Geagea Announces Presidential Program, Stresses Need to Control Proliferation of Arms
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced on Wednesday his presidential program that focused on restoring the authority of the state against the proliferation of weapons during a time of regional unrest.
He declared: “No country in the world would accept that its authority be subject to armed groups that exist outside of the state.”
“There will be no compromise in dealing with the spread of arms,” he stressed.
“The position of the presidency still retains important privileges despite the adoption of the Taef Accord” in 1989, he continued, while blaming the 29-year period of Syrian hegemony over Lebanon for weakening the presidency.
“The president is capable of playing a central role in directing political life in Lebanon towards the true national path,” Geagea said.
“A strong president is capable of implementing the constitution and serving national goals that achieve higher Lebanese national interests,” he continued.
Lebanon is passing through one of the most dangerous stages in its history and the state can no longer tolerate that it be burdened by those obstructing its functioning, he added.
“The Lebanese entity can no longer support any side that creates imbalance in the state and violates its principles and coexistence,” he stated.
There should be a radical solution to this flaw in Lebanon, stressed the LF leader.
“The greatest challenge I face in running for the presidency lies in implementing the constitution and laws in a manner that will restore the authority of the state,” Geagea declared.
The presidency is the starting point for achieving these goals, he said.
“The current phase in Lebanon does not tolerate semi-solutions, semi-positions, and semi-presidents,” he added, noting that centrism has turned into a “lethal grey area that resulted in lack of clarity in stances.”
“There is no room for centrism, which has only yielded compromises to accommodate the status quo,” he lamented.
The main challenge lies in committing to the Taef Accord as a means to implement the constitution and achieve national balance, he continued.
Moreover, he stressed the need to tackle the flaws that have emerged in the presidency, while calling for staging the parliamentary elections as soon as the presidential polls are over.
“We seek a state that protects its people and imposes complete and balanced security at its institutions and throughout its territory,” he declared.
Geagea's presidential program called for introducing reform in the judiciary, saying: “There can be no state, economy, or security without a proper justice system.”
“I will not be lenient in combating corruption among judges and I seek to expose them and hold them accountable for their actions,” he said.
In addition, he called for introducing reform at state security institutions, which he said are still subject to the influence of Syrian hegemony despite the Syrian troop withdrawal in 2005.
“The military and security institutions are the only remaining means to preserve Lebanon's security and stability,” he remarked.
Commenting on Lebanon's economy, Geagea pledged to develop Lebanon's ports and airport, noting that it is no longer acceptable during the age of globalization for the country to only have one functioning airport.
The economy can also be revitalized through the tourism sector, which the LF chief noted was only contributing to 18 percent of the country's income.
Furthermore, he vowed to take a transparent approach in exploiting Lebanon's oil and gas wealth, stressing that he will protect it from corruption.
Revitalizing the economy also requires reform, cutting down on unemployment, reducing the public debt, and limiting youth immigration, he stated.
His program also tackled the condition at border-crossings, calling for putting an end to the disorganization at air, land, and water crossings.
He pledged to tackle corruption at these outlets “without any civil, military, and religious exceptions even if new laws have to be put in place to this end.”
Geagea also called for annulling the death penalty, improving the situation at Lebanese prisons, revising all laws that concern women's rights, and applying a healthcare program that includes all the Lebanese people.
Commenting on regional developments, he reiterated the need for Lebanon to commit to the Baabda Declaration, prevent the Syrian crisis from spreading to Lebanon, and collaborate with Arab countries to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
On this note, he expressed his rejection of the naturalization of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, while stressing that Syrian refugees should also be allowed to return to their homeland once the conflict is resolved.
Geagea also voiced his support for the Arab Spring, “despite some of its shortcomings and the emergence of extremism.”
“I strongly condemn fundamentalism and will work on combating it,” he said.
Moreover, he said that should he be elected president, he will see that the Lebanese state commits to international resolutions and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
“The state alone is responsible for protecting Lebanon and the Lebanese people and confronting various Israeli assaults,” stressed the LF leader, while demanding that the border with Syria be demarcated.
Following the announcement of Geagea's presidential program, LF MPs Antoine Zahra and Jospeh Maalouf visited President Michel Suleiman to hand him a copy of the program, reported LBCI television.
Earlier, an LF parliamentary delegation headed to Bkirki for talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
MP Sethrida Geagea confirmed after handing the patriarch a copy of the program that the LF bloc will take part in the April 23 parliamentary session to elect a new president.
M.T.
G.K.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/126801 |