LBC Airs Leaked Minutes of Suleiman's Meetings with Saudi King, Hariri
The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) on Monday broadcasted leaked minutes of the Riyadh meeting between President Michel Suleiman and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.
LBC said that Suleiman asked Abdullah to put pressure on March 14 forces to participate in national dialogue.
The Saudi king reportedly replied: “The traditional policy of the Kingdom towards Lebanon has not and will not change. The Kingdom understands the policy of self-disassociation, and we were not bothered by it. This is in your interest and I encourage dialogue.”
The LBC report also included the meeting Suleiman held with Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and ex-PM Saad Hariri, in the presence of Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi.
The report said Suleiman gave Prince Faisal a file containing documents related to national dialogue, as well as a list of Saudi phone numbers that were pulled out from a computer belonging to a Jordanian detained by General Security on charges of belonging to al-Qaida.
According to the report, Hariri seemed unwilling to participate in all-party talks. He said: “We responded to this invitation in 2006, we agreed on everything, until we reached the issue of Hizbullah arms. Then Hizbullah attacked Israel killing two soldiers and destroying Lebanon. Afterwards, we wanted to rebuild the country but Hizbullah organized demonstrations in Beirut.”
Hariri added: “Such actions continued till May 7. We will never forget this day. It is like the day my father was murdered and Hizbullah will pay for it.”
“We went to Doha, and then convened in Baabda. Hizbullah told Aoun to boycott dialogue. You are now inviting us to the talks which Hizbullah obstructed. Do you want me to get Hizbullah out of its trouble? Or to provide a cover for the self-disassociation policy? Do you want us to turn a blind eye to what is happening in Syria or protect a bankrupt cabinet?” the report added.
Hariri told Suleiman: “I was at the door of the U.S. President when the ministers resigned. This is childish and you are responsible for this insult. You were unable to postpone the parliamentary consultations for a week. Ghazi (Aridi) knows the pressures and threats exerted on (Progressive Socialist Party leader MP) Walid Jumblat.”
LBC said that Hariri put two conditions to participate in a dialogue which “does not necessarily take place on 11 June: First, the government's resignation and the formation of a neutral cabinet approved by March 14. Second, calling March 8 and March 14 forces for separate meetings with President Suleiman in order to listen to their points of view.”
Suleiman said he is ready to hold the two meetings, on condition that the all-party talks would be held on June 11, according to LBC. But Hariri said he refuses to sit around a table to talk while Hizbullah threatens to use its arms whenever it wishes.
At this point, Prince al-Faisal interfered saying: “There will be no dialogue as long as Hizbullah keeps its weapons. The problem in Lebanon is Hizbullah. Lebanon got rid of the Syrians and must get rid of Hizbullah. We thought that the Americans were able to subdue Iran but the negotiations were fruitless. It seems that they will only respond by force. If Iran is subdued, so will Hizbullah.”
Suleiman did not comment on the Iranian subject and said: “I want a country where arms are under the authority of the state, and without being linked to Jerusalem and Israel’s annihilation. Once the borders are demarcated and the land is liberated, we will get rid of arms.”
Suleiman addressed al-Faisal saying: “Talk to the Israelis for the border demarcation. Syria is busy with its situation and borders can be demarcated with Shebaa.”
After this conversation, Hariri said: “We want a price for going back to dialogue."
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