I sincerely hope that the tragedy in Lebanon will make the leaders of the region understand that cooperation is needed not only to overcome the humanitarian catastrophe, but also to solve accumulated problems. There is hardly a conflict in the region that does not go beyond the territory of the specific country, the special coordinator of the UN for the Middle East peace process Nikolay Mladenov has told BNT.

Problems cannot be isolated and solved in one country only. Lebanon faces specific challenges related to the political structure, arms control, conflicts of its neighbors. They must be resolved in favor of people who want efficient institutions and a functioning economy, the former Bulgarian foreign minister said.