Hariri Says Won't Participate in Cabinet with Hizbullah Ministers, Assures State and Illegal Arms 'Cannot Coexist'
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday announced that he rejects taking part in a cabinet in which Hizbullah has representatives, stressing also the state and illegal weapons "cannot coexist."
"We will not participate in a council of ministers if Hizbullah has representatives in it,” Hariri said in a televised speech he gave during an Iftar banquet held by al-Mustaqbal Movement, revealing also that he has suggested forming a cabinet without his party's participation.
Hariri rejected calls asking him to return to Lebanon and head the new government.
“We have a premier-designate, Tammam Salam, and he has gained our trust and is capable of heading a new cabinet,” he assured. “Who wants to help in the cabinet's formation must cooperate with Salam.”
Speaker Nabih Berri had urged the head of Mustaqbal movement in July to return to Lebanon, pointing out that he is ready to reconsider Hariri's reappointment as a premier.
In his speech, Hariri tackled the issue of Hizbullah's weaponry, accusing Lebanese factions of “dragging Lebanon into turmoil.”
“The rockets that targeted the presidential palace and the ministry of defense are a terrorist message that aimed at overthrowing the Baabda Declaration.”
Two rockets fell in the Baabda area on Thursday evening, one of them near the presidential palace, in the third such incident in less than two months.
Hariri repeated what he had said in previous messages regarding holding Hizbullah responsible for the mounting tension in the country.
“The party has given itself the right to take crucial decisions without considering the Lebanese people's stances.”
Hariri assured, however, his rejection of enmity with any Lebanese faction: “We are looking forward to the day when relationships between the people of this country are upright in a real state where sects do not prevail over legitimacy.”
Hariri considered that the tension in the country is not recent and was not produced following the eruption of the war in neighboring Syria.
“It is an accumulation of several policies that made the state the weakest component in the country.”
Hariri reiterated al-Mustaqbal Movement's commitment to take part in national dialogue.
“Hizbullah said it is ready to take part in dialogue, and we tell the president that we too are ready.”
However, he pointed out: “Discussing a defense strategy based on the idea the Lebanon needs the resistance's weapons is an argument that has lost its validity for many reasons.”
He elaborated: “The weapons after the July 2006 war have become a force for pressure and a terrorizing mean against political foes. Since 2005, Hizbullah's weaponry has become a reason for national conflict and it cannot protect unity. It lacks unanimous consensus and the will of the majority and the party's weapons have caused the spread of more illegal arms and the appearance of the Resistance's Brigades.”
“Changing the direction of the weapons and using it now to kill the Syrian people raises many questions,” he added.
"The state and illegal weapons cannot coexist.”
But he rejected any possible future discourse accusing him of adopting these stances to pressure Hizbullah in parallel with the European Union's decision to blacklist the party.
“This has been our position since 2005 because what we care about is providing the necessary components for a state based on the principles established in the Taef Accord.”
The al-Mustaqbal Movement head praised President Michel Suleiman's statement on the Army day, describing it as “responsible.”
In a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the army’s founding on Thursday, Suleiman criticized Hizbullah without naming it, saying it was time for the Lebanese state and the army to be the sole decision-makers on the use of the nation's capabilities
Regarding Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian crisis, Hariri said the party acts as if Syria's President Bashar Assad's regime “will stay in power forever.”
“But there is another theory that says Assad will not stay in power and that the regime will collapse,” he noted
“What will the party tell the Lebanese then? Will Hizbullah ask for adopting a disassociation policy towards the new Syrian regime?”
“Hizbullah's step to participate in the Syrian war was miscalculated.”
Addressing his supporters Hariri remarked: “You know that Bashar Assad has decided two years ago that the only solution to face the revolution in Syria is to accuse everyone against his regime of being an al-Qaida member. And of course, the Sunnis in Lebanon are part of this accusation.”
Hariri also assured that he stands by the state and by the military institution even when they commit mistakes.
“Even when the state does any wrong, we support it and even if the army has committed mistakes, we are behind the military institution. We do not have any other project but the state's.”
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