Siniora speaks out ahead of Nahr al-Bared summit
Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora said in an interview published on Sunday in leading Austrian daily Der Standard that he had high hopes for the donor conference for the reconstruction of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp to be held in Vienna on Monday.
"The Vienna conference will give us the chance to put the spotlight on the problems the Lebanese people and Palestinian refugees have been facing ever since 1948, when Israel threw out the Palestinians from their homeland," Siniora said in the interview.
About 400,000 Palestinian refugees reside in Lebanon, most of them living in miserable conditions. More than any other country, Lebanon had to carry a burden that went beyond its capacities.
As for the Nahr al-Bared conflict, the Palestinian refugee camp fell into the hands of Fatah al-Islam, which attacked the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and "slaughtered Lebanese soldiers," Siniora added.
"After the beginning of the clashes, we called on the different Palestinian factions within the camp to condemn the murders perpetrated by this terrorist organization and convince its members to surrender, while we promised that those who did would receive good treatment," said the premier.
However, the militants ignored the call, and the LAF had to confront the organization, following the government”s instructions, which led to the massive destruction.
When asked about the political complications that were slowing down the reconstruction process, Siniora said that since 1969 the refugee camps in Lebanon have not been under the Lebanese government”s control, which means that they do not abide by Lebanese law.
He insisted on the importance of the Lebanese treating the refugees like their brothers, and of Palestinians behaving just like any Lebanese citizen and abiding by Lebanese laws. He added that Palestinians were the victims of Israeli aggression, as they were expelled from their homeland and had to live in miserable conditions ever since.
Siniora also stressed the importance of allowing the Palestinians to work in Lebanon and get paid so that they do not end up being "easy prey for terrorist groups to recruit."
As for the resettlement issue, Siniora said that it was not up for discussion, as the country could not bear it first for demographic issues, as well as because the naturalization would be an unconstitutional act.
The premier also said that for the Palestinian issue in Lebanon to be solved, people should go back to the issue”s origins and try to understand the problem”s sources.
About the Shebaa Farms issue, which Israel and the UN consider Syrian territory, Siniora said – adding that Syria agrees with his view – that this was Lebanese territory but was not considered so because there has never been a border demarcation between Lebanon and Syria due to the circumstances of the countries” creations.
"When the Israelis progressively took full control of this land, they knew that it was part of Lebanon, but the UN decided then that this was Syrian territory," he said.
Because of the complications related to this land, Lebanon has suggested putting the farms under the UN”s control, although Siniora stressed the fact that Israel did not impose this decision upon the Lebanese government.
"After the Israeli withdrawal, we could hold negotiations with Syria, have the borders demarcated and send the new maps over to the UN," said Siniora.
As for Hizbullah, Siniora reiterated the fact that it was a Lebanese party, represented in Parliament. He also said that during the national dialogue held between March and June 2006, Hizbullah and the government overcame a number of obstacles by agreeing on important subjects such as the UN tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Lebanese-Syrian relations and the arms question within the Palestinian camps.
About the Arab-Israeli conflict, Siniora said that Lebanon would abide by the Arab peace initiative, adding that, because of unique Lebanese characteristics, there could never be bilateral talks with Israel, even if it withdrew from Shebaa.
As for Syria, that country”s government has the capacity to hold talks with Israel, he said. However, Lebanon remains very careful.
Asked about US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice”s recent visit, Siniora said the government had continuous contacts with the US and all of Lebanon”s "international friends."
As for the Special Tribunal, it is no longer in the hands of the Lebanese government, but rather the responsibility of the UN, he said.
"The tribunal will not be imposed on the Lebanese, because they have already approved it, and it can operate without us having to interfere," he added.
Siniora thanked all the countries that supported Lebanon and the LAF, and he also thanked Austria and its president for hosting this conference.