Phalange Party Decides to Keep Ministers in Cabinet, Vows 'Political Confrontation'
The Phalange Party on Tuesday decided to keep its three ministers in Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet despite its reservations over the government's policy statement.
“We ask the Phalange Party's ministers to continue in their political confrontation inside the cabinet,” the party said in a statement issued after an emergency meeting for its political bureau.
“The possession of arms poses a major threat to Lebanon and would lead to the proliferation of militias in all regions and this puts us before two choices: reviving autonomous security or reading the policy statement in an alternative manner that guarantees state's sovereignty,” the party added, in a statement recited by former social affairs minister Salim al-Sayegh.
“We have made moves for the sake of the second option, which is the state,” the party said.
The Phalange's decision came after meetings with President Michel Suleiman and PM Salam.
The party urged the “highest authorities” to “correct the needed points and clarify the ambiguity as recently recommended by the (Maronite) patriarch” Beshara al-Rahi.
“The president, the head of the state, stressed that the policy statement is based on the state's authority and jurisdiction over all political affairs, emphasizing that the statement is in harmony with the Baabda Declaration,” the party noted.
“Suleiman confirmed that he will call for national dialogue once the confidence session (in parliament) ends, which verifies that the issue of resistance is a controversial topic,” the Phalange Party added.
It said Salam had “appreciated” its stance over the policy statement.
“The visits we made have clarified the official interpretation of the policy statement, and this is what concerns us,” the party went on to say.
“We have decided to reject the current ambiguous formula of the policy statement and we consider ourselves not concerned with the principle of ministerial solidarity, but we ask the Phalange Party's ministers to continue in their political confrontation inside the cabinet,” it added.
The party underline that it will continue its “struggle for the sake of the state and its institutions.”
“The cabinet is an essential arena for this struggle and for national dialogue and we must neutralize Lebanon from conflicts and reach the state's monopoly over arms,” it said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel visited President Suleiman at the Baabda Palace a day after holding talks with the prime minister on his party's reservations over the cabinet's policy statement.
Several ministers and lawmakers representing the Phalange accompanied Gemayel to seek clarifications from Suleiman, who told the delegation that “the policy statement focuses on the authority of the state in all political affairs and mainly the defense of Lebanon and the liberation of occupied Lebanese territories.”
The party warned late Saturday that the three ministers representing it in Salam's 24-member government will resign before a parliamentary vote of confidence if the policy statement wasn't amended.
The reservations expressed by the Phalange are on the following clause: "By the virtue of the state's responsibility to preserve Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the government stresses the state's duty and efforts to liberate the Shebaa Farms, the Kfarshouba Hills and the occupied part of Ghajar (village) through all legitimate means, while stressing the right of Lebanese citizens to resist Israeli occupation, repel its aggressions and regain the occupied land.”
Gemayel's meeting with Salam was preceded by talks between the premier and Phalange MP Sami Gemayel.
Phalange ministers Sejaan Qazzi and Ramzi Greij also visited Salam at the Grand Serail.
An Nahar daily said that an amended copy of the policy statement was distributed to MPs ahead of the two-day vote of confidence session on Wednesday.
The Phalange MPs are likely to give their confidence to the cabinet.
10 years
i second that...
10 years
I am a kataeb supporter. But I think that this is just a manoeuver to gain importance.
10 years
As expected
10 years
For clarification, I am pro-Phalange Party, and pro-LF, but I agree more with the stance of Geagea on this matter.
I understand this position taken by Phalange, and I hope they can be constructive in helping to oversee the next elections.
10 years
you hope they will be constructive??
they have not been for years what makes you think they will now??
10 years
What is the alternative?
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How disappointing... It turns out the only party with principles are the LF!
10 years
this is a joke
a banana republic at best
10 years
outleb
I said it before and I repeat it
The Kataeb under Bashir were good
bashir died so did the Kataeb so is Lebanon who has been dying slowly as we are getting from bad to worse
when is this downfall going to stop? who knows? will this decline stop? who knows? but I hope so
10 years
Now that was... well... umm... duh... expected?
10 years
another 2 generations and lebanese christians are finished, hence some wants partition...
10 years
The only christians getting weaker are on the mustaqbal side lol, fpm has never been any stronger. Kataeb is a patriotic party, they should stop the gimmick and join m8 w khalsouna ba2a.
Also outleb, you're kidding yourself if you think geagea stood by 'principles' and is 'noble' and more importantly 'knows what he's doing' rofl. Christians need to unite if they want to maintain themselves, starting with kataeb joining m8, and stop the nonesense about sheikh pier being killed by ha it's ridiculous and just plain brainwashing they've done you.
10 years
Maybe it is true that Lebanon's Christians will disappear within a couple of generations. But if this happens, the only loser is Lebanon. The ones who leave will move to the west, where they are accepted and have thrived since the beginning of their migrations hundreds of years ago. I hope this doesn't happen, but if it does they won't be the biggest losers.
As for the partition topic, sure some people do want it, and there are many reasons. But what's important here is not just the reasons why some want it, but also the reasons why some others don't want it. Let's be honest, if the country was partitioned, one part would quickly become almost fully developed, have a decent economy, tourism, education, modern society, and functioning infrastructure. The other part? Well let's just say that things won't look good for them, and they won't be getting any taxes/revenues from the developed part of the former country.. Some will deny this, but they know it to be true.
10 years
BaniMaarouf and Cedre, wishful thinking floating to the surface, I can see you both can hardly contain your anti-Christian emotions, but Christians will stay, as will the Shiites. The war in Syria simply demonstrates that when a minority decides to stay, it can do so against all odds.
lol...