Lebanon benefits from Arab reconciliation
Prime minister says Lebanese not in need of “chaperon” during peace talks with Israel
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora welcomed on Sunday recent efforts toward Arab rapprochement, saying that Lebanese-Syrian reconciliation would benefit Lebanon.
Speaking during an interview with Al-Jazeera news channel, Siniora said Lebanon would "benefit the most from Arab reconciliation."
The premier added that Syria”s "key role in the region cannot be ignored."
"Syria embraces Arab causes and blocks foreign interventions in Arab affairs and Lebanon in turn should embrace Syria," he said.
Siniora, however, emphasized that Lebanon was not in need of a "chaperon" with regard to peace talks with Israel.
"We can speak for ourselves," he said, adding that Lebanon was committed to UN Resolutions 425 and 1701, and to the Arab Peace Initiative.
Siniora was responding to remarks made by Syrian President Bashar Assad, who last week expressed his wish to engage Hizbullah and Hamas in his country”s indirect peace talks with Israel.
Siniora said criticisms that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is politicized were "unfair."
"We are determined to keep the tribunal away from politics," Siniora said.
In a separate development, President Michel Sleiman travels to Paris on Monday on a three-day official visit that will focus on French military and economic assistance to Lebanon, as well diplomatic ties with Damascus.
French sources told Al-Anwar daily in remarks published Sunday that Paris will also stress "its commitment to work in the interest of Lebanon”s unity, independence and sovereignty."
In other news on Sunday, Minister of State Nassib Lahoud stressed that rapprochement with MP Michel Murr did not mean he has "authorized him to make alliances in the Metn province."
"We will ally with the forces we did not agree with in the past; this rapprochement is now possible because MP Michel Murr”s stances recently improved," Lahoud said in a news conference.
He said Murr supported the seat of the Maronite church and its principles. "This development in his stances leads to rapprochement," Lahoud said.
"However," he added, "this possibility does not mean that we authorize MP Murr to form the alliances he wants in Metn," Lahoud stressed. "His vision of the [electoral] battle in the northern Metn is different from ours," he added.
"We will eventually agree through talks and discussions on the division of seats," Lahoud said.
"Metn is full of highly credible women and men … We do not favor importing candidates from outside the province," the minister added.
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri said it was crucial to form a national unity cabinet after the upcoming parliamentary elections, regardless of the results, "because Lebanon cannot live except through consensus."
In an interview with Kuwaiti daily Al-Dar published Sunday, Berri said previous experiences proved that unilateralism drove Lebanon to crises.
Berri said he told all the participants in the March 5 session of the national dialogue in Baabda that a national unity cabinet would be established after the elections.
He refused to comment on reports which said that a Syrian-Saudi understanding was set to reconcile Lebanese politicians, but said that any Arab understanding would have positive effects on Lebanon.
Also on Sunday, Kuwait”s Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah cautioned that disputes among Lebanese, particularly among Christians, weaken Lebanon. He also expressed willingness to help Lebanon in any way possible. "We are willing to exert every effort to help Lebanon, but we will not interfere in any Lebanese-Lebanese conflict," he said.
His comments, which were carried by the state-run National News Agency, came during talks with visiting Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel. The report said the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and Kuwait”s efforts to achieve Arab reconciliation.
Gemayel, who is on an official visit to Kuwait, lauded Kuwait”s position in standing by Lebanon during difficult times.
Separately, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Saturday that the upcoming parliamentary elections were going to be "a head-to-head battle between two plans."
"Upcoming elections are going to be a head-to-head battle between two projects – one that calls for reforms and another which is corrupt," Aoun said in an address during an FPM dinner at Habtour Grand Hotel.
"You have to exercise your rights and choose the reformist group," Aoun said.
He said the "battle now is aimed at putting an end to theft, and, God willing, the political legacy which began in 1992 will end on June 7."
"He who votes for a clean administration is clean, and he who votes for a corrupt administration is corrupt," Aoun said. "You cannot have a corrupt administration and a good community at the same time."
He emphasized that Lebanon is "split" between two political ideologies. "This is why a reformist force will be formed."
On the controversial issue of a centrist parliamentary bloc, Aoun said that when he criticizes the bloc "we are not attacking the concept but its application."
Echoing Aoun, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad said the path of reform and state-building had been adopted by Hizbullah "ages ago."
"Social justice and reform has long been our motto," he said during a rally in the southern town of Nabatieh on Sunday. Raad said Hizbullah hoped that their electoral platform would be the "choice of voters."
Raad said his party was not seeking the elimination other political groups and rather wanted to preserve partnership in Lebanon.
He said Hizbullah would not hesitate to offer concessions, "even at our own expense," adding that it had done so during the formation of the current Cabinet. "We will do it again during the electoral battle if we have to," Raad said.
Also tackling election-related issues, Lebanese Forces (LF) MP George Adwan said "the upcoming parliamentary elections will either take Lebanon further along the path of independence or on that of the opposition."
During a rally in the Chouf village of Damour, in which he launched his electoral campaign on Sunday, Adwan stressed "the need to preserve unity and reject any compromise on the principles for which the LF fought." He also lashed out at Hizbullah, saying the party monopolized the "decision of war and peace."