Lebanese Forces grants cabinet vote of confidence despite reservations
Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan on Monday expressed doubt in the cabinet’s ability to oversee the 2009 elections amid escalating tension and the presence of weapons, yet conveyed the Lebanese Forces’ decision to grant the cabinet its vote of confidence.
Adwan, who read out his comments on the ministerial statement in parliament, also urged Syria to stop its interference in Lebanon.
He noted that all Lebanese parties must support President Michel Sleiman’s visit to Syria to implement what has been agreed upon, especially concerning the demarcation of the border, the return of the detainees, an end to Syrian interference in Lebanon, as well as Damascus arming organizations that are not related to Palestinian resistance.
MP Adwan added that Doha Agreement could prove a “turning point” for Lebanon and called on all Lebanese to respect their differences “without restrictions or red lines.”
“No naming is prohibited. We can respectfully name everything,” he emphasized. “We all realized that weapons do not solve problems, but create new ones."
He also said that all parties knew the meaning of resistance. “We all have martyrs. In the name of all martyrs, let us reach an agreement within the framework of state’s authority because threats lead nowhere,” he noted.
Adwan said he believed that the opposition had sought participation in the government and succeeded. The majority, which wanted to limit war-and-peace decisions to the state, would succeed if the ministerial statement was implemented, he said.
“The major problem we face is the Resistance’s weapons. We have all agreed on the principle that these weapons can only be under state control, so let us talk about how this can be accomplished,” Adwan stated. “The right to resistance should have been given exclusively to Lebanon as a whole.”
He added that we must reach the level of having a resistance state that is responsible of making war-and-peace decisions and the cabinet must work on returning all displaced Lebanese to their towns, and on achieving reconciliation in Beirut.
On an economic level, he noted that the cabinet did not pay enough attention to the means of enhancing development.
And on the electoral law, the MP said he hoped the registration of emigrants who wished to vote would take effect as soon as possible.