Gemayel: We're Not Maneuvering over Orthodox Gathering Law, Meddling in Syria Conflict Imports War to Beirut
Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Wednesday stressed that his party is not “maneuvering” by throwing its support behind the electoral law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering, warning that any Lebanese involvement in the Syrian conflict would bring the war to the streets of Beirut, Tripoli and Sidon.
“We're not maneuvering concerning the Orthodox Gathering law and we don't do anything we're not convinced of. We're insisting on it and there is a debate in parliament and if anyone proposes a better law that receives the broadest Lebanese approval, no one will reject that,” Gemayel said in an interview on al-Manar television.
Asked about the issue of stalled national dialogue, Gemayel said: “We reiterate that we will not reject any dialogue call from the president because we believe that communication is necessary.”
“Dialogue is better than anything else and better than barricades and it is necessary and we must carry on with it,” Gemayel added.
And as he noted that “some parties are meddling in the Syrian revolution,” Gemayel warned that such an involvement “does not serve Lebanon's interest, because the population is divided and any involvement would import the Syrian conflict to Beirut's streets and we must avoid an inter-Lebanese war.”
Asked about the postponement of March 14 general-secretariat's meeting for a second consecutive week, Gemayel said: “The Phalange Party is not to blame for this at all. We have announced that we will join its meetings and if the general-secretariat is not meeting you must ask someone else.”
Separately, Gemayel noted that his relation with Prime Minister Najib Miqati is “excellent.”
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