March 14 Forms Consultative Body to Confront Syrian 'Conspiracy', Urges Suleiman to Intervene

The March 14 forces on Wednesday announced the creation of a permanent consultative body aimed at confronting the threats facing Lebanon, urging President Michel Suleiman and “all the free, loyal Lebanese” to take part in defending the country.

“The conferees agreed that there are four main threats that require political, popular and parliamentary mobilization before it is too late,” said a statement issued after a broad meeting for the March 14 forces in Maarab.

The March 14 forces warned of “the Syrian regime’s insistence on blowing up the security situation in Lebanon, especially in the North, and on targeting civil peace through bringing back the hit list and plotting bombings.”

They also accused Damascus of being behind the latest kidnappings.

The conferees slammed “the insistence of Iran’s allies in Lebanon on rejecting the concept of the state and its sovereignty, hijacking the decisions of war and peace and turning the country into an arena for regional and international conflicts.”

The gatherers accused Hizbullah of “defying the principle of protecting Lebanon and sparing it (the repercussions of Syria’s crisis), as stipulated by the Baabda Declaration.”

The March 14 forces also warned of “the threat of bankruptcy facing the Lebanese economy and its various sectors due to the deliberate policies aimed at stripping Lebanon of the last assets of its steadfastness and immunity.”

They cautioned that “these threats, in addition to the behavior of some of the government’s components, would accelerate the collapse of the state and its institutions and administrations.”

“The consultative committee of the March 14 forces -- which will remain permanently in session -- raises the alarm and urges the president of the republic and all the free, loyal Lebanese to confront these threats,” said the statement.

“The consultative committee stresses to the Lebanese that it will spare no effort – locally, regionally and internationally – to foil the conspiracy that is targeting Lebanon,” it added.