Geagea hopes Hezbollah will respect govt. decisions to avoid state's use of 'force'
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has stressed that no one is targeting the Shiite community in the current period, describing it as “an essential component of Lebanon.”
“We’ve been living with the Shiite community for hundreds of years and our relation is good with it, seeing as we are the sons of the same people,” Geagea added, in an interview on Al-Arabiya television.
“Today the Lebanese state is for all Lebanese, including the Shiite community,” the LF leader went on to say.
As for Hezbollah’s rejection of the government’s latest decisions on its disarmament, Geagea said “no one can confront an entire state.”
He added that Hezbollah is “totally dependent on Iran.”
“If it asks it to hand over (the weapons), it will do so, and if it tells it not to do it, it won’t do it,” Geagea suggested.
Asked what would happen if arms were not handed over within the specified timetable, the LF leader said: “If the state carries on with its decision, most things can be arranged in peaceful ways, but if some obstacles remain, they can be resolved through small surgical operations when the time comes.”
Noting that the implementation of the disarmament decision “does not necessarily require force,” Geagea said the step “should take place with the least possible cost to spare Lebanon any internal fighting.”
“I refuse to label such an operation as internal strife, because it would be an enforcement of the law by the state and those who stand in its face would be against the law and should be held accountable,” the LF leader added.
“I’m with settling things in a peaceful manner if possible, but if this approach does not succeed, the state should act like any state in the world would act,” Geagea added.
“Sometimes a state is obliged to use force, and I hope we won’t reach this stage, and I hope Hezbollah will cooperate as required,” the LF leader said.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/314778 |