Bassil Lauds Geagea's Stance, Says it is a 'Historic Moment'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil lauded Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea's stance in balancing fair representation in the next parliamentary elections with the problematic issue of disarmament, describing Geagea's position as “historic.”
“We might have doubted the stances of the Lebanese Forces before, but not anymore,” said Bassil, a member of the March 8 Free Patriotic Movement, in an interview to the al-Akhbar daily Thursday.
“We cannot do that today. We must give them credit for backing the Orthodox Gathering proposal despite those who reject it,” the minister added.
“We cannot but appreciate Geagea's saying that the right representation of all factions is constitutional and equally important to all other sovereign issues. We laud his historic stance,” added Bassil.
In an interview to the daily Wednesday, Geagea balanced between his Sunni allies and Hizbullah saying that “well representation of all factions is as important as disarmament. Equal representation is the major issue for the Lebanese Forces.”
The Christian LF and Phalange parties from the March 14 alliance have announced their backing to the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal which envisages Lebanon a single district and calls for each sect to vote for its MPs in a propositional representation system.
Their Christian rivals from the March 8 allies – the FPM and the Marada – are already staunch backers of the proposal.
But al-Mustaqbal has criticized it for harming the social fabric.
Bassil stressed that March 8 will reject any electoral law that does not secure division of powers between Muslims and Christians.
“What we are suggesting is a draft-law that has real division of powers. Those who reject the Orthodox Proposal would also be rejecting real partnership,” he said.
24 January 2013, 10:56
73
Al-Mustaqbal, or even better, the anglo version the Future Movement, is a cancer in Lebanese society and is harming the social fabric since 1992. Those who reject the Orthodox Proposal would also be rejecting real partnership = Al-Mustaqbal = Salafists = Al Qaeda = FSA Supporters = Terrorists.
24 January 2013, 11:19
11
well back from my vacation where i had a blissful relaxing escape with NO news about Lebanon... come back to this ... what the hell have i been missing???
24 January 2013, 11:24
15
The FSA is not an off-shoot of the Future Movement, but the byproduct of an armed "resistance" with a questionable allegiance. If you support the disarming of Hizballah AND FSA, then I'm with you. However, if you want the FSA disarmed yet you are in support of Hizballah keeping its arms, then you're being hypocritical. Terms like "hero," "martyr," and "terrorist" are subjective. Each individual is free to hold his own beliefs. However, when one individual claims that his beliefs are beyond reproach, then you cannot blame the others for feeling threatened and arming themselves. The playing field has to be leveled in order for everyone to feel secure. This obviously means allowing only the official armed forces to bear large arms.
24 January 2013, 12:23
71
the filthy zionist scum want to compare genocidal wahabi/zionist scum with our glorious resistance
24 January 2013, 22:26
11
the filthy jihadi Irani scum spoke and as usual nobody listened to his manufactured garbage.
24 January 2013, 11:40
23
did bassool grow some hair or what? so he is in love with gagag now for being more sectarian then him - good for them but we reject sectarian politics and want to move on with our lives to a brighter lebanon. Those who wants to take us back to the stone age with laws tied to sects and religion shall fail and we shouldn't let them succeed. Lebanese deserve better leaders than those advancing sectarian agenda. Next abolish sect power distribution - and all religious courts - get on the wagon of civilization -
24 January 2013, 14:38
22
Keep hoping if this will help you sleep at night. Next time come up with a more constructive statement or opinion.
24 January 2013, 15:10
13
The symmetry of the positions is clear. Without fair representation in parliament, then the constituents suffering unfairness must suffer the domination of those constituents who are the beneficiary of unfair representation.
And with Hezbollah and its arms, the whole country must suffer the domination of public affairs by the one party that has an organized armed force. So, to end unfairness, both issues should be addressed and rectified.
But Geagea should be circumspect in demanding "fair representation". An argument is easily made that the Christians with 35% of the population being allocated 50% of the Parliamentary seats is unfair to the 65% Moslem population in a confessional system such as Lebanon's.
24 January 2013, 16:00
22
What social fabric is al-Mustardal refering to? Lebanon is totally factionalized and ungovernable without electoral reform. al-Mustaedal waits for the Fall of Assad ignoring the fact that means Lebanon will descend into Civil War. At the very least Lebanon needs to start developing it's energy resources and upgrade the electrical grid. al Mustardal is not part of the solution. Their policies are clearly confrontational which is odd since they aren't the strongest party and will not prevail. Their leaders should go stay with Harari in France living the high life of Saudi money.
24 January 2013, 19:20
11
Even though they're around 35% of the population, Lebanese Christians get 50% of the Parliament seats, in addition to the Presidency, head of the army,etc, and Aoun and company are complaining about fairness. Very nice.
24 January 2013, 21:26
12
Bassil would never say that if he didn't think that would drive a wedge between Geagea and Mustakbal. I can't ever see this little weisel give credit where credit is due based on principal.
