Suleiman: Any Arms Used Domestically Must be Removed, I Won't Accept Term Extension
President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday reiterated that "any weapons used domestically must be removed," stressing that he will not accept that his presidential term be extended.
“Any weapons used domestically must be removed and this issue has nothing to do with the defense strategy and it is a separate item on the national dialogue's agenda,” Suleiman said in an interview on NBN television.
“The defense strategy must not confuse the parties because we have been discussing the issue since 2006,” he added.
Suleiman revealed that he will not accept that his presidential term be extended, stressing that “the constitution must be respected.”
Turning to the issue of the electoral law under which the 2013 parliamentary elections will be held, the president said: “The electoral law must be constitutional and I will refer any law to the Constitutional Court to look into its constitutionality.”
“I will leave it up to parliament to decide on the electoral law and in light of the parliament's decision I will refer the law to the Constitutional Court,” he added.
Addressing the concerns of Christians over the electoral law, Suleiman said “Christians' distinguishing feature is diversity and without diversity they cannot have a role in the Orient, so let the electoral law be constitutional.”
“Fear can only be dissipated through dialogue and Muslims in Lebanon want Christians to maintain their pioneering role,” the president noted.
“After approving an electoral law, we must seriously consider creating a senate and after that we can start thinking about turning Lebanon into a single electorate,” Suleiman said.
Asked about his recent stances on the Syrian crisis and Hizbullah's arms, Suleiman said “extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary stances.”
Asked whether he has received a phone call from Syrian President Bashar Assad clarifying Damascus' stance on the Samaha-Mamlouk plot, Suleiman said “the phone call with Assad has not happened yet and I hope this phone call will take place.”
Suleiman had called on Assad to “clarify the matter,” after Lebanon's Military Court charged ex-minister Michel Samaha and Syrian security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk with forming a group to commit crimes in Lebanon.
A Syrian army colonel named only as Adnan was also accused as being an accessory to the conspiracy.
All three are suspected of forming a group to provoke sectarian killings and terrorist acts using explosives, which were transported and stored by Samaha.
Asked about claims that he has changed his stances following his recent trip to Turkey, Suleiman said: “I did not receive a 'password' from the Turks and we only tackled the issue of the (Lebanese) abductees (in Syria). I will not allow any state to discuss domestic Lebanese policies with me and my strong immunity enables me to reject that.”
“Contacts with Syria were going well and have not been severed and we can't say that they have been suspended because communication between the two countries' institutes has not stopped,” Suleiman noted.
The president promised the Lebanese that “security will be preserved firmly and bravely and that any security breach will be quickly contained.”
“In my opinion, a good security situation in Lebanon suits all regional parties,” he noted.
“The turmoil in Syria is worrying for Lebanon and the two peoples have close relations. Of course I'm committed to dissociating Lebanon from the conflicts and I have said that we're the friends of all the Syrian people,” Suleiman went on to say.
Commenting on the issue of administrative appointments, Suleiman said “not having any appointments at all is better than making bad appointments on the basis of the distribution of shares.”
The president noted that “any constitution needs constant improvements and no president is totally satisfied with the constitution of his country and must always try to detect any shortfalls.”
“When the Syrians left, the gaps of the constitution surfaced and what's needed is organizing work and finding solutions to the constitutional problems rather than amending the Taef Accord,” he added.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/56630 |