Miqati Meets Suleiman, Urges Assad to Speed Up Reforms

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Friday urged President Bashar Assad to “speed up the implementation of reforms,” stressing that the new government will deal with the displaced Syrians from a humanitarian aspect.

Miqati said during an interview with al-Arabiya television network that his government will treat the Syrian refugees “away from any political aspect.”

Syrian opposition activists along with at least 5,000 refugees have fled to Lebanon since protests against the regime of Bashar Assad broke out in Syria in March.

During the interview, scheduled to be aired on Friday night, Miqati said that the cabinet could refuse any international resolution regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon if the national dialogue committee took such a decision or there was Lebanese consensus on it.

“If it (the national dialogue committee) couldn’t decide (on the issue), the government will commit to decisions taken by previous governments,” the PM said.

Miqati ruled out the possibility of disarming the resistance. However, he stressed in reference to his hometown of Tripoli that the “arms in the cities will be seized.”

The premier reiterated such steps would be taken through decisions reached at the national dialogue table.

Miqati explained that the cabinet took over power of disintegrated political institutions and the vacancy of 400 important positions in the state institutions.

Miqati held talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace on Friday. The discussions focused on the latest developments and mainly the stage that the committee tasked with drafting the policy statement has reached, the National News Agency reported.

The meeting lasted for one hour and Miqati left Baabda without making any statement, NNA said.