Suleiman Differs With Points of View That Wish to Abandon the Arab Peace Initiative
President Michel Suleiman differed with those calling for abandoning the Arab peace imitative and objected to including a reference to suspending the Arab peace imitative with Israel at the Doha summit”s concluding statement.
A member of the Lebanese delegation told Agence France Presse (AFP) "Lebanon objected to the reference of suspending the Arab (peace) initiative and insisted that its objection would be mentioned at the summit”s concluding statement."
Suleiman addressing the Doha Arab summit meeting saying: "We should come out with a comprehensive and unified Arab strategy to meet the challenges and to force the enemy to implement the Arab peace initiative."
Suleiman called for a stance of conscience and for a great will in light of the extremity of the tragedy.
He said that despite the fact that the quorum for holding an emergency Arab summit is not complete, our solidarity meeting with Gaza "must not appear to establish Arab axis and divisions."
"Statements of denunciations are not enough and ineffective unless they are linked to practical measures that would stop the aggression and begin the rebuilding process," Suleiman said.
"Israel would succeed in achieving its goals in deepening divisions among the Palestinians and the Arabs if we don”t achieve our solidarity. This is what we must avoid doing," he said.
Suleiman pointed, " Lebanon is ready with its efforts in protecting the established Palestinian rights."
He was also adamant in directing everyone”s attention that Lebanon has suffered many aggressions that succeeded in destroying its institutions but not the spirit for resistance.
Suleiman said: "Israel works hard on violating UNSCR 1701, and continues to occupy part of our land." He hoped that the Arab family would come together in facing this terrible aggression against Gaza, regardless of the summit”s location "because the Arab line in unity with the Palestinian line is capable of weakening this Israeli killing machine," he said.
He thanked all Arab initiatives in support of Lebanon. He directed his attention to the Palestinians saying, "we came to stand by you and hope that our participation would serve your aspirations."
Prior to the Summit meeting President Suleiman and Assad of Syria held a closed
summit meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha.
President Suleiman faced tough criticism during demonstrations in Beirut on Thursday that accused him of siding with March 14 Forces in not wanting to attend the Doha summit.
Meanwhile, the local Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) stated on Friday that Lebanon had previously announced that its participation at the Doha summit s conditioned with having a full quorum. In reality the Doha summit was 3 states short from having a quorum.
Moreover, prior to announcing the final communiqué of the Doha summit Lebanon objected against the suspension of the Arab peace initiative, insisting that its objection is mentioned in the communiqué.
However, the communiqué”s reference in calling the Arab states to suspend the Arab initiative was made without any reference to Lebanon”s objection.