Berri Optimistic on Dialogue, Says Hizbullah and Mustaqbal Committed to 1701
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal is putting a foundation for future plans, stressing that the two parties hold onto U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
The dialogue, which is being held under his sponsorship in Ain el-Tineh, is based on “honesty,” Berri told al-Mustaqbal newspaper in an interview published on Thursday.
The discussions are being followed by the implementation of decisions, he said.
“We aspire for more and for what's in the country's best interest. But I believe that through the dialogue in Ain el-Tineh we are putting a foundation for other things,” added Berri.
Asked if the fifth round of talks between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal representatives earlier this week dealt with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, Berri said that both parties are fully committed to it.
“The conferees discussed Resolution 1701 and they unanimously reiterated that they hold onto it,” he told the newspaper.
Controversy erupted last week when Hizbullah fighters fired a salvo of anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military convoy in the Shebaa Farms area, killing two soldiers and wounding seven.
Israel responded with shelling, resulting in the death of a Spanish peacekeeper with the United Nations Interim Force in southern Lebanon was killed in the exchange.
The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday condemned "in the strongest terms" the killing of the peacekeeper.
Russia blocked a French-drafted press statement that would have condemned the Hizbullah attack on the Israeli soldiers as a violation of Resolution 1701 that ended the 2006 war as well as the death of the Spanish peacekeeper, saying it was "unbalanced."
Several Lebanese officials have come in support of Hizbullah, saying it did not violate the resolution when it attacked the Israeli soldiers because the assault took place in occupied territories.
“There is concern about Israel's attack on Lebanon and its violation of 1701,” Berri told al-Mustaqbal.
He also criticized the Jewish State for claiming that it respects the resolution at a time when its warplanes overfly the South and Beirut.
Asked about measures to implement a security plan in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Berri said: “The plan is settled and all military and security forces have been given instructions” into implementing it.
However, he blamed the latest terrorist attacks on the army in the past week on the delay in the implementable of the plan, which needs the availability of 2,000 to 3,000 personnel.
G.K.
H.K.
05 February 2015, 08:26
16
May you lay in pieces and tranquility as you put the final touches on your final resting place dear flamethrower.... RIP Shia Hero
05 February 2015, 08:37
16
Several Lebanese officials have come in support of Hizbullah, saying it did not violate the resolution when it attacked the Israeli soldiers because the assault took place in occupied territories.
- Loooooool occupied territories, right... How exactly are the Farms Lebanese again?? In the 1930s and 40s, the Farms were "Lebanese", while Lebanon was part of Syria. By the 50s, Syria took over the area (whether legally or illegally is irrelevant) and controlled it when the Six-Day War broke out in 1967. Israel took over the Golan Heights, which includes Shebaa Farms. There were no complaints from the Lebanese government. When Israel annexed the Heights in 1981, there was also no complaint from the Lebanese government. Then in 2000, when Israel withdrew from South Lebanon, Hezbollah complained it wasn't a complete withdrawal, despite UN cartographers saying it was.
05 February 2015, 08:40
16
When asked about the Farms, Hafez al-Assad said "Syria and Lebanon are one country." LAF maps even had Shebaa in Syrian territory. Bashar al-Assad asked the area be demarcated after an Israeli withdrawal from the area, when his former VP said the Farms could be demarcated in less than an hour if there was a political will.
Everyone knows the Farms are Syrian, even Hezbollah. The terrorist militia uses the Farms as a reason to hold on to their illegal weapons.
05 February 2015, 10:11
15
bless anyone person, entity, organization, brigade or country that inflicts pain and suffering, death, torture, and destruction upon the iranian sectarian terrorist militia and its members, supporters or followers wherever they may be.
05 February 2015, 13:10
03
Mr. Berri it is incumbent on every responsible leadership to zip it up and keep away from mischief. Let Sayed Hassan begin behaving like a Lebanese citizen who respects the law, the constitution and institutions of this land, then dialog can hope to continue. To be honest, the culprit here is clear your ally Hezbollah, maybe you need to rally your guts and tell it to them as you're telling it to the public.
05 February 2015, 13:39
01
Please just get on with it and acheive a result which will bring on the elections of government and president who ever it may be lets change this tragedy called lebanon back to a country where all can get along .
