Suleiman from Tripoli: We Urge Assad to Implement Arab League Initiative
President Michel Suleiman stressed on Sunday that Lebanon did not oppose the decisions of the Arab League, saying that it refuses the isolation of any country.
He said: “I call on Syrian President Bashar Assad to implement the Arab League initiative.”
He made his statement while touring the northern city of Tripoli, which he kicked off by visiting the region of Bihsas.
Lebanon supports democracy and it does not support the pursuit of political goals through violence, the president added.
“It therefore urges Syria to implement the Arab League initiative in the upcoming two days, launch dialogue with the opposition, and implement reform,” Suleiman stressed.
“Isolation cuts off means for dialogue and no Syrian must feel that he is no longer Arab,” he stated.
Furthermore, he warned that isolation may lead to foreign interference.
The president later visited the city’s Justice Palace and port.
He said after the port visit: “The government supports the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.”
Suleiman explained that the tribunal had come under criticism because “it had committed some error and lost some of its credibility.”
“It should restore its credibility and we always support international decisions,” Suleiman stressed.
He was accompanied on his trip by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Ministers Ghazi al-Aridi, Marwan Charbel, Mohammed al-Safadi, Nazem al-Khoury, Hassan Diab, Shakib Qortbawi, and Ahmed Karami, and MP Samir al-Jisr.
The president is later sponsored the launch of the city’s Car-Free Day, during which he was presented with the key to the city of Tripoli.
Miqati is later scheduled to throw a luncheon banquet in the president’s honor after which Suleiman is expected to make a speech.
Car-Free Tripoli is an initiative by the city to encourage the adoption of green solutions to preserve the environment.
The event is supported by the Maurice Fadel Foundation and held in cooperation with the Tripoli Youth Network.
On Saturday, the Arab League suspended Syria until Assad implements an Arab deal to end violence against protesters, and called for sanctions and transition talks with the opposition.
Lebanon however voted against the decision.
18 countries agreed to the decision, while Lebanon, Yemen and Syria voted against it and Iraq abstained.
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour told al-Manar television, hours after the decision was announced, that the “the resolution taken by the Arab League is dangerous, because it was taken against a member state.”
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