Geagea in Open Letter to Suleiman: We're Willing to Return to Parliament to Tackle Fair Electoral Law
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday President Michel Suleiman's recent remarks on the national dialogue and the March 14 camp's boycott of government-related activity, saying that the alliance had long demanded “serious and constructive” dialogue that “does not cancel agreements reached during previous sessions.”
He announced in an open letter to the president: “We are willing to return to parliament to discuss a fair electoral parliamentary electoral law once the speaker issues a call for a session aimed solely for this purpose.”
“The camp that has most valued dialogue is the one that has suffered the most from assassinations,” he added.
“It is true that we regret not being able to attend the all-party talks, but the other members of the dialogue table, who are not only obstructing the decisions of the talks, but attempting to eliminate its other participants, are preventing us from complying with your invitation,” Geagea said to Suleiman.
“After 25 assassinations and failed attempts, the dialogue table has almost been emptied of its March 14 opposition representatives,” he remarked.
“The March 14 camp has long sought to return to the table of dialogue that does not include a gun pointed to its head,” stated the LF leader.
“Our boycott of dialogue is directed against the powers that are employing the talks to practice intimidation and security and political blackmail,” he stressed.
“The other camp is using the dialogue to impose its illegitimate arms in order to achieve political gains that it failed to obtain through intimidation and assassinations,” he remarked.
On Suleiman's statements that the national dialogue had produced the Baabda Declaration and discussions on a defense strategy, Geagea said: “The Declaration is an interpretation of the March 14 camp and the president's principles only and not of other members of the all-party talks.”
The Declaration is being violated on a daily basis by the other camp starting with the failed attempt on the life of opposition MP Butros Harb, the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, among other incidents, he continued.
“As for the defense strategy, Hizbullah has so far refrained from presenting its proposals on the matter after some 42 dialogue sessions and 150 hours of talks,” he noted.
“We renew our commitment to real national dialogue, while rejecting intimidation, blackmail, and political deception,” said Geagea.
“Isn't it shameful that the deception continue through the staging of the dialogue, which is being employed as a photo opportunity by the participants in between various security incidents,” he stated.
On Suleiman's remarks that those boycotting the dialogue should present alternatives to it, the LF leader said: “Such a statement places the killers and the victims in the same boat.”
“The only alternative to dialogue should be the constitution and not the covering up of chaos and murder practiced by the other camp in an attempt to drag us to forced dialogue that is tailored to its political and regional agendas,” he said.
“The alternative should simply be uncovering the wrongs being committed and restoring the functioning of state institutions,” he proposed.
“The alternative lies in the resignation of the current government and the formation of a new one capable of overseeing the 2013 parliamentary elections,” he stressed.
Suleiman had made his remarks on Tuesday after holding talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
The president had criticized the boycott of the national dialogue, hoping that all political powers would attend the session set for January 7.
Suleiman said: “I do not understand the link between boycotting dialogue and the demand to topple the government.”
He noted that the dialogue had made achievements in the past, the last of which was the announcement of the Baabda Declaration in June.
“I urge the parties to return to dialogue and if they refuse, then they should offer alternatives,” suggested Suleiman.
“As far as I know, no one wants to eliminate the dialogue, but the boycott is creating instability,” he added.
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