March 14 Meets Overnight, Last Bid to Amend Cabinet Policy Statement Monday
Prime Minister Fouad Saniora”s government will meet Monday to endorse the long-awaited draft policy statement amid reservations from Christian leaders within the ruling March 14 coalition vis-à-vis the resistance issue.
President Michel Suleiman is to head the cabinet meeting, which is expected to be held later Monday at the Presidential Palace in suburban Baabda.
March 14 leaders, in a statement issued following an overnight meeting on Sunday at MP Saad Hariri”s mansion in Qoreitem, expressed reservations regarding the way the issue of the resistance was addressed by the policy statement.
"Complying with the requirements of the ministerial statement will only be accomplished when the phrase "under the wing of the government" is added to the clause that addresses the resistance, March 14 said.
Minister of State Nassib Lahoud on Sunday said he was willing to re-propose modifying the draft policy statement in Monday”s cabinet meeting.
He said he will suggest that Hizbullah adds the phrase: "Under the wing of the government" to the clause that speaks about the "right of the Lebanese people, army and resistance to liberate the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, Kfarshouba Highlands, and the Lebanese section of Ghajar as well as defend Lebanon by all legal means."
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea had voiced a similar position to that of Lahoud.
"The Lebanese Forces will be reserved about any phrase which contradicts with its principles," Geagea said, stressing, however, that such reservation will not lead to rejecting the policy statement.
The daily An Nahar, citing leading ministerial sources, ruled out the possibility that any amendments will be made to the policy statement in Monday”s session.