Bush condemns Gemayel slaying in Lebanon

HONOLULU, Nov 21: U S President George W Bush strongly condemned the assassination of Lebanese Christian Cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel today and called for a full investigation into his death.

Speaking to US troops stationed in Hawaii, he said the investigation should ''identify those people and those forces behind the killing.'' Bush did not say who he suspected of the killing, but he said the United States supports the efforts of the Lebanese government to ''defend their democracy against attempts by Syria, Iran and allies to foment instability and violence in that important country.'' He called on the UN Security Council to act quickly to appoint a special tribunal to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

''I strongly believe the United Nations Security Council ought to act today. For the sake of peace, the free world must reject those who undermine young democracies and murder in the name of their hateful ideology,'' Bush said.

REUTERS