Mitri: Lebanon Will Not Bargain Away Rights in Annapolis
Acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri stressed that Lebanon will not bargain away rights and will not be bound by the decisions taken at a Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Annapolis conference is “not a meeting for bargaining. Lebanon will not negotiate or bargain for any of its rights,” Mitri told the daily An Nahar.
Mitri also stressed that “no deals likely to jeopardize Lebanon”s rights are in preparation.”
“No negotiations whatsoever will take place during the conference, which is to be considered as sort of an ice-breaker,” he said in a statement.
Mitri, who is attending the peace conference, said the “decisions taken at Annapolis are not binding on Lebanon.”
Mitri said Lebanon will stress during the conference “its firm stances regarding its national, legal rights and its commitment to international resolutions related to these rights, including Shabaa Farms and Israeli violations.”
He said that he would also urge the international community to exert pressure for the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Lebanon”s participation in Annapolis has sparked a dispute among the feuding sides.
“The decision to attend the conference was a swift one because such a conference is unlikely to bring anything new to the peace process,” a joint statement by Hizbullah and Amal said.
“The decision to take part in the … conference is yet another clear demonstration that the illegitimate government does its best to monopolize crucial decisions,” the statement added.
“The conference is an occasion for Lebanon to remind the international community and shed light on pending issues such as the Shabaa Farms, maps for cluster bombs dropped by Israel during the summer 2006 war and Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons,” Mitri said.
Mitri said Lebanon”s participation in Annapolis was “like other Arab delegations, clinging to the Arab Peace Initiative, U.N. resolutions, and the refusal of having Palestinians settled in their host countries.”
The Arab Peace Initiative was first proposed by then-Crown Prince (now king) Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during the Arab League summit held in Beirut in 2002.