Hariri Lauds Salam's Stances, Says No Veto on Any Presidential Nominee
Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri lauded Sunday the stances of Prime Minister Tammam Salam regarding the cabinet dispute, as he urged a “realistic solution” to the presidential crisis and noted that there is no “veto” on any candidate.
“They did not meet us halfway after we proposed our roadmap last year … but the crises make us more determined to propose solutions,” said Hariri via video link during Mustaqbal's annual iftar banquet.
“We have not changed our viewpoint that what we proposed a year ago can be capitalized on today,” he said.
“On more than one occasion, we called for dialogue ... and it is a policy that we will pursue, regardless of all the remarks and criticism that accompany it,” Hariri underlined.
He stressed that the doors are not closed in the face of any “realistic solution” to the presidential crisis, pointing out that there is “no veto on anyone under the ceiling of national consensus.”
“Let us all calm down and put an end to the rhetoric of escalation,” he urged.
Commenting on recent calls for implementing federalism in Lebanon, Hariri dismissed the suggestions, stressing that Lebanon only has one choice: “solidarity over reviving the constitutional institutions and protecting the concept upon which Lebanon was built.”
Turning to the latest political confrontation and street protests over the thorny issue of the cabinet's decision-taking mechanism, Hariri said “Salam did the right thing by protecting the last pillar of the executive authority from vacuum and paralysis.”
“Al-Mustaqbal movement will not engage in any sectarian confrontation … Most political forces in the government believe that the issue of the Army Command must be discussed in September,” Hariri added, referring to the month during which the extended term of Army chief General Jean Qahwaji will expire.
The ex-PM's remarks come days after a stormy cabinet session that witnessed a heated exchange of tirades between Salam and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil of the Free Patriotic Movement.
During the explosive session, which was accompanied by FPM street protests, the cabinet's parties agreed to continue the tough debate over the cabinet's decision-taking mechanism after Eid al-Fitr.
Aoun had called on his supporters to prepare for rallies to restore what he described as “the rights of the Christians.” Preparations for the demos began after the cabinet failed to discuss the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials.
The FPM chief has been lobbying for the appointment of Commando Regiment commander Chamel Roukoz, his son-in-law, as army chief.
“Hizbullah is very eager to create a problem between us and the FPM. They accused us of marginalization and they are experts in unilateralism and marginalization. They are the ones who have breached national consensus the most throughout Lebanon's history,” said Hariri on Sunday.
He emphasized that “al-Mustaqbal movement is the movement of calm and rationality and we won't be dragged into escalation and extremism, because this is a recipe for undermining civil peace and the first step towards civil war.”
As for Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian conflict, Hariri warned that “pouring oil on the Syrian fire is a crime against Lebanon and its safety as much as it is a crime against Syria and its people.”
“We said in the past and emphasize today: getting involved in the Syrian war will not protect Lebanon. When you play with fire, expect the fire to burn you,” he noted.
Responding to recent remarks on Yemen and Syria by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hariri stressed that Saudi Arabia's Operation Decisiveness Storm against Yemen's Huthi rebels “is still a thorn in the throat of the Iranian project to dominate the region.”
“The road to Palestine does not pass through (Syria's) Zabadani and Damascus. The road from Beirut to Tehran passes through Syria and Iraq, but the road to Palestine certainly not,” added Hariri.
On Friday, Nasrallah had declared that the “road to Jerusalem” goes through the Syrian regions in which his party's members are fighting, “because if Syria is lost, Palestine would be lost.”
Y.R.
almost 10 years
Assad in power is a thorn on your side.
It goes both ways my friend.
almost 10 years
Iran did everything to make the Palestinians be able to defend themselves, do not forget that.
Also they paid for reconstruction of Gaza, while all the GCC countries does nothing else than talk and give Palestinians handouts.
Palestine is slowly being consumed by the Zionists, what will they use your co called GCC goods for, if they all gets ethnically cleansed anyway? Rather they atleast have the means to defend themselves as they did last summer, when they actually destroyed a dozen IDF soldiers.
The GCC countries gives more aid to Al Nusra takfiri factions and ISIS than they ever gave to the Palestinian people.
almost 10 years
Brother Mystic is right about Iran doing everything to make the Palestinians be able to defend themselves, who can forget how back in the eighties Iran ordered our own Hezballah to support the Palestinians defend themselves against Amal in Beirut and the south. I was an excitable wee lad then, but I saw how our brave fighters helped our Palestinian brothers dispose of many Amal thugs.
almost 10 years
That Assad hold 20% of Syria, is just as true as your so called 15.000 moderate rebels trained by the U.S, that later turned out to be 60 only.
almost 10 years
They will be turned to rubble anyway, so atleast they can resist until they are no more. Just like the Resistance of Lebanon, the Syrian people fighting takfiris and the Ansarullah in Yemen.
almost 10 years
Why until today no extraction of gas have been done?
mafia is running all..we are at war confronting mafias..Long live GMA
almost 10 years
Sophia, down with your Genetically Modified Apostate. Your propensity to use the word mafia yet your wanton desire to distance it from your dear GMA means that you are still intentionally ignoring his owning billions in fortune. Aoun wants to be president, Aoun wants his son in law to become army chief, Aoun wants the other son in law to be this or that, his hotheaded daughter heads OTV, then what? Thankfully he doesn't have more daughters, as that would have meant wanting all of Lebanon.
almost 10 years
"Long live GMA".. yeah already done that, enough already
almost 10 years
Mystic, you said and I quote, "They will be turned to rubble anyway, so atleast they can resist until they are no more. Just like the Resistance of Lebanon, the Syrian people fighting takfiris and the Ansarullah in Yemen", end of quote. So it's OK by you if everyone is turned to dust, so long as Iran stay intact, right? Then who is right in your eyes when he is an opponent of Hezbollah, not long ago, you were full of praise for Hariri, going as far as praising him as a wise man. If he once again realized how treacherous Hezbollah is, can he be blamed for reacting? He was clearly advised to beware of his approach with Hezbollah yet he carried on with his good will towards you people, now again he has gone with one more finger missing, making it now 4 in total, if he wishes to preserve the remaining 6, is he to be blamed?
almost 10 years
voice of moderation. At least he does not permit himself to judge whether Aoun should be brezident or not like rifi does.
almost 10 years
Being polite can not be confused with Rifi voicing all M14 and future movement rejecting dangerous lunatics.
almost 10 years
Yeah whahahahaha whahahahaha Lmaooo whahahahaha at least when I talk about Syria, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen, Iran and rarely Lebanon I am in my makeshift media room in Lebanon... at least that's what they told me. To be honest, after we got in that basement shelter in Dahieh we had to dig for about three weeks before they set up my studio/living space; for all I know I am closer to China than Dahieh but I talk much about Lebanon so #VERYDAMP!
almost 10 years
“Hizbullah is very eager to create a problem between us and the FPM. They accused us of marginalization and they are experts in unilateralism and marginalization. They are the ones who have breached national consensus the most throughout Lebanon's history,” said Hariri on Sunday
Well said, enough said, nothing to add.
almost 10 years
he is the president of the kingdom of dwarfs
almost 10 years
Bassil brezident of Iran you meant. You're delirious now, image with every trip we would have to carry a wooden box over which he would need to stand, otherwise who could see him? bassil is not only a dwarf in size, but also a dwarf in stature, but right you are, if for Iran or a new Syrian province, should you expect better?
almost 10 years
People forgot about that!!! That's why all the visits to boost his image, very convincing Logic, sharpness and vision a real Miracle Kid he is the real Oracle and should be treated as such. What an ...
almost 10 years
texasusa, sure I would support Chantal. But first I need to know her opinion on Carolyn.
Hariri is a hypocrit, first he hails Saudis onslaught on the Yemeni people, then he talks about Syrian people whom suffers because of wahabism aswell.
The road to Palestine is something you do not even care about Hariri.