Michael Aoun: I can convince Hizbullah to lay down weapons

The Lebanese Lt. Gen. Michael Aoun, who lives in exile, said he intends to return back to Lebanon in May and that he can convince Hizbullah to dismantle its weapons in implementation of UN Security Council resolution and the demands of the USA.

Aoun, who is one of the pivotal characters which demanded the withdrawal of Syria from Lebanon, said that the talks over dismantling the weapons of Hizbullah should start immediately after the elections due in May. But he did not specify suggestions he will propose to the party.

For his part, the secretary general of the Lebanese Hizbullah party Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah said that the party is ready to discuss the question of weapons with other Lebanese sides.

Nasrullah said in statements to the French Le Monde paper that the party is ready to discuss all issues with the Lebanese sides including the weapons of the Islamic resistance. He added that resistance is not a craft after which members of the party will become unemployed.