Chamoun: Sunnis and Christians Reject Naturalization, Damascus is Capital of Evil

 

National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun on Monday met Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani and announced that both Sunni Muslims and Christians are against the naturalization of Palestinians in Lebanon.

 

Noting that “our political foes try to imply that an agreement has been reached on the naturalization issue,” Chamoun told reporters that “view points of his eminence the Mufti and ours are identical regarding rejecting naturalization.”

 

“Such claims regarding an alleged agreement on naturalizing Palestinians are baseless,” Chamoun added.

He added that “enemies of the Palestinian cause, who also are enemies of Lebanon” are behind allegations that “naturalizing Palestinians is a Sunni agenda.”

 

In answering a question about his comment on the 16th postponement of the presidential election, Chamoun said: “Syria”s aides who are among us, including officials like Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, would … keep postponing the election so long as Syria did not give the green light to facilitate the vote.”

 

Chamoun declared that “eventually, a settlement would be reached in favor of Lebanon,” noting that consensus has been achieved on nominating Army Commander General Michel Suleiman for president, but the Hizbullah-led opposition wants him “stripped on any powers.”

 

He reiterated support for the Arab initiative, and urged the Arab League to take “decisions that can put a limit to Syria”s intervention in Lebanon.”

 

Chamoun stressed that “only an elected president should represent Lebanon at the forthcoming Arab Summit” scheduled for March 29 at the Syrian capital of Damascus.

 

“Damascus for Lebanon is the capital of evil,” Chamoun stressed, noting: “Nothing can be expected from the summit because it would be held in Damascus. Things would have been different had it been held somewhere else.”