Mr. Speaker, Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's former prime minister assassinated in a car bombing on Monday, had had a vision when he took office in 1992 of building a prosperous country from the ruins of civil war.
Despite the many setbacks, Hariri, remained in office for most of the past 12 years before quitting in October 2004.
Mr. Hariri's resignation came as Lebanon was in real need of his many international contacts to deal with a UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to Syria's military and political roles in Lebanon.
We are mourning the death of Mr. Hariri, the statesman. We also want to extend our deepest condolences to his family and, through them, to the people of Lebanon.
Yesterday, at the funeral, church bells were ringing while the Koran was read over the mosque's megaphones. This was a sign of unity in sadness. Indeed, Mr. Hariri was a symbol of unity.