Geagea Asks Those Who Voiced 'Verbal Support' for Bkirki Charter to Adopt it as National Action Plan

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday challenged rivals in the Hizbullah-led camp to endorse the recent charter issued by Bkirki as a “national program of action,” noting that some parties have only voiced “verbal support” for the document.

“The Bkirki charter reminded me of the famous Bkirki declaration,” said Geagea at a press conference he held at his Maarab headquarters.

“The real manifestation of the Lebanese entity is the rise of an actual state and therefore all other policies have become irrelevant and contradicting with the Bkirki charter,” Geagea pointed out.

“The theory of resistance, which means Hizbullah's statelet, has fallen and the council of Maronite bishops has stressed the importance of the rise of the real and productive state. But several days later, (Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh) Naim Qassem said Lebanon cannot exist without the resistance, which means that there are two projects -- the Maronite bishops' project and Hizbullah's project,” the LF leader explained.

He stressed that the higher national interest can only be defined and determined according to the 1943 National Pact of coexistence and the Lebanese constitution.

“The National Pact and the constitution do not mention weapons or Hizbullah's statelet, so those who are claiming that they support Bkirki's charter must respect every clause in it that emphasizes the importance of the state's presence – the state and the state only,” Geagea went on to say.

“Bkirki's charter also mentioned three founding values and it spoke of freedom, partnership and equality. How can we speak of freedom in Lebanon while we have things such as 'May 7' and the 'black shirts',” said Geagea, referring to Hizbullah's May 7, 2008 military operation, when gunmen belonging to the party and its allies swept through Beirut's neighborhoods, and the famous "black shirts" show of force, when black-clad unarmed members of Hizbullah roamed Beirut streets.

Geagea described Bkirki's charter as “excellent,” but stressed that it must be “implemented on the ground of reality” and must become an “approach in political conduct.”

“There is an absence of freedom in Lebanon that is being practiced against the March 14 camp by the other camp. As for equality in partnership, it is nonexistent, and that was reflected in Hizbullah's decision to take part in the fighting in Syria. If we also want to talk about partnership, we must mention a fair electoral law,” Geagea said.

“Page 14 of Bkirki's charter mentions the crippling of constitutional institutions, and here we want to ask who crippled the institutions, who closed the parliament, who impeded the election of a new president before the Doha Agreement and who paralyzed the Constitutional Council afterwards?” he asked, hitting out at the rival camp.

He noted that “those who are crippling institutions in the country are well-known.”

Commenting on the similarities between the Bkirki charter and the Baabda Declaration, Geagea said “the council of Maronite bishops mentioned the Baabda Declaration and this is an essential point.”

“It stressed that Lebanon's neutrality is not a political stance but rather a political experience for Lebanon … Our participation in the cabinet depends on the issue of the Baabda Declaration,” Geagea noted.

“Our entire stance is hinging on agreeing on the Baabda Declaration in cabinet and turning it into the only political segment of the ministerial policy statement. The charter also calls for preserving the Lebanese fabric and this requires preserving Lebanon's neutrality at a time Hizbullah has sent fighters to Syria,” he said.

Geagea called on “those who are saying that they support Bkirki's charter” to be “honest with themselves,” asking them to take “a frank stance.”

Addressing the issue of the exclusive possession of arms that was mentioned in the Bkirki charter, Geagea said: “How can you claim to support the charter while some parties are voicing support for Hizbullah's arms. The exclusive possession of arms means only the army and security forces can possess weapons.”

He lamented that the resolutions of the international legitimacy are not being “respected or implemented.”

Geagea wrapped up his press conference by saluting Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, hoping the council of Maronite bishops “will oversee the proper implementation of this charter.”

He also called on all political parties to endorse Bkirki's charter as “a national program of action, regardless of their regional, sectarian and political affiliations.”