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Lebanon–Uruguay relations

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Lebanon-Uruguay relations
Map indicating locations of Lebanon and Uruguay

Lebanon
Uruguay

UruguayrecognizedLebanon's independence on November 22, 1943. Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 25, 1945.

Both countries are members of theGroup of 77.[1]

Lebanese in Uruguay[edit]

Memorial to the Uruguayan national heroJosé Gervasio Artigas,dedicated by the Lebanese community in Uruguay.
Main article:Lebanese Uruguayan

The first Lebanese immigrants to Uruguay arrived in the 1860s.[2]In 1954, there were 15,000 people ofLebanese descentliving in Uruguay.[3]By 2009, the number had grown to about 55,000.[4]In 1997, Uruguay's house speaker noted that its 99-seat parliament contains two members of Lebanese origin, including himself.[5]

History[edit]

In 1924, Uruguay established an honorary consulate in Beirut, and on November 16, 1928, made it a consulate general for the State of Greater Lebanon and Syria.[6]On October 25, 1945, the Government of Uruguay was one of the first countries to open diplomatic relations with the newly independent state of Lebanon, upgrading their Beirut mission to an embassy. In 1954 the Lebanese PresidentCamille Chamounvisited Uruguay.[3]On May 31, 1954, he signed the first treaty between the two countries in Montevideo.[6]

From 1946 to 1963, Lebanon was represented in Uruguay by an honorary consulate of Lebanon in Montevideo. From 1963, Lebanon was represented through their Embassy of LebanonBuenos Aires,Argentina.In 1971, Lebanon established a diplomatic mission in Montevideo, with representation at the ambassadorial level.[7]

In December 1999, Zafer El-Hasan, secretary general of the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, held bilateral talks with Uruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Rodriguez Pioli about enhancing relations between the two countries in the political, economic and cultural fields. Pioli was visiting Lebanon with a delegation of businessmen of Lebanese origin.[8]The two representatives signed an agreement on cultural cooperation.[9][10]

There has been controversy in Uruguay about relations with Lebanon.Julio María Sanguinettiof thePartido Colorado,president from 1995 to 2000, said in an interview after losing power that Uruguay was wrong to support Lebanon in disputes with Israel due to Lebanon's failure to combat terrorism.[11]

In May 2007 the Lebanese presidentEmile Lahouddecorated the outgoing Ambassador of Uruguay, Vos Alberto Rubio, with theNational Order of the Cedar,in gratitude for to his diplomatic work. The ambassador later inaugurated a bust ofJosé Artigas,the liberator of Uruguay, commemorating almost 49 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations between the two countries.[12]Later in 2007 Jorge Luis Jure Arnoletti became the new Uruguayan Ambassador to Lebanon.[13]

Following the surprise election of pro a western government in Lebanon during June 2009, Uruguay congratulated the PresidentMichel Suleiman,the new government, and the people of Lebanon saying they hoped recent developments would unite them with very close ties. [14]

In April 2011, Foreign MinisterLuis Almagromade an official visit to Lebanon and other countries in the Middle East.[15]

Lebanon-Israel conflicts[edit]

Uruguay has consistently supported Lebanon in disputes withIsrael.When the1978 South Lebanon conflictbroke out, the Uruguay parliament was the only one in South America to take a decision demanding implementation of the 1978United Nations Security Council Resolution 425,calling onIsraelto immediately withdraw its forces from Lebanon.[5]During the2006 Lebanon War,five Uruguayan families of Lebanese origin were caught up in the conflict, but managed to escape from Lebanon to Syria.[16]Uruguay coordinated withVenezuelato evacuate their citizens.[17][18]Uruguayan Foreign MinisterReinaldo Garganostated that Israel should cease fire and begin talks with Lebanon under the supervision of the United Nations.[19]

Resident diplomatic missions[edit]

Residence of the Ambassador of Lebanon in Uruguay

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Joint declaration of the G77".Retrieved23 June2018.
  2. ^"La inmigración libanesa en el Uruguay"(in Spanish). Colectividad Libanesa en el Uruguay. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009.Retrieved4 July2009.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ab"Visitor from Lebanon".Time magazine.May 24, 1954. Archived fromthe originalon September 20, 2008.Retrieved4 July2009.... Uruguay, where there are 15,000 Lebanese...
  4. ^"Geographical distribution of the Lebanese diaspora".United States Committee for a Free Lebanon.Retrieved4 July2009.
  5. ^ab"News from Beirut".Lebanon.com. August 26, 1997.Retrieved4 July2009.
  6. ^abc"Embassy of Uruguay in Lebanon".Embassy of Uruguay in Lebanon.Archived fromthe originalon 15 June 2013.Retrieved4 July2009.
  7. ^"RELACIONES DIPLOMÁTICAS ENTRE URUGUAY Y LIBANO".Association of Young Lebanese Uruguayans.Retrieved8 July2009.
  8. ^"Bilateral discussions between Lebanon and Uruguay".ArabicNews.com. 17 December 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2008.
  9. ^"Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between Uruguay and Lebanon, signed in Beirut on 17 December 1999".Library of Congress.Archived fromthe originalon 17 February 2012.Retrieved4 July2009.
  10. ^"Lebanon, Uruguay sign cooperation agreement".ArabicNews.18 December 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 25 February 2012.Retrieved7 July2009.
  11. ^"El ex-Presidente Dr.Julio María Sanguinetti, critica la política del actual gobierno en relación a Oriente..."(in Spanish). Espacio El Latino.Retrieved2009-07-08.
  12. ^"Presidente libanés condecora al Embajador de Uruguay en Beirut"(in Spanish). Mundo Islámico. 2007-05-14.Retrieved8 July2009.
  13. ^"Jorge Luis Jure Arnoletti: Lebanon, our privileged partner in this part of the world".Monday Morning.Retrieved8 July2009.
  14. ^ "Elections in Lebanon"(in Spanish). diplomacymonitor.com. 16 June 2009.Retrieved6 July2009.
  15. ^"Almagro on a diplomatic tour in the Middle East"(in Spanish).El Observador.10 April 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 8 October 2013.
  16. ^"Uruguayan escaped from Lebanon to Syria in rugged odyssey"(in Spanish). El Pais. 21 July 2006.Retrieved4 July2009.
  17. ^"L. American nations evacuate citizens from Lebanon".Peoples Daily Online.July 19, 2006.Retrieved8 July2009.
  18. ^"Massive international sea evacuation of citizens from Lebanon gathers pace".AFX NewsinForbes.18 July 2006.Retrieved8 July2009.[dead link]
  19. ^"Uruguay, Venezuela urge Israel's ceasefire in Lebanon".People's Daily Online. July 18, 2006.Retrieved7 July2009.
  20. ^Embassy of Lebanon in Montevideo

External links[edit]

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