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UN chief welcomes election of Lebanon's president

Xinhua, November 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the election of the president of Lebanon, while congratulating Michel Aoun on assuming the presidency.

Former army chief Michel Aoun, an 81-year-old Christian, was sworn in as Lebanon's 13th president on Monday, ending the country's presidential vacancy that lasted almost two and a half years.

Ban encouraged Lebanon to form a government without delay and meanwhile underlined the need to ensure the holding of parliamentary elections on time, according to a statement released by his spokesperson.

"The United Nations looks forward to working with President Aoun and the Lebanese authorities, with the support of international partners, to continue to help Lebanon preserve its security and stability and improve its socioeconomic prospects," said the statement.

Lebanon had been without a president since May 2014, when former president Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended. Since then, the parliament had held 45 failed sessions to elect a successor, each time failing to make quorum.

With little consensus in the country's political landscape, the process of forming a government is likely to be long and arduous. Enditem