Western Officials Contact Lebanese Leaders, Hariri Says People to Peacefully Oust Miqati
Former prime minister Saad Hariri on Sunday received phone calls from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, who offered him condolences on the assassination of Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and his bodyguard Ahmed Suhyouni.
“During the phone calls, discussions also tackled the developments which Lebanon is witnessing after the heinous assassination. (Ex-)Premier Hariri stressed that the Lebanese people are staging a civil, democratic movement to overthrow the government of Premier Najib Miqati, adding that March 14 forces will boycott the government until it falls, as it is the product of the Syrian-Iranian axis and is working to achieve the interests and influence of this axis at the expense of the interests and security of Lebanon and its people,” Hariri's office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri received a phone call from Fabius that tackled the rapid developments in Lebanon.
The French minister also telephoned Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat. The PSP's media department said Fabius stressed during the conversation France's solidarity with Lebanon amid this sensitive period as well as French President Francois Hollande's permanent support for the Lebanese state and all the Lebanese.
Al-Hasan was killed in a powerful car bombing that rocked Ashrafiyeh on Friday and left at least three people dead and more than 100 wounded.
In a televised address later on Sunday, Hariri said: “Our call for the government's departure is not lust for power."
"Toppling the government is the only way towards real dialogue in the country," he noted.
"What we want is to topple the government democratically and peacefully and we are not advocates of violence," Hariri added.
"Today, after the martyrdom of Wissam al-Hasan, we have taken a stance and we won't heed the advices of some countries that are saying that this government is in Lebanon's interest," Hariri stressed.
Asked about reports of his possible return to Lebanon, Hariri said: "I would have liked to be among the Lebanese but I will convey to you an advice from Wissam who told me, "It's not the right time to come back."
"I'm at the heart of the political life and I will return," he added.
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