Samir Franjieh Ridicules Nasrallah”s Threats and Places Bets on Pressuring Syria
MP Samir Franjieh said threats and deadlines set by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would not result in destabilizing Lebanon and the Arabs would not let Lebanon become an arena for Iranian-U.S. confrontation.
In an interview with Naharnet, Franjieh said Nasrallah”s threats “make me laugh.”
“Hizbullah has been making threats for over a year, starting with demonstrations (in January last year) and occupying central Beirut, blocking traffic and preventing people from practicing their work,” Franjieh said.
“Such threats produced no results,” he added.
Franjieh recalled that Nasrallah “set schedules five or six times in a year time, and I do not believe that anyone is capable of achieving anything by resorting to force.”
He also noted that the Arab Summit conference held in Saudi Arabia last March resulted in setting up a new regional Arab order.
“Striking at Lebanon aims at striking at this regional Arab order, and aims at calling off the Arab world, so that the area would be an arena for Iranian-U.S. confrontation as if the Arabs have ceased to exist,” Franjieh explained.
“If Lebanon was dismantled, the only example for pluralism in the Arab world would cease to exist … You cannot adhere to the slogan outlined during the Riyadh Summit that peace is a strategic option and change Lebanon into an emirate fighting on behalf of Iran,” he stressed.
Franjeh said partnership in ruling Lebanon, as demanded by Hizbullah, is tantamount to “partnership by Iran and Syria in the national Lebanese decision-making.”
Hizbullah, he noted, maintains “security, financial and military relations with these states … this poses major threats to the Arab World.”
Franjieh also stressed on the fact that the March 14 alliance is “committed to nominating Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman for president.”
He said blocking Suleiman”s election and chaining him with pre-conditions “are the result of a Syrian decision to block the elections.”
Hizbullah and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri”s AMAL movement have “lost their ability to maneuver, that is why they assigned (Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel) Aoun to negotiate, because they know that would lead to finishing off dialogue,” according to Franjieh.
He said destabilizing Lebanon “has a high cost on the nation … but it actually speeds up the creation of the international tribunal.”
Syrian President Bashar Assad”s Baathist regime in Franjieh”s words, is not advised to repeat the example of the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by threatening neighboring states.
“This is a primitive concept … We still have some hope in a change,” Franjieh said without further elaboration.
He concluded by stressing: “Our problem is not with Hassan Nasrallah, our problem is with the Syrian Regime. The issue is related to Arab and international pressures on Syria.”