President Sleiman: A stable security situation will bring prosperity to the country
President Michel Sleiman noted the existence of disputes among the groups that will be forming the government, but he also indicated several points on which all Lebanese will come together, which will be part of the government’s plan of action.
“Dealing with living conditions and pushing the economic wheel forward are among the government’s priorities,” Sleiman told the French weekly l’Express on Friday.
Commenting on Hezbollah, the president said that the party is a Lebanese group that generated a national resistance that liberated South Lebanon from the Israeli occupation. “Therefore, it cannot be described as a terrorist group,” he said in reference to the British decision to blacklist Hezbollah.
“It is required that the defense strategy is designed to preserve the state’s strength, and it will be discussed during the national dialogue that I will be calling for at the Baabda presidential palace very soon,” he told the magazine.
President Sleiman said that the Lebanese support any side that makes efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace in the region from which Lebanon would benefit, but “without bearing additional burdens.”
“I will work to restore Lebanese-Syrian relations back normal, whereby we establish mutual respect for the sovereignty, borders and diplomats of both countries,” he said.
Sleiman continued, “We are expecting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to uncover who assassinated ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and his companions, to shed light on the crimes that followed, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“We hope that the international investigation will reach the expected results,” he added.