U.N. and world powers condemn Lebanon violence

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the United States and key European and Middle Eastern countries on Monday condemned the surge of violence in Lebanon and called on all parties to end the fighting.

The statement was issued by the so-called Friends of Lebanon -- the foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others.

"We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Lebanon, which threatens the stability of the country and the region," the statement said.

"We call for the immediate cessation of fighting, the withdrawal of gunmen from the streets, the unblocking of roads and the reopening of Beirut International Airport."

The statement also expressed its support for the Lebanese government and armed forces.

Earlier, the U.N. chief issued his own statement, which was worded in slightly stronger terms.

"The secretary-general strongly condemns those responsible for the violence in Lebanon over the last week and urges calm and restraint and an immediate stop to the violence," said the statement issued through Ban's spokeswoman, Michele Montas.

Neither statement named any parties but the upheaval in Lebanon began when the anti-government Shi'ite Hezbollah group and its allies overran the strongholds of their Sunni political foes in Beirut last week.

Both statements said Lebanon needed a political process that would result in the long-delayed election of a president and backed an Arab League initiative aimed at finding a solution. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau and Patrick Worsnip, Editing by Chris Wilson)