Aoun: Official Report on Lebanese-Syrian Border Needed before We Determine Position on Syria
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun demanded on Tuesday a detailed account of the developments along the Lebanese-Syrian border “because developments have started to take a dangerous turn.”
He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “An official government report over the border situation should be made for us to take a position from Syria.”
On the March 14 camp’s memorandum to President Michel Suleiman demanding the suspension of agreements between Lebanon and Syria over the latter’s violation of Lebanese territory, Aoun remarked: “Every once in a while four or five people head to the president to make demands.”
“We want an official report otherwise they should just cease these activities,” he said in reference to the March 14 officials.
“We are prepared to take all measures to protect the people,” declared the MP.
Head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora presented Suleiman with the memo on Tuesday in which the March 14 camp also demanded the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador to Lebanon and called for filing a complaint to the Arab League over the violations.
Addressing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Aoun said: “Don’t attribute your history to us whenever you mention us.”
Geagea had indirectly accused on Saturday Aoun of striking an alliance with the Syrian regime, saying that the MP’s religious trips to the Syrian town of Brad were a cover for that alliance.
Aoun responded to the accusation by saying that his visits to Brad were of a religious nature.
“Could Geagea tell us what prayers was he performing in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates?” he asked.
Commenting on the telecom data dispute, Aoun warned that he has the right to press charges against the Lebanese state after a judicial committee, which headed to France, confirmed that providing the security agencies with the data is illegal.
“Former U.S. President Richard Nixon was forced to resign over a phone tapping scandal,” noted the FPM leader.
“A major problem will emerge if the telecom data continues to be delivered to the security agencies,” he added.
On former minister Michel Samaha’s arrest, Aoun wondered: “Where is the evidence that the explosives came from Syria?”
“These are all media claims. Nothing can be based on his statements. He can say that he got the explosives from me, but where is the proof?” he continued.
He therefore reiterated his demand that silence be maintained over the case until the investigations are complete.
In August, Samaha and Syrian security chief Ali al-Mamlouk were charged with forming a criminal gang aimed at carrying out attacks in Lebanon.
According to media reports, Samaha confessed to planning the attacks at Syrian orders.
“If he is guilty, then the greatest punishment should be laid down on him,” said Aoun.
“One should not however unjustifiably demand the expulsion of the ambassador,” he stressed.
Source: Naharnet
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