Statement grants state monopoly on political policy |
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27 November 2009
BEIRUT: The ministerial committee tasked with formulating the Cabinet’s policy statement concluded on Thursday its discussions with another compromise granting the state monopoly over matters which relate to the country’s political policy while also highlighting Leba-non’s right to liberate its occupied territories “by means of its army, resistance and people.”
The statement was finalized after March 14 Christian ministers pushed for two additions regarding the monopoly of the state’s authority over all matters relating to the country’s political policy and to schedule discussions on a defense strategy during national dialogue sessions.
“The government underscores the monopoly of the state’s authority over all matters relating to the country’s political policy in a way that preserves Lebanon, its unity and sovereignty,” Article two of the statement said.
Another addition to the statement also proposed by March 14 Christian ministers stressed the “Cabinet’s work to unite the Lebanese stance by agreeing on a national defense strategy to be ratified during national dialogue.”
Nevertheless, the statement similarly to that of the previous cabinet mentioned the debated clause between March 14 Christian parties and the opposition regarding Lebanon’s right to resistance in order to liberate its occupied territories.
“Based on the Cabinet’s responsibility to preserve Leba-non’s sovereignty, its independence, unity and the safety of its land, the government underscores Lebanon’s right through its people, army and resistance to liberate or regain [authority] of Shebaa Farms, Kfarshouba hills and the occupied part of Ghajar village and defend the country against any aggression,” article six of the statement said.
The ministerial statement also underlined Lebanon’s full commitment to Security Council Re-solution 1701 and to the implementation of the Taif Accord.
The Cabinet is expected to convene next week to approve the statement after which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri would hold a parliamentary session in order to grant the government the vote of confidence.
“The committee tasked with formulating the ministerial statement held its last meeting presided over by Premier Saad Hariri and finalized the statement’s draft which is 22 pages; thus Hariri would contact the president to inform him on its content and agree with the latter on a date for a Cabinet,” Information Minister Tarik Mitri said.
Despite the additions, Labor Minister Butros Harb and Phalange Party official and Social Affairs Minister Selim Sayegh both expressed their reservations on the statement saying the resistance clause was subject to debate among the Lebanese.
“The article in the ministerial statement concerning the au-tho-rity of the state, the resistance weapons and the defense strategy is not the same as in the previous statement but essential amendments stressed the state’s monopoly over the country’s political policy,” Harb said.
Sayegh said reservations were not a rejection to Lebanon’s right to resist but rather an objection to restricting resistance to Hizbullah as a parallel force to the Lebanese Army and state institutions.
“Based on that principle and despite all the amendments to the document we conveyed [through reservations] the schism among the Lebanese regarding the issue as we demanded to include the topic on the agenda of national dialogue,” Sayegh said.
He said his party would object to the article of the resistance in the next Cabinet meeting to be held to approve the statement.
Meanwhile, Hizbullah’s number two Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed Thursday Hizbullah’s weapons were not subject to discussions neither in Cabinet nor during national dialogue sessions.
“What is subject to discussion is the defense strategy and what the strategy necessitates,” Qassem added.
Also, outside of the Cabinet, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea said Thursday Hizbullah’s weapons were illegitimate while stressing that the Taef Accord did not mention the resistance.
“Illegitimate arms contradict the national pact of coexistence and Hizbullah’s possession of weapons in its current form is not legitimate,” Geagea said, adding that Hizbullah is the party with the most similarities to the LF on the popular organizational level but with different ideologies and positions.
Tackling Berri’s call to abolish political sectarianism, Geagea said such a step would first require the spread of the full authority of the state over all its territories, adding that when the issue is tackled seriously, Hizbullah would be the first to reject it.
“Abolishing political sectarianism means abolishing sectarianism as a whole,” Geagea said.
Geagea also praised the reconciliatory meetings being held under the sponsorship of President Michel Sleiman at Baabda Palace as he expressed his readiness to meet with Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh anytime.
Commenting on MP Michel Aoun and MP Walid Jumblatt’s meeting Wednesday, Geagea said the talks only took place after Jumblatt changed his political stance toward Syria.
In response to Geagea, Berri’s top political aide, MP Ali Hassan Khalil said that the article concerning the resistance in the ministerial statement was one the national principles.
“The issue [resistance] approved by all the Lebanese people reflects Lebanese consensus as we are keen on preserving the constitution and the national pact,” Khalil said.
Khalil added that Berri’s call to form a committee tasked with abolishing political sectarianism was part of his efforts to fully implement the Taif Accord similarly to the speaker’s suggestion to instigate discussions regarding a national defense strategy.
© Copyright The Daily Star 2009.
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