Bassil to Arab Delegation: Our Role is to Encourage Dialogue among Arabs, Not Meddle in Their Affairs

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil stressed Monday that Lebanon's role is to “encourage dialogue and understanding among the Arab states, not to interfere in their affairs,” as he urged “domestic consensus” and “Arab support” for the speedy electing of a new president .

“Lebanon is going through a confrontation with extremism and our meeting with the delegation was an opportunity to talk about terrorism,” Bassil announced after a meeting with a high-ranking Arab delegation in Ashrafieh.

“We in the Arab countries are all concerned with the issue of terrorism,” Bassil added, noting that “today the war is not against a single religion, but against all the beliefs and monotheistic religions.”

“The responsibility of the Arab states is to take a decision to preserve their identity and pluralistic social fabric,” the minister said.

Noting that the Syrian refugee crisis was one of the main topics of discussion with the Arab delegation, Bassil stressed that “the only solution to this crisis would be a political solution.”

“We hope all efforts will contribute to a political solution as the party that would benefit the most would be Lebanon,” he added.

“We tackled the issue of domestic stability in Lebanon and said that Lebanon must be represented by its president during the 2015 Arab Summit, and this needs inter-Lebanese consensus on electing a president as well as Arab support,” Bassil went on to say.

Expressing relief over the Arab delegation's visit, the minister noted that the move “has reassured the Lebanese.”

“We sensed support after a long abandonment of Lebanon and we hope the relations between Lebanon and the Arab states will remain warm,” Bassil added.

Asked about the latest diplomatic spat with Bahrain over remarks by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the minister stated that “Lebanon's role is to encourage dialogue and understanding among the Arab states, not to interfere in their affairs.”

“Lebanon does not interfere in the domestic affairs of Arab countries and this also applies Bahrain and the rest of states. We have freedom of expression. Sometimes it harms Lebanon and sometimes it benefits it, but this is the price of freedom in Lebanon,” Bassil explained.

On Sunday, Bahrain summoned the Lebanese embassy's charge d'affaires to demand a “clear condemnation” of Nasrallah's recent remarks about the Gulf kingdom.

Nasrallah had on Friday criticized Bahrain's arrest of top opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman as he alleged the presence of a “Zionist-like naturalization scheme” in the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Sabah, who led the Arab delegation, extended condolences to the families of the victims of the latest suicide bombing in Tripoli's Jabal Mohsen.

“We express solidarity with Lebanon in line with the resolutions of the latest Arab Summit that was held in Kuwait,” Sheikh Sabah added.

“Our message is a message of support for the army and security forces in Lebanon and it's about helping Lebanon in shouldering the responsibility of Syrian refugees,” the Kuwaiti minister said.

“We will follow up on the issues I mentioned and we're exerting efforts to secure the presence of Lebanon's president at the Arab Summit that will be held. It is our responsibility to follow up on Lebanon's problems,” Sheikh Sabah said.

He also underlined that “the solution should be political in Syria and Kuwait is giving this issue special care.”

“A political solution must be accompanied by a humanitarian course,” he added.

Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi meanwhile hoped “a president will represent Lebanon in the Arab Summit that will be held in March.”

“All parties are exhausted in Syria, after the country was destroyed and the numbers of refugees and victims reached scary figures,” he added.

“A political solution is the best for Syria,” Arabi said.

The delegation had earlier met with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

Y.R.