Miqati Stresses Lebanon Respect for Int'l Law as Suleiman Asks EU to Reconsider Decision on Hizbullah
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman on Monday hoped the European Union will “reconsider” its decision to blacklist Hizbullah's military wing as caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed Lebanon's respect for international legitimacy.
Suleiman hoped the EU “will reconsider its decision, out of keenness on avoiding hasty decisions and to preserve stability in Lebanon and protect the essential choices that are being discussed by the national dialogue committee, which are mainly about the stipulations of the Baabda Declaration and the president's vision for the national defense strategy.”
The president voiced his remarks during talks in Baabda with EU ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst.
Earlier on Monday, Miqati stressed that Lebanon “is keen to abide by international law,” after the European Union placed Hizbullah's armed wing on its list of “terrorist organizations.”
"We will follow up on the issue through diplomatic channels, while we wish the EU countries had carried out a careful reading of the facts and sought out more information," Miqati said.
"Lebanese society, in all its components, is keen to abide by international law and to maintain excellent relations with EU member states," he added in a statement.
Meanwhile, caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour warned that the EU's decision will have its repercussions on Lebanon, accusing "known local factions of playing a negative role" in this respect.
He told al-Manar television: "We want to know what does the EU want from Lebanon in the future, then, we will have a clear and brave stance."
EU foreign ministers on Monday added Hizbullah's military wing to the union's list of "terrorist organizations."
The decision came after some of EU's 28 foreign ministers overcame reservations in some member states that such a move would further destabilize Lebanon where the group plays a major role.
To do so, ministers agreed that EU political and economic links with Lebanon would be maintained.
They also highlighted the fact that it is the military wing alone that is blacklisted after Hizbullah was blamed for a deadly attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year.
Hizbullah, which is backed by Iran, is Israel's sworn enemy. The group's involvement in fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad's forces has dismayed Western powers which back rebels battling the regime.
22 July 2013, 18:40
33
Patriotic-leg are you in porn industry!!! Of course Hizibo is terrorist organization ....they killed a lot of Lebanese civilian....call me to uae when u have time...
22 July 2013, 18:43
27
They have been mulling this decision for years . . at the end of the day, HA has illegitimate weapons outside the state... What happened in May 2008 resulted in a major increase of weapons among all factions putting Lebanon on the brink of another civil war... Thanks a lot Hizballah!
22 July 2013, 21:07
02
Not old at all, I just tell it like it is . . . . Now we have extremists of all sides! Shame
22 July 2013, 19:09
29
They're going to prove one more time that they're terrorists! Cool. Maybe the UNFIL's mission will be changed into a hezbo terrorists wipers.
22 July 2013, 20:32
05
@Patriotic-Leb
Will find out what? The EU is trembling with fear from your threats! :)
22 July 2013, 20:37
14
hahahahaha... yes big j... 28 nations suddenly all want to please Israel....yaaaaaawww....chou mahdoum...
22 July 2013, 20:51
13
When I was a young boy and disagreed with someone I was told that the possibility that I am right is 50%, when I argued with 4 people I was told that it was 20%, now 28 EU members v 1 Lebanon, and Lebanese PM claims that he is in the right, I doubt it very much.
22 July 2013, 20:57
30
In practical terms, it would be more of a political slap on the wrist than a stunning body-blow.
Hezbollah is not known to have substantial identifiable assets in EU countries which could be frozen, and it does not depend on donations from supporters there.
Hezbollah is the most powerful military force in Lebanon but also the dominant behind-the-scenes political mover. Diplomats may find it hard to differentiate between its military and political wings.
This means, that the today's decision is worthless since Hezbollah has long operated under world-wide pressure.
22 July 2013, 21:59
20
Zadiq,
I totally agree with you, Lebanon unfortunatly is a weak so-called state, which primarily depends on foreign cash. However, lets be realistic here, if this resistance did not exist in Lebanon where would we be now, im not talking Al-Manar style here. What are we worth regionally without this resistance? Most probably we'de be living in settlements past known as Beirut, Tyr and Sidon.
I agree, the Iranians have their own interests/agendas..etc but these agenda's do not clash with Lebanon's interests and its multi sysytem, or else we would of had Hezbollah attempts to establish an Islamic state.
23 July 2013, 00:40
01
Hezb is Lebanon's worst nightmare. This is a wake-up call to them and to the Lebanese. Enough already about the Hezb circus. They are harming Lebanon more than they are helping in anything.
23 July 2013, 00:41
02
It is what is. They have been terrorizing Lebanon for a while. Mabrouk on being called officially as terrorists, because that's what they are.
23 July 2013, 02:14
01
I wonder why M14ers rejoice @ anything that goes against the grain...........
Maybe because m8ers assassinate anyone that goes against their grain.
23 July 2013, 02:17
01
This mostly political decision by the EU is to please ONLY Israel and the United States who have been pressuring them for years........
bigjohn, the EU decision upsets only HA, SSNP, PNO, and Palestinian factions allied with HA. Discreetly it pleases, fpm, Amal, and Jumblat), openly it please all the Independents and M14ers.
23 July 2013, 05:00
01
Mansour warned that the EU's decision will have its repercussions on Lebanon, accusing "known local factions of playing a negative role"... keep on barking, the local factions playing negative roles are Hizbullah and the rest of the Assad/Iran lackeys.
