SA condemns Hariri assassination
Thabo Mokgola
15 February 2005
President Thabo Mbeki has joined the international community in condemning the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bomb in central Beirut, Lebanon on Monday.
Hariri was killed when his motorcade was blown up as it passed an exclusive section of Beirut's seafront Corniche after he left a meeting in parliament to discuss the country's forthcoming elections, due to take place in May.
Mbeki extended South Africa's condolences to the government and the people of Lebanon.
"Our thoughts and prayers reach out to the family of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the government and peoples of Lebanon during this time of bereavement", Mbeki said.
He reiterated the government's condemnation of all forms of terrorism, saying that military solutions could not lead to the resolution of political problems.
It has been reported that Hariri had business relations with South Africa as the majority
shareholder of the country's third-biggest mobile phone company, Cell C.
He was the president and chairperson of Saudi Oger, which controls 60% of Cell-C, launched in 2001.
Source: BuaNews
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