Bassil Calls for Elimination of Sectarianism, Formation of Civil State

by Naharnet Newsdesk 26 January 2018, 13:36

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil called for “abolishing sectarianism” and stressed that Lebanon can only be governed with “partnership” among its political parties.

“Lebanon can not survive with multiple (political) bi-polarities. Lebanon can only survive with Christian-Muslim partnership,” stressed Bassil in a televised press interview on Friday.

The Minister and head of the Free Patriotic Movement suggested “abolishing political sectarianism without amending the Constitution in order to preserve equilibrium between Muslims and Christians.”

He said attempts aiming to create enmity and divisions among the Lebanese “will be thwarted,” and stressed that Lebanon is a country based on equilibrium among its political parties.

Calling for the formation of a civil State, the Minister said: “We support (political) equilibrium. We have no sectarian backgrounds. We can develop into a civil State. A civil State is a salvation for Lebanon.”

Slamming accusations of overthrowing the Constitution, he said: “Accusation of overthrowing the Constitution originate from those who create new norms. The Constitution rules our daily lives and we have no intention of overthrowing it.”

On the FPM's ties with Hizbullah, Bassil noted: “ We will not allow anyone to create a problem between us and Hizbullah or isolate any sect in Lebanon. Agreement with Hizbullah remains a strategic necessity to protect the country.”

Bassil also stressed adherence to the FPM's ties with al-Mustaqbal Movement.

SourceNaharnet

Lebanon

Comments 13

un520 26 January 2018, 14:01

First, lets call for the eliminations of weapons outside government control. Then we can deal with sectarianism.

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chrisrushlau 26 January 2018, 18:26

There is no government, because Article 24 gives the tiny Christian minority half of Parliament (which apparently Bassil does not want to change) which results in a permanently paralyzed Parliament.
If you want a government, you must base it on the people. If the people have a voice, they won't need a private army. (If you did not have that private army, Israel would be camped on your face.)

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chrisrushlau 26 January 2018, 18:26

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un520 27 January 2018, 00:02

Nice to hear you confirm the views that we see everyday, that Hezbollah really dont consider neither the parlament or the government valid.

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zulfiquar 26 January 2018, 20:12

Taef robbed the Shias to give to the Christians that private army is here to reverse this.

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un520 27 January 2018, 00:00

Interesting to hear you portray Taef as a victory for the christians, especially when we look back at the post-Taef era with the two main christian leaders in jail and in exile, puppet presidents like Hrawi, Lahoud loathed by the people. Interesting also that you reveal that the real intention of the "private army" is to take something back from the christians that in your view was stolen from the shiah. This explains a lot about the so-called resistance.

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lubnani.masi7i 27 January 2018, 08:12

It goes to show this shia from iran knows nothing about how Lebanon was before the civil war. The Christians controlled almost everything and the president could fire the Prime Minister and the cabinet. It is said one of the causes for the civil war was the unjust sharing of power in favor of the Christians. Here, we have the shia trolls wanting us to believe the Taef Accord favored the Christians at the expense of the shias.

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