Lahoud: Syrian presence in Lebanon is legal and serves our strategic interests
Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 9/22/2000

Lebanese President Emil Lahoud has stressed that the presence of the Syrian forces in Lebanon is legitimate. He criticized those who " kept a blind eye on Israel's crimes and its destruction of the Lebanese infrastructure and killing thousands of victims."

In a statement released in Beirut on Thursday, the Lebanese President " the recent stances ( the statement by the Patriarch on the need of the pullout of the Syrian forces from Lebanon ) do not represent the actual national dialogue atmosphere, rather these stances dealt with the Lebanese conditions from a very narrow perspectives lacking objectivity and encouraging sectarianism in a way that does not serve the supreme national interests."

President Lahoud added that he had previously explained that the Syrian presence in Lebanon is legal and temporary and that " timing of discussing this withdrawal stems from our strategic interests," noting that Israel is still refusing just and comprehensive peace and seeks settling the Palestinians in Lebanon.

The Lebanese president asserted that it is not the language of " logic and reason" to blame Syria while a blind eye is kept on Israel's crimes against Lebanon, resulted in killing thousands of victims, destroying Beirut and the South as well as the infrastructure for several times as well as frightening foreign investments from Lebanon and damaging tourism seasons at losses estimated at billions of US dollars.

The Lebanese president also added " It is not also the language of reason that the Lebanese will hold others responsible for their war against the others, at a time when the 'elements and means' of such a war were internal.

This war killed in its same line and in other lines, while today it is coming back hiding in the cloths of " the innocent sheep" and slogans of dialogue, freedom, democracy and human rights. Slogans any of them ( the elements) had not committed to when the language of killing was predominant ( In remarks to Michael Oun's statements, together with Bkerky against the Syrian presence in Lebanon under calls for maintaining dialogue).

Lahoud called on those what so ever their groups is to know that the Lebanese state " did not do harm to them, rather they harmed themselves, and made mistakes against their homeland and they have before anything else to ask for forgiveness, though late and to admit their guilt towards their citizens, instead of provoking the language of sectarianism. The homeland can be only built on dialogue, openness and frankness."

The Lebanese president warned against violating security through using the language of slogans as a means for expression, stressing that the only language to restore back the rights, if any, should be through legal and institutional channels in the state.

Meantime, the Lebanese national parties and forces have stressed that the Syrian presence in Lebanon is a national need, adding that this Syrian presence was and is still a basic element in supporting Lebanon's unity.

In a statement released in Beirut on Thursday following the special meeting to discuss recent stances issued by certain sides that " sectarianism" in Lebanon was at any time a result of provoked sectarian and community attitude aimed at partitioning Lebanon into small entities in the service of Zionist and western interests.

The parties asserted in their statement that Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon was at the backing of Syria.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian - Lebanese cooperation in social and security field   (9/13/2000)
  Lahoud - al-Assad summit in the second half of September   (9/8/2000)
  Damascus: choosing a Lebanese prime minister will be a result of Lebanese reconciliation   (9/8/2000)

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