Hariri Rules Out 'People-Army-Resistance' Equation, Says 'Only Death' Separates Him from March 14 Allies
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Monday his total rejection to the people-army-resistance equation, stressing also that he will never abandon his allies.
“The people-army-resistance equation is completely rejected, full stop,” Hariri said in an interview on Future TV.
Hariri explained his controversial decision to take part in a cabinet with Hizbullah ministers.
“If I though about this matter from an emotional perspective only, I would not hold dialogue with other factions in the country in the future,” he said.
“My duty calls for using logic. I have said there are many disagreements with the March 8 camp, especially with Hizbullah.”
Hariri continued: “Our problem with the other camp is their insistence on the 9-9-6 cabinet lineup, as well as on other conditions. We told them before that we are ready to give them the government they want but that they have to withdraw from Syria. We told them to form a neutral cabinet for people's sake.”
“We are against giving them the one third number of ministers with the veto power, and we support rotation of ministries and the Baabda Declaration, not the people-army-resistance equation,” he added.
The former premier stressed that he insists on this stance.
“And if they say they do not want to reconsider their conditions regarding the ministerial statement, we will not change ours as well,” he stated.
Despite the disagreement with some March 14 parties regarding taking part in the cabinet, Hariri assured that he will stand by his allies “till death.”
“We are still communicating with our allies, whether with the Lebanese Forces or with other parties. We explained our point of view to them and I hope (LF leader) Samir Geagea would rethink his stance on participating in the cabinet.”
He assured, however, that he will stand by Geagea regardless of the decision the LF leader takes.
“We will never leave his side,” Hariri said.
The interview with the Sunni leader comes few days after the works of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was launched to try the suspects accused of killing his father, former premier Rafik Hariri.
“They accused me of abandoning the STL but it has become a reality and it is continuing its work and other suspects may be revealed in the future," Saad Hariri said, reiterating that he is not covering the suspects in any of the recent assassinations in the country.
He added: “What is happening in The Hague is a very significant matter that can cause severe problems in the country.”
“Those who killed Rafik Hariri will be tried and will not escape justice.”
Earlier in the day, Hariri told France's Europe 1 radio that while "the accused are Hizbullah members. Everybody knows it was (Syrian President) Bashar Assad who gave the order."
"For 50 years, political assassinations were part of Lebanese politics," Hariri said commenting on the STL's work to Europe 1.
"For the first time a court is trying to put an end to impunity."
Hariri also denied in Monday evening's interview covering Hizbullah's presence in Syria.
“I am convinced that its involvement there brings chaos and destruction into Lebanon,” he stated. “Hizbullah's decision to get involved in the Syrian war caused the explosions in Lebanon.”
Addressing Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, he reiterated calls for withdrawing from Syria and returning to Lebanon.
“The Free Syrian Army is fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other extremists and hence, what is Hizbullah's mission in Syria today? It must drop the 'fighting the Takfiris' justification,” he pointed out.
Hariri wished Hizbullah would realize that Assad is a “criminal that does not want any good for Lebanon.”
“There is one Takfiri only and it is Bashar Assad. All his supporters are also Takfiris.”
He also urged Nasrallah to hand over the suspects accused of assassinating late premier Rafik Hariri.
On the presidential elections, Hariri stated that a March 14 candidate will be nominated to run for office.
“We will nominate a March 14 candidate for presidency and we want a head of state that rejects foreign orders and that puts Lebanon's interest first,” he stressed.
The former premier also expressed that President Michel Suleiman represents Lebanon “very well.”
“I am with amending the constitution so that a president can run for two terms. Suleiman said he is against the extension of his mandate and I think he represents Lebanon very well,” Hariri elaborated.
Separately, Hariri called for punishing those putting the northern city of Tripoli's security at risk.
“Who is the party benefiting from the chaos in Tripoli? Where is the army intelligence? Why aren't these forces doing their job after the 19th round of clashes? the army must act with an iron fist.”
“There are some third parties involved in Tripoli's clashes,” he noted.
On his highly anticipated return to Lebanon, he said he will come back when “he decides it's time.”
"But each time I take the decision to return, someone is assassinated,” he remarked.
In his interview with Europe 1 radio, he had said earlier on Monday that "he will return to Lebanon for the elections and will one day become prime minister."
Hariri thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for offering three billion dollars in aid to arm the military institution, considering that the donation indicates that KSA supports the states' institutions.
He revealed also that Suleiman was the person who sought after the donation.
Source: Naharnet
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