Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri said Monday that internal conflicts were solely to blame for recent domestic unrest, and expressed confidence that his country would overcome its problems.
The Daily Star reported that Hariri spoke publicly for the first time on the country's internal disputes since his return from a vacation. However, the premier steered clear of mentioning, or blaming, Syria.
“If something has happened, it’s merely due to local political reasons, and we’ll overcome this problem,” he said during a luncheon at his residence in honor of outgoing Egyptian Ambassador Adel Al Khodary.
“It won’t affect our moves to implement the law and respect the Constitution and institutions. Lebanon has always respected, and will continue to respect, human rights, freedom, democracy and free expression,” he said.
Some 200 anti-Syrian Christians were arrested this month in a crackdown by the army intelligence, which was supported by President Emile Lahoud without the consent of the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the paper said that Druze leader Walid Jumblatt traveled to Damascus on Monday, his second visit to the Syrian capital in less than a week, for talks with Syrian Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam.
The meeting was described as part of attempts to defuse tensions in Lebanon, the paper said.
Also, the Qornet Shehwan Gathering of Christian opposition politicians is expected to meet Lahoud on Thursday, after the president received Bishop Youssef Beshara on Monday.
While some politicians have brushed aside the recent crackdown, the arrests linger in the minds of many, according to the paper.
Former Pemier Salim Hoss said there was a “crack” in the government and expressed concern that the cabinet was not informed of Lahoud’s decisions before they took effect.
“The government and the premier have been completely ignored, and this is unfortunate,” he told reporters.
MP George Deeb Neameh told the paper that laws were broken and that the crackdown was “totally unacceptable.”
Neameh, a member of Jumblatt’s parliamentary bloc, argued that those responsible should be tried.
“However, if anyone is convicted of dealing or communicating with the Israeli enemy, he should be tried and punished in accordance with the law,” Neameh added, in reference to arrests of alleged collaborators – Albawaba.com
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