Al-Hariri guarantees not to arrest Aoun if he returns back

The Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri has announced that he guarantees Maj. Gen. Michael Aoun not to be arrested if he returns back to Lebanon.

In a comprehensive statement to the " Lebanese TV" replying to a question if he calls on Aoun to return back and guarantees not to arrest him, al-Hariri answered " of course, of course." He said he sees nothing that condemns Aoun in the existing file. He added that Aoun " had left the country within an agreement of 5 year period which has been already expired. He explained that what has been said about Aoun's files are in three files: 1. Aoun has violated the amnesty law when he talked before the end of the five years and " I have said that what he had said is not taken into account" 2. It was said that Aoun accepted donations while he was at his post; 3. It was also said that Aoun stole public sums and no body can forgive the one who steels the public sums and if it was proven that he had stolen the public sums he has to pay it back and then nothing will be wrong about him" As for the question of Samir Geagea, al-Hariri said that Amnesty is at the hands of the President of the Republic who was given this right by the constitution. He added that " there is a file before the court and this file is not under the question of discussions before the end of the trials.

Al- Hariri expressed support for setting up the national commission to cancel political sectarianism, according to the constitution which was approved in al-Taif.

He explained that nothing prevents setting up the commission and " I am an advocate for it. It is chaired by the President of the Republic and therefore the initiative is at the hand of the President and the Parliament. And I will be one of the supporters for this step."