IRELAND'S HONORARY Consul in Beirut was dismissed yesterday following controversial remarks he made describing the previous Lebanese government as "illegal and unconstitutional".
Prominent Lebanese businessman Khaled Daouk was informed of the decision to terminate his appointment, with effect from October 10th, in a letter sent by e-mail from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Daouk, who has been Honorary Consul in Lebanon since 1988 and Honorary Consul General since 1995, insists he did nothing wrong.
A member of an opposition group led by former prime minister Salim al Hoss, Mr Daouk admits describing Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora's government as "illegal and unconstitutional" following the resignation of several of its members, including Hizbullah representatives, in 2006. A national unity government was formed last week.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs tried to convince me to resign but I refused because I believe I did nothing wrong so they terminated my appointment," he told The Irish Timeslast night.
In a letter sent to secretary general of the department Dermot Gallagher earlier this week Mr Daouk wrote of his "distress and anger" over how the situation had developed.
In the letter, Mr Daouk claimed his remarks had been "distorted" and said some of the allegations against him - including reports that he had called Mr Siniora a "Zionist spy" - were untrue. He also wrote of his regret that his tenure as Honorary Consul had come to "this bitter and sad end".
Responding to questions on the matter at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin confirmed that Mr Daouk's role would end in October. He told the committee that Mr Daouk's public-political position was deemed to be incompatible with his role.
The Minister paid tribute to Mr Daouk's "longstanding and valued service" and said he had been of "considerable assistance to Ireland at difficult times" particularly when Irish troops were deployed to Lebanon and also during the evacuation of Irish citizens during the Israeli bombardment of 2006.