10 May 2008
March 14 Forces decry 'armed and bloody coup'
BEIRUT: Lebanon's governing coalition, the March 14 Forces, accused Hizbullah of staging a military coup against the state and said that Hizbullah's arms have become illegitimate after they were used against their fellow Lebanese citizens. "Hizbullah's claim that its arms were only targeted at Israel have proved false and invalid in the past two days, which witnessed the uses of such arms against the Lebanese people," the statement said.
Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea, reading the March 14 Forces statement after a meeting at his residence in Maarab, rejected Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's claim that the group's weapons were used against other Lebanese in a bid to protect Hizbullah's possession of arms.
In a news conference on Thursday, Nasrallah said that Hizbullah were ready to use their arms against other Lebanese, if the desired goal was to defend the resistance.
The March 14 statement compared "Hizbullah's occupation" of Beirut to the Israeli occupation of Beirut after the invasion of 1982.
"Beirut did not fall to Israel in the past and will not fall to Hizbullah today," the statement said.
Geagea also said that the Hizbullah "coup" was aimed at putting Syria back in control and increasing Iranian influence. "The armed and bloody coup which is being implemented aims to return Syria to Lebanon and extend Iran's reach to the Mediterranean."
The March 14 Forces reiterated their backing of the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and called on the Arab and international community to interfere to end the "coup" and put pressure on whoever is backing it.
Meanwhile, former President Amin Gemayel on Friday downplayed what he called "Hizbullah's alleged victory" and said that such "victory" is likely to hit back at Hizbullah.
Gemayel criticized Nasrallah for comparing the clashes in Beirut to the clashes fought by Hizbullah militants against the Israeli military during the summer 2006 war.
Gemayel said that Hizbullah has crossed all the red lines, adding that the ruling coalition was ready to engage in dialogue on the condition that the issue of Hizbullah arms would be the dialogue's first item.
The Phalange leader also condemned the attack on media organizations, referring to the attack against Future Television headquarters in Beirut. The Future TV building was attacked by members of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP).
Gemayel also warned of the security situation in Lebanon and disclosed information about the presence of Al-Qaeda operatives in some of the country's Palestinian refugee camps.
Also on Friday, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt warned Hizbullah against invading the areas controlled by his party.
"Hizbullah need to know that we also have arms the same way they do," Jumblatt said in an interview with New TV.
However, Jumblatt denied his PSP or the Future Movement run organized militias.
The PSP leader proposed handing over the situation to the Lebanese army. "We should leave it to the army to decide what to do. Everybody trusts the army," he said.
Jumblatt also questioned whether the sacking of an army officer deserved the burning down of Beirut.
He was referring to the government's recent decision to remove Airport Security Chief Brigadier General Wafiq Shoucair from his post. The decision sparked the current crisis.
While expressing his readiness to engage in dialogue to end the crisis, Jumblatt vowed that he will remain in Beirut and will not leave his residence in the Clemenceau area.
Jumblatt's residence, which is under the army's protection, is reportedly under siege by opposition militants.
Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan, one of Jumblatt's chief rivals, contacted the PSP leader and assured him that he (Arslan) was against any action that risked the safety of Jumblatt.
Another rival of Jumblatt, Head of Tawheed Party Wiam Wahhab asked Jumblatt to remove all PSP security checkpoints in Mount Lebanon.
Earlier on Friday, Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun said that the recent events have put the country back on the right track.
Aoun held the government responsible for the eruption of violence in Beirut and said that he had previously warned the United Nations Security Council that the situation in Lebanon could escalate at any time if the international community continued its support for the "illegitimate" Siniora government.
"I also warned them [the ruling coalition] not to arm themselves. I told them that they will not have the chance to use their arms," Aoun said.
The retired general, a leading figure of the Hizbullah-led opposition movement, described the seizure of most parts of west Beirut by Hizbullah and Amal Movement militants as a victory for Lebanon.
"It is not the victory of one party over the other. It is a victory for Lebanon."
In a related development, the Maronite League, in a six-point statement issued Friday, warned against the broadening of the eruption of inter-Lebanese violence in the country, adding that "these tragic clashes have brought back memories of the [1975-1990] Civil War in Lebanon."
The statement expressed concerns after the recent aggravation of the political crisis and the absence of dialogue between the government and the opposition coalition.
The Maronite League called for an immediate return to a multiparty dialogue and to take immediate actions to withdraw fighters out of the streets.
Arab foreign ministers to hold emergency talks
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Arab foreign ministers are to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday on the Lebanon crisis amid fears about Iran's influence over the Shiite Hizbullah movement which seized control of west Beirut on Friday.
The move follows three days of street battles which have stoked fears a protracted political feud could descend into another full-blown civil war in the deeply divided nation.
"It has been decided to hold an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Sunday in Cairo, at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to put an end to the deadly battles in Lebanon," an Arab League official said.
The Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a regional powerhouse and key US ally which backs the ruling majority in Lebanon, had led calls for the meeting in the wake of the fighting that has left 13 people dead and scores wounded.
Arab League chief Amr Moussa cut short a trip to the United States and returned to Cairo on Friday to prepare for it, his deputy told AFP.
Saudi Arabia and the region's other heavyweight, Egypt, have been strong supporters of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and blamed Hizbullah, backed by Syria and Iran, for the latest confrontation.
"Egypt and other Arab countries are very concerned by the actions of Hizbullah in Lebanon," an Egyptian diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"A party backed by Iran cannot be allowed to take control of the running of Lebanon," the diplomat said.
"The situation today in Lebanon is 10 times worse than it was yesterday and we are very concerned at what is happening, because that means that Iran wants to control the country."
Opposition Hizbullah gunmen seized control of predominantly Muslim west Beirut from pro-government forces on Friday, the third day of sectarian violence that threatened to tip the country into all-out civil war.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said his country is offering to help warring factions in Lebanon meet for talks in the hope of preventing a grave situation becoming worse.
"We invite everyone to come to the table to reach an accord. We are ready to facilitate their meeting and take all necessary measures," he said in a statement.
Kouchner said civil war must be avoided. He said he would be in contact with Lebanon's leaders and its allies, and he urged other countries with influence to behave responsibly.
"We call on everyone, each party, each force, to immediately stop the fighting and return to dialogue. We demand the barricades be lifted and the airport reopened," he added.
Also on Friday, French Premier Francois Fillon said Paris is working with Lebanese authorities and foreign governments to prevent Lebanon from descending into civil war, Fillon said.
"We know that the situation could lead to greater violence and civil war," Francois Fillon said. "We support Lebanese authorities whose mission is to safeguard stability and order." "French authorities are in contact with all authorities on the ground, as well as the Arab League, to find a solution."
Meanwhile, the White House said Friday it was "very troubled" by the crisis in Lebanon and urged Iran and Syria to end their support for the Hizbullah group battling the government in Beirut.
"We are very troubled by the recent actions of Hizbullah. We urge Hizbullah to stop their attempt to defy the lawful decisions taken by the democratically elected Lebanese government," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
"We also urge Iran and Syria to stop their support of Hizbullah and its destabilizing effects on Lebanon," he told reporters.
Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose country long dominated neighboring Lebanon, said on Friday that the political crisis there was an "internal matter" and called for it to be resolved through dialogue.
Assad was speaking at a meeting with visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, during which the two shared thoughts "on the regional situation, particularly in Lebanon," state news agency Sana reported.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry meanwhile blamed Israel and the US "for the continuous chaotic situation in Lebanon."
Yemen suggested that commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Michel Suleiman, the consensual candidate to replace Lahoud, should chair a national dialogue in to end the violence.
Jordan and Kuwait, both key US allies in the Middle East, also gave their backing to the Cairo meeting.
Jordan's King Abdullah II discussed the crisis with Saudi King Abdullah and they "expressed their deep concern over the repercussion of these horrific events on the future of Lebanon and its people" the palace in Amman said.
Also commenting on the escalating developments in Lebanon, Germany on Friday called for an immediate end to the power "vacuum" in Lebanon, saying it was fuelling the tensions that pushed the country to the brink of a civil war this week.
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after a telephone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora that he was "deeply concerned" about the deadly clashes between Sunni militants loyal to the Western-backed government and Shiite opposition gunmen.
"I urgently call on all parties to withdraw their armed factions, lay down their weapons and recognize the Lebanese state's exclusive right to use force," he said in a statement.
"The developments of the last few days have shown that a resolution to the political conflict in Lebanon cannot wait any longer."
Steinmeier noted that the parties represented in the Lebanese parliament agreed months ago on a presidential candidate who would be acceptable for all.
"They are now called upon to finally end the vacuum at the top of the state leadership," he said.
"The profound crisis in Lebanon can only be resolved with dialogue and in the framework of institutions that are laid out in the constitution. Part of this dialogue must be an agreement on disarming all the militias in Lebanon."
Germany currently commands the naval component of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which monitors the separation of forces following the 2006 war with Israel.
The crisis, the worst since the 15-year Civil War ended in 1990, has left the country without a president since November, when Emile Lahoud stepped down at the end of his mandate with no elected successor.
The feud is widely seen as an extension of the confrontation pitting the United States and its Arab allies and Israel against Syria and Iran. - Agencies
Copyright The Daily Star 2008.
