CNN: Al-Hariri: Lebanon is in need of time to discuss Hizbullah weapons
Lebanon, Politics, 7/25/2005

Member of the Lebanese parliament Saad Eddine al-Hariri has urged the international community to give the Lebanese government enough time to find out means of dealing with the new role to be played by the Hizbullah party.

Replying to a question on the need of dismantling the weapons of Hizbullah party, al-Hariri who presides over the largest parliamentary bloc in the parliament said "we live in a fragile country and need to solve our problems by ourselves," noting that Hizbullah is ready to discuss such issues.

In a statement to CNN, al-Hariri said that Lebanon cannot maintain its stability if its starts talking about all its problems at the same time.

On the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, al-Hariri said he believes that the Syrian intelligence pulled out from Lebanon. But he added "we still hear here and there that there are certain Syrian interventions." He urged Syria to lift its siege on Lebanon.

He expressed total confidence in the UN investigation it carries out on the assassination of his father, the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. He indicated that his life is vulnerable. A matter which makes him spend most of his work time at home.

The US secretary of state Condaleezza Rice, who arrived in Lebanon on Friday in a sudden visit, repeated Washington's demands of disarming Hizbullah party according to UN Security Council resolution 1559 despite the participation of the party in the new Lebanese government.

Rice who had met with al-Hariri during her visit to Lebanon demanded Syria to lift restriction imposed on its borders with Lebanon and to withdraw what is left of its intelligence from this country.

Washington enlists Hizbullah, which owns 14 seats in the parliament, in the context of what is called the terrorist lists groups, and refuses to meet with members of the party even those who take part in the new government. Nevertheless, there are news reports talking about unofficial contacts between the two sides.

Previous Stories:
  Rice's visit, Syria, and the Lebanese resistance   (7/23/2005)
  Lebanese figures warn of US intervention in Lebanon's internal affairs   (7/23/2005)
  Rice offers Lebanon support for reform   (7/23/2005)

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