Hariri vows Future Movement “will follow path of peace”
Lebanon”s Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri announced on Thursday the movement”s list in Beirut”s third district during a massive rally held in the capital.
The list includes Hariri, MPs Ammar Houri, Atef Majdalani, Nabil De Freij, Bassem Chab, Mohammad Qabbani and Ghazi Youssef, Culture Minister Tammam Salam, Public Works and Transport Minister and MP Ghazi Aridi and Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya candidate Imad Hout.
In a speech, Hariri stressed the importance of sharing rule, saying: "We believe in a republic of partnership and we support the sharing of the state."
"We believe that the Future Movement will never fall in the trap of weapons and civil war; we will follow the path of peace, which is based on the Taif Accord," he added.
Commenting on claims that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) was politicized, the Future Movement leader said: "They are talking about the politicization of the STL by saying that accusations are targeted toward Syria; I tell them that accusations against the Syrian regime were political accusations made by all Lebanese people."
"As for Israel, I have said on every occasion that my only wish was for an international investigation to prove Israel assassinated Rafik Hariri, who defended Arabism; but they [opposition forces] are deploying every effort to hamper the investigation and the STL," he added.
Hariri added that the upcoming parliamentary polls were of crucial importance as they would determine Lebanon”s direction for the coming years.
"The elections will determine the party you will choose to manage your social and economic life," he said.
"They ask you every day to support what they did in hampering the Special Tribunal and obstructing the role of the presidency, and what they did on May 7," Hariri added in reference to the May 2008 clashes in Lebanon between armed opposition forces and pro-government gunmen.
"They [the opposition forces] tell you that change is an obligation, because the last three years witnessed corruption and squandering," he said.
Hariri added that the Lebanese did not need to be shown "who the real thieves are."
He said that "the legacy of Rafik Hariri brought years of financial stability," which allowed Lebanon to avoid the effects of the economic crisis.
Hariri added that the Future Movement had a comprehensive national and economic program that would serve all the Lebanese people”s interests.
Hout, Salam and Aridi also gave speeches at the event.