We are not against Iran or Syria
Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri said on Wednesday that his coalition”s conflict with the opposition was based on a political disagreement over key issues, and stressed the importance of maintaining calm in Lebanon.
Addressing supporters in western Bekaa, Hariri said that coexistence was the basis of building a state. "Our disagreement with the March 8 Forces is a political disagreement over the way to deal with political, security and economic issues, as well as the decision of war and peace," Hariri said.
"Consequently, these issues should be limited to the framework of political disagreements within the Constitution and state institutions," he added.
"We are neither against Iran, nor against Syria; we are only against Israel because it is our enemy," Hariri said, adding that the March 14 Forces wanted Lebanon to have good relations with all countries.
Commenting on the March 14 Forces” meeting in Beirut on Tuesday, Hariri said the gathering had confirmed the alliance”s unity and disproved reports of divisions among the coalition.
Also on Wednesday, Independents and March 14 Forces announced their joint list in Kesrouan-Ftouh. It includes former MPs Mansour Bon, Farid Khazen, Fares Boueiz and Carlos Edde, as well Sejaan Qazzi.
In a speech on the occasion, Bon presented the ticket”s platform, which calls for abiding by the Taif Accord and supporting the Lebanese Army. Bon voiced the alliance”s support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the independence of the Lebanese judiciary.
He added that decisions of war and peace should be monopolized by the state.
Bon also said that relations with Syria would be "put on the right track only after resolving pending issues, including the demarcation of the border and resolving the issue of detainees."
In other developments, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan stressed the unity of the March 14 Forces. After meeting with Premier Fouad Siniora on Wednesday, Adwan said that the coalition was "not an electoral alliance but rather a national one."
Also on Wednesday, MP Michel Pharaon announced during a news conference in Beirut the "development and social platform" of the March 14 Forces” list in the Beirut 1 district. The list includes, in addition to Pharaon, Minister of State Jean Ogassapian, MP Serge Tor Sarkissian, Nayla Tueni and Nadim Gemayel.
"We are in the stage of building the state and institutions," Pharon said, pledging to defend "Achrafieh and the whole country."
Pharon added that the list running against his ticket "ignores the needs of the area."
Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun urged his supporters to vote for the opposition”s complete lists across Lebanon. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aoun”s press office said that Aoun "urges his constituents to vote in density for all the members of the opposition”s lists across all the Lebanese districts, in order to win the elections with a majority."