Lahoud: raising the issue of the Syrian presence in Lebanon pleases Israel

The Lebanese President Emil Lahoud has stressed that raising the issue of the Syrian presence in Lebanon at his very particular time is satisfactory for Israel and at the same time keeps a blind eye on the Palestinian uprising, noting to the series of the recent Israeli threats against Lebanon and Syria.

Upon presiding over a meeting for the Lebanese government on Wednesday evening in the presence of the Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, President Lahoud said that raising such issue " bears in itself matters on the internal arena that will result in weakening national immunity which is still required to withstand the Israeli dangers."

President Lahoud stressed the Lebanese official position issued by the Lebanese presidency and adopted by the Lebanese government over the Syrian presence in Lebanon in being " legitimate, and provisional" clearly defines the nature of this presence and the needs connected to it, on the ground of a national realistic vision connected to the national interests.

For his part, the Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri stressed during the session hat his government, with all its members, is committed to the ministerial statement and the interventions proposed by the government before the parliament. He added that his government is responsible before the Lebanese people and parliament and will work with them hand by hand and in collaboration with the Lebanese President Lahoud in order to enable the Lebanese to be active in various fields and to revive the economic process.