Miqati Lauds Charbel’s Efforts to Preserve 'Stability' as Security Plan Goes Underway

Prime Minister Najib Miqati lauded the efforts exerted by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to maintain stability amid the difficult situation the country is passing through.

“I hope this would be considered as the basis for fortifying the security situation in the long term,” Miqati told As Safir newspaper on Wednesday.

The premier pointed out that he and President Michel Suleiman voiced their support to the mission undertaken by Charbel.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel expressed from al-Musharrafieh area in Beirut’s southern suburbs that security situation would be “excellent” during the 1-month security plan.

“We hope that the 1-month security plan will be implemented throughout the year,” he added.

The Interior Minister told As Safir daily earlier that the security and military forces are ready for the “zero hour,” refusing to reveal any of the details of the security plan to preserve the “element of surprise.”

Charbel had recently announced a one-month security plan to restore stability in Lebanon.

“There will be no political cover for anyone who violates (the law) or commits (a crime), and this is what politicians will discover if they tried to interfere” in our work, he said.

Charbel revealed in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper that he held talks with Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who asked him to implement strict security measures in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

“He (Qassem) confirmed that Hizbullah isn’t providing anyone with the political cover in the southern suburbs,” Charbel noted.

“He asked me to pursue all those who are wanted anywhere they are,” the minister added.

Charbel told the daily that the media “are focusing, for political reasons, on Beirut’s southern suburbs. But what is going around in that area is happening across Lebanon.”

Lebanon has witnessed recently several security incidents in the northern city of Tripoli, in the Nahr al-Bared and Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camps and along the Lebanese-Syrian border.