Lebanese Forces conference looks to bridge liberal-conservative divide
The Lebanese Forces (LF) on Thursday launched an international conference called Border Crossing as an attempt to bring conservative and liberal views closer together. The foreign and public relations wing of the party’s student committee is organizing the four-day conference – their first such international effort – at the San Hills Hotel in Adma.
“We as Lebanese have crossed borders and disagreements, as Lebanon represents the coexistence of Western and Eastern values; thus an understanding of the Middle East emanates from an understanding of Lebanon,” conference coordinator Emile Issa Khoury said at the convention’s opening.
Among the 35 conservative and liberal parties representing 25 countries, the conference includes delegations from the US Republican and Democratic parties, as well as Germany’s Christian Democratic Party and Italy’s The People of Freedom party. The last two are headed respectively by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
Speaking on behalf of LF leader Samir Geagea, MP Antoine Zahra stressed the importance of promoting Lebanese-European ties among the youth, who constitute the backbone of future political dynamics and boost hope of a future free of conflicts.
“Lebanon’s model reflects the coexistence of civilizations despite the current ongoing conflicts; thus we demand the international community to help us overcome those difficulties, particularly the country’s lack of a government,” Zahra added.
“We call on all groups to work in order to preserve the Christians’ free and effective role based on Lebanon’s coexistence model,” the LF MP said.
Zahra also slammed the use of weapons to pressure the majority into surrendering its position so as to form a cabinet where the minority takes over the dominant role, contrary to all democratic values.
Zahra said the LF welcomed the exchange of expertise with parties founded on democratic values, in order to benefit from their experience so as to transform the LF into a model democratic party in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, head of the LF student committee Charbel Eid said the LF did not seek to gain the religious support of Western parties against other domestic groups, but rather believed in a state governed by constitutional institutions.
“The Taif Accord ended the war, but political repression did not stop … We reject illegitimate weapons in the hands of Palestinian groups, and we demand that the Lebanese state controls the decision of peace or war,” Eid added, a reference to Hizbullah’s military resistance against Israel.