The spirit of the relationship between our peoples was demonstrated by the generous and immediate assistance provided to us by brotherly Afghanistan in the wake of the tragic 8 October earthquake.

While I understand that you are an Israeli patriot, I believe that much can be done to reduce the tensions between our two peoples, eventually leading to genuine reconciliation and peace.

I will not lay out for the Security Council a history of the relations between the peoples of Syria and Lebanon and our countries. However, I will say briefly that these two independent Arab States have been linked throughout history by the ties of neighbourliness, kinship, aspirations and mutual concerns.