Suleiman: Lebanon will continue to implement resolution 1701

President Michel Sleiman confirmed that Lebanon would continue with the support of the international community, to ensure the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in order to restore full sovereignty over all its territory, adding that Lebanon would always support Cote d'Ivoire to achieve its entire national goals. "Lebanon and Cote d'Ivoire would always cooperate and strengthen bilateral ties in order to face the dangers of extremism, intolerance and terrorism," Sleiman asserted on Friday from Cote d'Ivoire . The President stressed that a just settlement of the Middle East problem and the Palestine cause are indispensable to achieve democracy and moderation in our region, adding that democracy and moderation are threatened by the dangers of intolerance, fanatics and sectarianism. On the other hand, Sleiman said that "Lebanon has succeeded in avoiding the frequencies storm of the global financial crisis, thanks to the quality savings mechanisms and hard banking system," pointing out that Lebanon has recently launched a process that will allow transition to the next stages of bidding, exploration and exploitation of oil and gas resources which were recently found in Lebanon. On his part, the President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Al-Hassane Ouattara praised the historical relationship between his country and Lebanon, pointing to the role of the Lebanese community and its contribution in the development of the Ivorian economy. "Lebanese forms an essential element of the country's wealth, especially in terms of investment," Ouattara stressed during an official dinner in honor of Sleiman.