Samir Franjieh Disputes Use of the Word “Reconciliation”
MP Samir Franjieh told Future News television on Thursday that the word “reconciliation” was an exaggeration, since reconciliation required a revision of the past and apologies for mistakes. “Reconciliation occurs to rebuild partnerships and agree on the future,” he said.
Franjieh also said the repercussions of the May 7 events were dying down, and that if the March 8 and March 14 forces continued reconciling and settled disputed issues, a better future would be at hand.
He also said that there was an “explosive situation” within Lebanon’s Islamic community, whereas the Christian situation was different. He said that except for the Bsarma incident earlier this month, where clashes between the Lebanese Forces and the Marada left one supporter of each party dead, the security situation was better in the Christian community. “If the Maronite League is trying to resolve the conflict, there is no conflict, and if it is trying to set a pact, it was set earlier, and the parties did not commit to it,” he said.
Franjieh said that Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s apology last Sunday for the LF’s past mistakes was the correct way to reach reconciliations, while MP Michel Aoun was destroying the basic values of society by reopening wounds from the civil war. Franjieh called on leaders to follow Geagea’s suit and say where he had failed and where he had succeeded.
Franjieh also brought up that Hezbollah was taking part in the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. “If we go back to what Hezbollah had said about Siniora, it must not participate in a cabinet headed by Siniora,” he said.
Franjieh also said that there were no new alliances in the country, and that Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri’s upcoming meeting with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah could provide security to Lebanon if they discussed basic political issues, “or else we, along with Hezbollah, will have to wait for what will happen in the outside, and then there will be a winner and a loser.” He said that Lebanon could not be built that way, and there should be neither defenders nor attackers of Iran.