Safadi: No to veto powers for Hezbollah-led Opposition

 

Lebanon”s Public Works Minister and acting Energy Minster Mohammed Safadi declared his rejection Thursday to giving the Hezbollah-led opposition veto powers in the new cabinet, terming this demand “unconstitutional.”

 
Safadi stressed that “the March 8 team insists on acquiring veto powers, the March 14 team, including myself, is not ready to accept this unconstitutional demand.”

 

We are rejecting giving the opposition veto powers because of “our belief in and adherence to the constitution,” Safadi added.

 

Lebanon, Safadi added, would only exit the ongoing crisis by “electing a president who would shepherd persisting dialogue between the Lebanese on all thorny issues.”

 

He stressed that “we need to elect a president because we need him to safeguard the national balance and be the father of all the Lebanese .”

 

Commenting on the Arab initiative , Safadi said : “The obstacles facing the Arab initiative and our failure to elect the President of the Republic in Lebanon does not mean the failure of this Arab initiative, which remains the only effort which enjoys Arab and international support”.

 

Asked why he participated in the Damascus energy conference he said: ” We were invited and the government decided to send me as the Lebanese representative.”

 

For the same reason Safadi stressed the importance of holding the Arab summit in Damascus and said this should help in resolving the Lebanon crises.

 

Safadi urged the Lebanese to unite to end the crises and save Lebanon . He added” solving the crises here is the responsibility of all the Lebanese first and foremost”