Miqati Says March 14's Govt. Boycott Futile: No Arms Will Be Sent from Lebanon to Gaza, Nasrallah's Remarks Political

by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 November 2012, 21:31

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Tuesday stressed that Lebanon's borders will not be used to send weapons to Gaza, noting that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah only voiced “political” remarks in this regard.

“The border will not be opened and Nasrallah's remarks are political remarks. Weapons will not be sent from Lebanon to Gaza,” Miqati said in response to a question during an interview with LBCI television in Paris where he is on an official visit.

Nasrallah criticized on Monday Arab countries that “are sending weaponry to Syria but have not aided Gaza with one bullet.”

"Iran and Syria's contribution to Gaza are apparent in this domain,” Nasrallah said, adding that “it is Arabs' duty to open the borders in front of the people of Gaza and send arms to the Palestinian resistance.”

Turning to the issue of forming a new cabinet, Miqati criticized the March 14 camp for boycotting his government.

“How do they want to boycott everything and what will they achieve?" he wondered.

"What made me stay (in power) is my belief and faith that Lebanon will remain and can only be governed in this manner," the premier noted.

"I don't have the priority of becoming a leader over the remains of my country," he declared.

"Should we create a storm while we are in the eye of the storm? I'm more than willing to resign and I only believe in the Lebanese agenda and I'm counting on the Lebanese," Miqati announced.

Expressing his willingness to step down if a political agreement is reached, the premier said: "If my resignation would open the door to a crisis, then I will not resign, but if it would open the door to a solution, then my resignation is on the table."

"We must discuss the issues of the government and the electoral law and the president (Michel Suleiman) has started his consultations and there must be (national) dialogue," he added.

"If I wanted the country to reach a national crisis, I would have rejected the premiership a year and a half ago. I don't question March 14's principles but the dispute with them is over the choices. Of course Lebanon cannot be part of any axis," said Miqati.

Commenting on MP Bahia Hariri's latest remarks, the PM stated: "My compass defines what is required and I have already said that I'm not against a change."

Hariri criticized on Tuesday Miqati's position on the latest security incidents in the country, wishing if “he had not taken part in this phase of Lebanon's history”.

In a press conference she held at her residence in Majdelyoun, Hariri said Sidon's deadly cleashes “clearly contradict the image of stability Miqati is trying to project on the Lebanese situation."

“Who said that I'm losing support in Lebanon? What matters to me is my country and any gains outside are gains for Lebanon and on the personal level I'm definitely gaining support inside Lebanon,” Miqati noted.

“I intend to make visits to Europe and when the time is appropriate for change it will happen, but I can't keep waiting until change is achieved,” he added.

The premier stressed that his actions are aimed at serving Lebanon's interests.

“Many said that the visit (to France) will not happen but it happened and I had an excellent meeting today with the French foreign minister who voiced support for the government's self-disassociation policy (towards the Syrian crisis) and described it as courageous,” he noted.

“I don't think that France would separate between the premier and the premiership and the visit serves Lebanon's interest,” Miqati said. The rival March 14 forces have suggested that French President Francois Hollande had refrained from meeting Miqati during his recent trip to Lebanon in order to send him a message that Paris does not support his government.

Denying claims that he is Hizbullah's man, Miqati said: “Let someone tell me when did I take a stance to please Hizbullah. This government contains the lowest number of Shiite ministers and I'm a Muslim who is above the Sunni-Shiite differences and what matters is to protect Lebanon.”

“When did I act as the head of Hizbullah's government? Am I a partner in Hizbullah's weapons arsenal? I had declared after the May 7 events that the Resistance's weapons should not be used to intimidate people,” he noted.

“Did Hizbullah build its arsenal of weapons during the tenure of this government? Didn't 'black deals' happen during the formation of previous governments? The S-S (Syria-Saudi Arabia) deal was a bargain between the state of weapons and the state of interests,” Miqati added.

He revealed that French officials “did not bring up the issue of Hizbullah.”

“They were very friendly and they totally know that we are incapable to take a positive stance on the (newly formed) Syrian (opposition) Coalition,” Miqati added.

Asked about the assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, Miqati said: “I cannot overlook the fact that this crime might be related to (former minister Michel) Samaha's case, but there is a judiciary and it will issue an indictment."

“We will take the appropriate measure in due course concerning al-Hasan's case,” he added.

“When the investigations are finished, we will take the appropriate decision. We want to unveil the truth. The state prosecutor gave me a report about the case and I met (the new Intelligence Bureau chief) Colonel (Imad) Othman and they are preparing a case,” Miqati revealed.

Timeline

20 November 2012, 23:20
Miqati on al-Asir: Everything can be solved through calm.
20 November 2012, 23:19
Miqati: I have not received guarantees from Hizbullah that they will not send another drone. I have described the issue as an excellent achievement but as Lebanon's prime minister I cannot accept the fact that Iran said it obtained its images while the president and I were not aware of the move.
20 November 2012, 23:04
Miqati: I don't think that the elections in Lebanon depend on the situation in Syria.
20 November 2012, 23:03
Miqati: Elections are a constitutional obligation which must be held even under the current law. How do they want to boycott everything and what will they achieve?
20 November 2012, 22:45
Miqati: We must discuss the issues of the government and the electoral law and the president has started his consultations and there must be dialogue.
20 November 2012, 22:34
Miqati: If my resignation would open the door to a crisis, then I will not resign, but if it would open the door to a solution, then my resignation is on the table.
20 November 2012, 22:33
Miqati: If I wanted the country to reach a national crisis, I would have rejected the premiership a year and a half ago. I don't question March 14's principles but the dispute with them is over the choices. Of course Lebanon cannot be part of any axis.
20 November 2012, 22:19
Miqati: Should we create a storm while we are in the eye of the storm? I'm more than willing to resign and I only believe in the Lebanese agenda and I'm counting on the Lebanese.
20 November 2012, 22:16
Miqati: Walid Jumblat cares about the country's interest and balance.
20 November 2012, 22:16
Miqati on MP Bahia Hariri's remarks: My compass defines what is required and I have already said that I'm not against a change.
20 November 2012, 22:11
Miqati: When the investigations are finished, we will take the appropriate decision. We want to unveil the truth. The state prosecutor gave me a report about the case and I met Col. Othman and they are preparing a case.
20 November 2012, 22:09
Miqati: We will take the appropriate measure in due course concerning al-Hasan's case.
20 November 2012, 22:08
Miqati: I cannot overlook the fact that this crime might be related to Samaha's case, but there is a judiciary and it will issue an indictment.
20 November 2012, 22:07
Miqati: The cabinet's decision was to seek assistance from all international organizations and I cannot refer it (Hasan's assassination) to the STL without its approval. During my first phone call with Clinton, I told her I want the FBI.
20 November 2012, 22:06
Miqati: I'll settle for the remarks voiced by Wissam's father.
20 November 2012, 22:04
Miqati: I'm one of the people who were most affected by the assassination of Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and the credit for polishing my image internationally goes to Wissam al-Hasan. I know what he used to say about me outside Lebanon and his efforts during the international meetings.
20 November 2012, 22:03
Miqati: What happened during the funeral of my friend, Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, had an effect on me and I have said that the incident (the attempt to storm the Grand Serail) is alien to the Lebanese political system.
20 November 2012, 22:02
Miqati: What made me stay (in power) is my belief and faith that Lebanon will remain and can only be governed in this manner.
20 November 2012, 22:01
Miqati: I don't have the priority of becoming a leader over the remains of my country.
20 November 2012, 21:52
Miqati: The border will not be opened and Nasrallah's remarks are political remarks. Weapons will not be sent from Lebanon to Gaza.
20 November 2012, 21:50
Miqati: French officials did not bring up the issue of Hizbullah and they were very friendly and they totally know that we are incapable to take a positive stance on the Syrian Coalition.
20 November 2012, 21:49
Miqati: I don't have personal interests and my victory would be sparing Lebanon the threats of this period.
20 November 2012, 21:47
Miqati: I'm confident that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia knows who is Najib Miqati and his Arab and Muslim belonging.
20 November 2012, 21:46
Miqati on his visit to Prince Bandar bin Sultan: There is a campaign that has one objective: Najib Miqati's resignation. My identity is Arab and I cannot forget how Qatar and Saudi Arabia helped Lebanon. The Qataris expressed understanding and congratulated Lebanon on the self-disassociation policy, but there is a camp that is always seeking problems in the country.
20 November 2012, 21:43
Miqati on report claiming he granted Assad a billion dollars: This is nonsense. How was the amount transferred? We are the ones who are trying to protect the Lebanese pound and we cannot do that. Assad is not calling me.
20 November 2012, 21:42
Miqati: The best representative of centrism is Walid Bek and they have accused him of being in the Iranian-Syrian axis. Is this possible? Lebanon can only be built through centrism.
20 November 2012, 21:40
Miqati: I'm against the use of Hizbullah's weapons domestically in any manner whatsoever.
20 November 2012, 21:39
Miqati: Did Hizbullah build its arsenal of weapons during the tenure of this government? Didn't "black deals" happen during the formation of previous governments? The S-S deal was a bargain between the state of weapons and the state of interests.
20 November 2012, 21:37
Miqati: Let someone tell me when did I take a stance to please Hizbullah. This government contains the lowest number of Shiite ministers and I'm a Muslim who is above the Sunni-Shiite differences and what matters is to protect Lebanon. When did I act as the head of Hizbullah's government? Am I a partner in Hizbullah's weapons arsenal? I had declared after the May 7 events that the Resistance's weapons should not be used to intimidate people.
20 November 2012, 21:36
Miqati: I don't think that France would separate between the premier and the premiership and the visit serves Lebanon's interest.
20 November 2012, 21:35
Miqati: What I'm doing is for the sake of Lebanon and many said that the visit will not happen but it happened and I had an excellent meeting today with the French foreign minister who voiced support for the government's self-disassociation policy and described it as courageous.
20 November 2012, 21:33
Miqati: I intend to make visits to Europe and when the time is appropriate for change it will happen, but I can't keep waiting until change is achieved.
20 November 2012, 21:33
Prime Minister Najib Miqati in an interview on LBCI: Who said that I'm losing support in Lebanon? What matters to me is my country and any gains outside are gains for Lebanon and on the personal level I'm definitely gaining support inside Lebanon.