Samir Geagea
On November 16, the pro-government daily Okaz carried an interview with the Leader of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea. The following is the text of the interview:
Some have said that you are unable to change the Christian reality in the coming parliamentary election. How do you respond?
Geagea: Of course I am unable to change the Christian reality alone, but together with all the forces within the March 14 alliance, we will be able to make a change in the 2009 election.
Will there be any changes in terms of the figures with whom you will lead these elections?
Geagea: All the current deputies of the Lebanese Forces will be nominated once again, and there will be other candidates running in new areas.
Will you nominate yourself, or do you prefer to practice politics outside parliament?
Geagea: I will not run in the elections, because I prefer to practice politics from outside parliament. But I am ahead of many party responsibilities. After lengthy years of oppression, the Lebanese Forces has returned to function as a political party three years ago, and I prefer to devote more time in the coming period for my party action along with practicing policy in its broader sense.
[Hezbollah Secretary General] Hassan Nasrallah has stressed on conducting the presidential election on time, does this mean these elections might not take place at its scheduled time?
Geagea: No party can hinder the election, but they can employ violence to change the results of these elections if they were against their interests, as the case was over the past three years. How did they make sure that the coalition formed before February, 14, 2005 would prevail? We are afraid they might return to the same means.
Do you think explosions and assassinations might take place in the coming period?
Geagea: I do not know, but I am afraid about these parliamentary elections. If the other camp does not succeed, it will return to practicing its old habit of using violence as a means to change the political reality.
Will there be a new May 7?
Geagea: It is not apparent a new May 7 will take place, especially if we listen to Hezbollah”s statements. They say May 7 was an exceptional event for a reason they have yet to reveal, and that it is time for political life now.
How do you view the visit of Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to Damascus? Was it successful in general?
Geagea: It was a first step, and what is more important is to take lessons from this visit so as to arrange further visits to Damascus.
What do you say to the culture and defense ministers prior to their visit to Syria?
Geagea: I think there are still so many pending issues between Lebanon and Syria, some of which are urgent, such as the dossier of the missing and the prisoners in Syria, in addition to the Syrian military basis under a Palestinian cover, and the demarcation of the border. I suggest that the visits start by settling the humanitarian and national issues.
Do you think normal relations will be established between both countries?
Geagea: I prefer not to make any judgment based on the history [of relations between Syria and Lebanon] and to keep our eyes and ears open. If we managed to form normal ties between Lebanon and Syria then fine, and if we do not succeed, we would have tried and we should make further attempts.
Some statements suspect the achievement of the Lebanese intelligence in terms of uncovering the spy network, how do you see these achievements?
Geagea: If we go back in time, we see that the Israeli networks that carried a number of activities were uncovered and seized, such as the Majzoub brothers in Saida and the network that has been recently revealed. The Jihadists are also pursued, namely the network which perpetrated terrorist activities against the Lebanese Army. Here I want to raise the following issue: Hezbollah has arrested the two Majzoub brothers and the recent Israeli spy network, but not the Jihadists. [Why]?
How do you look at the accusations hurled at the Future Movement recently?
Geagea: "These accusations are false and all evidence says so. The Future Movement was at the forefront in fighting Fatah al-Islam and it took a decision in the government to entrust the army [with fighting Fatah al-Islam] even if this was to destroy the Nahr al-Bared camp. Through these accusations, Syria aimed to appear as a victim after it was accused by the International Tribunal [for Hariri”s assassination].
How do you appraise the role of the Saudi Kingdom in the stability of Lebanon?
Geagea: Tens of thousands of Lebanese work in the kingdom and we know that they help their relatives in Lebanon. Over the past three years, the kingdom stood by Lebanon and played a huge role, which some might overlook. It also played a role in maintaining a fixed rate of the Lebanese pound through the deposits it placed in the Central Bank in Lebanon.