Dialogue is Hypnotism to Tame People
Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel said Thursday that national dialogue is an attempt to hypnotize people in order to tame them.
"Dialogue on the defense strategy is tantamount to hypnotism to tame the people," Gemayel told Kalam el-Nass show on LBC TV.
"The regime is crippled and the government does not exist; and they want to convince us the opposite is true," he complained.
He said the ruling March 14 coalition to which he belongs "has a conviction."
"We do not, however, impose our thoughts on anyone. These thoughts are proposed for dialogue," Gemayel explained.
He described as "failure" the formula under which the central government is currently functioning.
"I am not calling for federalism, but a system which could be applicable to Lebanon”s situation," Gemayel stressed.
Gemayel confirmed he was not running for elections, "and I am responsible for what I say."
He accused politicians aggravated by his latest speech which touched on Hizbullah arms of distorting his words about federalism "which I did not mention."
On Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun”s current visit to Syria, Gemayel saw "nothing new since he (Aoun) has aligned himself to Syria”s allies."
"A historic outcome, not a historic welcome, of Aoun”s visit to Syria is what is important," Gemayel believed.
He said that an invitation to visit Damascus has been extended to me several months ago.
"I am among those who call for best relations with Syria. Everything in time, however," Gemayel insisted.
He said an invitation to visit Iran was also conveyed to him. "I will accept it when I see that it is useful to Lebanon."
Gemayel said that the March 14 alliance was "receiving signals that are not assuring about the likelihood of assassinations."
Turning to parliamentary elections, Gemayel said that March 14 has got to win the election battle "and we will win."
"Political domination is much more dangerous than military control. That”s why we should win the elections to prevent Syrian hegemony over Parliament," Gemayel went on to say.
The Phalange party will not run for elections in some areas like Bsharri and Beirut”s third constituency, he said, adding that union election results are indication to how the upcoming elections are going to be like.
"We have 54% while the opposition has 39%. We have 5 union presidents while the opposition has only one."
On Hizbullah, Gemayel said: "What is clear is that there is a state within the state. It is Hizbullah”s mini-state within the state."
He said the way to settle the issue of Hizbullah arms is to adopt the Swiss model which has a unique military institution somewhere between an army reserve and a regular army without having to arm 1 million soldiers.
On Middle East peace talks, Gemayel said: "We should go back to indirect talks with Israel the same way Syria and Hizbullah did via the German mediator."