures to prevent . . . the sale or supply to any 

entity or individual in Lebanon of arms and related materiel of all types’’; 

Whereas President Lahoud has threatened to create an unconstitutional rival cabinet and hand over power to it if 


bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
3 

•SRES 353 ATS 

the opposition is not satisfied with the results of the constitutional electoral process; 

Whereas the Governments of Syria and Iran, in clear contravention of numerous United Nations Security Council 

resolutions, have violated Lebanon’s sovereignty by providing arms to illegitimate militias in Lebanon and to 

other terrorist organizations; 

Whereas the armed forces of Lebanon are protecting Lebanon and its people from terrorist organizations like 

Fatah al Islam; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1757 

established a Special Tribunal for Lebanon, to be convened outside of Lebanon, to try those accused of the assassination of former Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafiq 

Hariri and others; and 

Whereas a sovereign, democratic, and prosperous Lebanon is 

in the national security interest of the United States: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls for free and fair presidential elections 

3 in Lebanon, conducted according to the constitution 

4 of Lebanon and free from foreign interference and 

5 influence or the use of intimidation tactics; 

6 (2) supports ongoing efforts by leaders in Leb7 anon to reach agreement on a presidential candidate 

8 committed to upholding Lebanon’s sovereignty and 

9 independence; 


bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
4 

•SRES 353 ATS 

1 (3) condemns the Governments of Syria and 

2 Iran for their undue material interference in the in3 ternal political affairs of Lebanon, including in the 

4 election of a new president, and for their repeated 

5 violations of the sovereignty and independence of 

6 Lebanon, and calls on the Governments of Syria and 

7 Iran to comply with United Nations Security Council 

8 Resolution 1701, particularly with respect to pre9 venting unauthorized shipment of arms into Leb10 anon; 

11 (4) affirms its strong support for the armed 

12 forces of Lebanon as they work to secure Lebanon 

13 against terrorists and illegal armed militias, and 

14 conveys its readiness to provide support to assist in 

15 these ends; 

16 (5) urges the Secretary of State to continue ef17 forts in support of a Special Tribunal for Lebanon 

18 to end impunity for political assassinations, includ19 ing assisting in efforts to convene the Special Tri20 bunal as soon as possible, affirms its readiness to 

21 continue to provide material support to this cause, 

22 and calls on all countries to make timely and gen23 erous contributions to this end; and 

24 (6) urges the President to use all peaceful 

25 means at the disposal of the United States to help 


bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
5 

•SRES 353 ATS 

1 promote an independent, democratic, and prosperous 

2 Lebanon, including increased diplomatic coordina3 tion with key partners in Europe and the Middle 

4 East, and supports efforts by the United States to 

5 provide ongoing and substantial assistance for recon6 struction efforts in Lebanon. 

Æ 


bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS