Geagea: Assad Depicted Status Quo that Has Nothing to Do with Reality
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Tuesday Syrian President Bashar Assad’s speech earlier in the day, saying that he addressed everything but the country’s crisis.
He said before reporters in Maarab: “Assad depicted a status quo that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground.”
He stated that Assad spoke of a conspiracy against his country, “but I don’t understand how a conspiracy can mobilize hundreds of thousands of protesters since the beginning of the revolt.”
“How can over 10,000 Syrians be killed just because they are alleged foreign agents?” he wondered.
“If the developments in Syria truly are a conspiracy, then it could have been resolved simply by holding a poll, under the United Nations’ supervision, to determine whether the people support Assad or not,” Geagea remarked.
“Only then can Assad’s claims of a conspiracy be verified,” he stressed.
“Should the regime be overthrown, then Hizbullah’s position in Lebanon would change … and I hope the party would act in a manner that best suits that current regional situation,” he noted.
Addressing U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s upcoming visit to Lebanon on Friday and some sides’ statements that he is not welcome in the country, he said: “Only the official authorities have the right to state who is welcome in the country or not.”
“Such statements completely disregard and undermine the government, president, people, and official institutions,” noted the LF leader.
“Can Lebanon only support Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem?” he asked.
“The sides behind the statements are presenting the ugliest image of Lebanon after their allies presented another bad image by claiming that the al-Qaida terrorist group had infiltrated the country,” Geagea said.
“Speaker Nabih Berri statements that Ban can help Lebanon in several issues are comments by a true man of state because he is seeking to achieve the country’s interests,” he added.
Hizbullah had stated over the weekend that Ban is not welcome in Lebanon.
Senior party official Mohammed Yazbek slammed the visit, saying: “Ban, (U.N. Special Envoy) Terri Rod Larson, and the messenger of evil and conspiracy’s (U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs) Jeffrey Feltman are unwelcomed in Lebanon.”
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