Lebanese government regrets al-Assad's speech
The speech made by the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday raised disappointment of the Lebanese government which expressed rejection of the criticism made by the Syrian President against Lebanon especially against the Prime minister Fouad Sinioura.
A statement read by the minister of information Ghazi al-Arteidi on Thursday in conclusion of a meeting for the Lebanese Cabinet said that the Cabinet discussed the speech made by the Syrian President and the "attack he had made on the Lebanese state, parliament and government."
The statement added that the Lebanese cabinet "expressed regret and rejection of this content and renewed confidence in Sinioura -- the state man and the man of an Arab history."
Al-Assad has stressed that some major powers wanted through the Lebanese arena to settle scores with Syria and the national forces which supported the resistance and accomplished the Israeli withdrawal from parts of the Lebanese territories.
The president pointed out to the Lebanese elections that took place in May was not a Lebanese stopover but an international stopover to move Lebanon from its Arab role to internationalization, and internationalization is a move toward Israel with an international cover and with tools carrying the Lebanese nationality.
The president said that this was done partially as a matter of fact but the plot was not a success completely and some of the Lebanese people were not conscious enough of this point while other Lebanese are well known for their enmity to Syria and Arab identity, and are well known for their loyalty to Israel.
The Shiite ministers who affiliate to Hizbullah and the Amal movement withdrew from the Cabinet meeting "in protest of tackling President al-Assad's speech" which was not scheduled on the agenda. The withdrawn ministers justified their position to that they were not briefed on the content of al-Assad's speech and that "debating this subject in the government means the need of adopting and announcing a position."
In his speech in Damascus, the Syrian president accused the Lebanese officials of converting Lebanon into a "passage and factory and supplier of conspiracies against Damascus." He, in particular gave mention to Prime Minister Fouad Sinioura, considering that "he permitted Lebanon to be the base for Syria's enemies." He added "Mr. Sinioura was not able or he was not permitted to abide by responsibilities, because he is an instructed slave for an ordered slave."