Speculation on Lebanon Clause in Arab Summit Closing Statement
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has reportedly changed Lebanon's clause of the final statement of the Arab Foreign Ministers meeting that will be held on Sunday amid lack of consensus among the rival parties on the policy statement of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet.
Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted a source in Cairo as saying that the version sent by Bassil was totally different from that of his predecessor ex-FM Adnan Mansour, who according to An Nahar has held onto the “army-people-resistance” equation.
Bassil's statement refers to “the right of Lebanon and the Lebanese to confront occupation,” the source said, without giving further details.
But the daily quoted Bassil as saying that the statement gives “Lebanon and the Lebanese the right in resisting occupation.”
The controversy on the word “resistance” is already delaying the approval of the policy statement. A seven-member committee tasked with drafting the blueprint is scheduled to hold its ninth meeting on Friday amid hopes that it would reach a compromise.
President Michel Suleiman and the March 14 camp are upholding the Baabda Declaration. But the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance is insisting on including in the blueprint Lebanon’s right to armed resistance against Israeli occupation.
The meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo on Sunday is aimed at preparing for the Kuwait summit of March 25-26 and drafting its closing statement.
Speaker Nabih Berri was quoted as saying on Friday that he was adopting a wait-and-see approach on the Lebanon clause of the statement.
“Let's see what they will say about the resistance,” he said.
“Will there be an amendment to the army-people-resistance equation that was mentioned in the two previous (Arab League) summit closing statements?” he asked.
07 March 2014, 08:44
1617
the right to resist occuptation means the right of all Lebanese to resist the terror's party existence and occupation of Lebanon.
07 March 2014, 08:54
1715
Popeye, no hope for Lebanon from the likes of your comments. Do you not now that Hizballah is Lebanese? You can either fight them, or try and communicate to find common ground. It's easy to throw around comments like yours, but there's really nothing on offer in terms of solutions.
07 March 2014, 11:00
1714
Lebanese according to you. To most of the Lebanese they are traitors and iranians.
07 March 2014, 11:38
1712
I await the day when I will read ONE meaningful post, ONE counter argument, ONE credible or mature info from you, ..Flamethrower.. , but alas!
07 March 2014, 12:08
1714
FT - you know as the rest of us that the Hizb would not obey orders from any legal and legitimate Lebanese government to disarm and would move to violemtly overthrow such a government. The idea that a militia can claim to have powers reserved to the state makes a mockery of the country.
07 March 2014, 12:37
78
Assi, you're right whereas you pointed to Hezbollah as being Lebanese, yes, sure, they are 100% Lebanese, in the sense that they have nothing to envy any Lebanese in their proficiency to lie so chronically. Other than that, Hezbollah is slowly and gradually telling us that it is anything but Lebanese. Look my friend, we still have a seemingly Syrian territory that we are now claiming, the Shebaa Farms, we all know how many times Hezbollah has claimed it as part of its liberation designs, since you claim HA to be Lebanese, fine, why doesn't it then go and fight for the nation rather than for Bashar Al Assad? The you said try to communicate? Where were you all these years that most of the Lebanese were doing exactly that? Come on mate, please...
07 March 2014, 11:20
154
Lebanon can't be independent and flourishing when it get orders from the Arab League
07 March 2014, 12:15
76
Bassil's statement refers to “the right of Lebanon and the Lebanese to confront occupation,”, unquote. Well, I find this position as being most reasonable by our honorable FM, honestly nothing wrong to touch here. But I also will hope that this statement is not changed anytime soon because I am holding to it, for the mere fact that the Syrian occupier is gone but replaced by the Lebanese occupier, Hezbollah. because of that I will reserve the right to resist the occupation by another private army, or militia or party of whatever warring God that takes your fancy, but that clause is now well within my hands, and I am now reassured that my right was never wrong. I shall resist occupation, as do most patriotic Lebanese.
07 March 2014, 12:40
89
Correct Manoushi, it seems that there is a convention that refuses Lebanon to enjoy real statehood. From the days of the rotten PLO under Yasser Arafat, to today with Hezbollah under Sayed Hassan, it looks ever more clear, that Lebanon must stay under the control of private militias, all denying the right of the Lebanese to live like any other country, sovereign, free and prosperous.
07 March 2014, 16:57
122
It is so unlike HA to carry out such blatant acts of disrespect towards other sects and the military. I refuse to believe it, i just do!
07 March 2014, 17:51
32
@thefact, and by default means this: Disarming of all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese. Surrender of all their weapons to the LAF. Lebanese militiamen to join the army or go back to their personal professions, and non-Lebanese ones to remain in their camps, those involved in crimes to be sentenced. Then the LAF to be strengthened, the state to become the state, enjoying its full sovereignty, with a a strong constitution, with strong constitutional institutions, the respect of the law by every single human being in Lebanon, the respect and the upholding of the peace. Once these are achieved, everyone will see how Lebanon will spring back to life, full life like only the Lebanese know how.
