Hariri on relations with Damascus: The process of confidence building continues and nothing will disrupt it
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| 26-02-2010 |
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President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri commented Thursday on what has been raised by some Lebanese and Syrian media regarding the relations with Damascus, by saying: 'I decided to move on a path and I will not retreat from it. The process of confidence building continues and nothing will disrupt it, neither a word from here, nor another word from there. I have decided to proceed in rebuilding this relation because it is in the interest of Lebanon and Syria, and I consider the national interest and the Arab interest to be above all considerations.”
During an informal discussion with journalists at the Grand Serail, PCM Hariri was asked to comment on Iranian warnings from dangers threatening Lebanon. He said: 'There is no doubt that there are threats in the region, and we contacting all our friends asking them to deal with the Israeli threats in a clear and frank way, and to talk to the Israelis in a clear and frank way. Lebanon implements UNSCR 1701, in the government, which represents all political parties, and in the Parliament, which got the confidence of the Parliament on the basis of implementing this resolution”.
He added: 'The Israeli violations prove again and again that there are challenges facing Lebanon. Thus, we are dealing with these threats through contacts with all the other states.”
Regarding the statements attributed to an Iranian military official concerning the Iranian influence in Lebanon, PCM Hariri said: 'Lebanon is a free, sovereign and independent state. We are paying blood for our country's independence. No one has influence in Lebanon except the Lebanese themselves. We don't commend such talk, and we want to deal with Iran as a free and sovereign state just as we would like it to deal with us”.
As for the possibility of postponing the municipal elections, Hariri noted that 'the President of the Republic hoped during the meeting of the Council of Ministers that the municipal elections would be held on time. And the Minister of Interior expects all the reforms we agreed on to be ready on time. Thus, we want these reforms, and we want the women's quota to be part of them, and we hope we will be able to bring in these reforms”.
Meanwhile, President Michel Sleiman met his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev Thursday in Moscow in the attendance of the Lebanese accompanying delegation and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Medvedev's assistant Sergei Prikhodko.
Medvedev hoped that Sleiman's visit would develop cooperation between the two countries, and both sides discussed means to achieve peace in the Middle East on the basis of Israeli withdrawal from the Arab occupied lands since year 1967 and the establishment of a Palestinian state as well as resolving that issue of Palestinian refugees according to the UN Security Council resolutions.
Interfax News Agency reported Thursday that the two President discussed means of improving bilateral relations and latest developments in the Middle East, as well as regional and international issues.
The meeting will be followed with a Russian-Lebanese discussion assembly between the delegations of the two countries.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman left Beirut Wednesday heading to Russia in an official visit upon an invitation from his Russian counterpart Dmitriy Medvedev, accompanied with a delegation of Lebanese top officials including, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr, Foreign Minister Ali Shami, State Minister Adnan Kassar, Economy and Trade Minister Mohamad Safadi, Industry Minister Ibrahim Dedeyan, in addition to an administrative, security and media delegation.
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