Nasrallah calls for a government representing all political parties on 24-12-2005
Source: Daily Star, 24-12-2005.
BEIRUT: Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called on Friday for a Lebanese government that would include and represent all political parties in the country. In an interview aired live on Al-Manar television station, Nasrallah explained his party`s position on the many controversial issues that led the Shiite ministers to suspend their participation in the Cabinet.
Referring indirectly to the parties not represented in the Parliament majority - i.e. the March 14 forces - the Hizbullah chief said that a "Cabinet of national unity was needed to face the challenges facing Lebanon, to include all parties from outside and inside Parliament."
"If the country is in danger and facing major threat, then we have to have a government of all parties," he stressed.
"The dispute in the government has surpassed our position on the international court to other more serious issues," he said. "The argument began in the Cabinet session preceding the assassination of Beirut MP Gibran Tueni, when the government dropped its choice to vote and decided to run a dialogue in the next days to define the court and offer a comprehensive understanding."
Nasrallah said that Hizbullah and Amal ministers warned they would resign from the Cabinet if the majority insisted on voting on the issue.
"On the session on Monday, we decided to tone down our stance and suspended the participation instead of resigning just because the emotions were tensed over the horrible crime against Tueni," Nasrallah said.
He added that even the UN did not comprehend the government`s demand for a quasi-international court; "at the Security Council, the same question that we asked in the Cabinet was asked."
He added Hizbullah`s support to find the truth and try the real perpetrators is not a tactical move to serve narrow interests but because it was a national cause for all the Lebanese.
"According to Hizbullah`s beliefs, the truth is not subject to bargaining or compromising; the investigation has to continue until the suspects are brought to the justice," he said.
Despite Hizbullah`s reservation on the international probe into Hariri`s murder, Nasrallah said he agreed to extend its mandate for six months and beyond.
"The international investigation team was already in place when we joined the Cabinet," he said, "so, we did not participate in its formation."
Nasrallah criticized those who looked in one direction while investigating the crime. "There is more than one scenario for assassinating Hariri and others. Why not look at other possible suspects?"
Nasrallah suggested "Israel" as another possible suspect.
Asked how he explains the targeting of Syrian critics exclusively, Nasrallah said: "If the martyrs who were targeted were from Hizbullah, then nobody would accuse the Syrians."
Nasrallah said the theories about the assassinations are pure speculations and do not depend on concrete evidence. "I have a theory different from that of Jumblatt or any other politician, but we lack evidence."
About Hizbullah`s fears of internationalization of the Lebanese crisis, he said: "Some politicians draw the wrong analogy between the 1996 April understanding between "Israel", Syria, the U.S. and Hizbullah and the international committees and resolutions of these days."
"Unlike in 1996 agreements, Lebanon has no veto power over its present affairs."
The International Resolutions create a full foreign mandate over the country. Just like Larsen, all UN envoys are given full power over the Lebanese government and watch over the ministers` decisions and actions.
He said: "Hizbullah`s policies aim at defusing all the mines that are put in the country`s road for the sake of all the Lebanese not for the Shiites alone."
"Hizbullah`s position from the government is based on the reconciliatory democracy that we have agreed on before we decided to participate," he said. "We do not demand a veto power over the government`s decisions but we adhere to the articles of the Taif Accord, which determine the principles of coexistence and sharing."
"We accept any form of government put forward, as long as everyone is happy," he said.
BEIRUT: Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called on Friday for a Lebanese government that would include and represent all political parties in the country. In an interview aired live on Al-Manar television station, Nasrallah explained his party`s position on the many controversial issues that led the Shiite ministers to suspend their participation in the Cabinet.
Referring indirectly to the parties not represented in the Parliament majority - i.e. the March 14 forces - the Hizbullah chief said that a "Cabinet of national unity was needed to face the challenges facing Lebanon, to include all parties from outside and inside Parliament."
"If the country is in danger and facing major threat, then we have to have a government of all parties," he stressed.
"The dispute in the government has surpassed our position on the international court to other more serious issues," he said. "The argument began in the Cabinet session preceding the assassination of Beirut MP Gibran Tueni, when the government dropped its choice to vote and decided to run a dialogue in the next days to define the court and offer a comprehensive understanding."
Nasrallah said that Hizbullah and Amal ministers warned they would resign from the Cabinet if the majority insisted on voting on the issue.
"On the session on Monday, we decided to tone down our stance and suspended the participation instead of resigning just because the emotions were tensed over the horrible crime against Tueni," Nasrallah said.
He added that even the UN did not comprehend the government`s demand for a quasi-international court; "at the Security Council, the same question that we asked in the Cabinet was asked."
He added Hizbullah`s support to find the truth and try the real perpetrators is not a tactical move to serve narrow interests but because it was a national cause for all the Lebanese.
"According to Hizbullah`s beliefs, the truth is not subject to bargaining or compromising; the investigation has to continue until the suspects are brought to the justice," he said.
Despite Hizbullah`s reservation on the international probe into Hariri`s murder, Nasrallah said he agreed to extend its mandate for six months and beyond.
"The international investigation team was already in place when we joined the Cabinet," he said, "so, we did not participate in its formation."
Nasrallah criticized those who looked in one direction while investigating the crime. "There is more than one scenario for assassinating Hariri and others. Why not look at other possible suspects?"
Nasrallah suggested "Israel" as another possible suspect.
Asked how he explains the targeting of Syrian critics exclusively, Nasrallah said: "If the martyrs who were targeted were from Hizbullah, then nobody would accuse the Syrians."
Nasrallah said the theories about the assassinations are pure speculations and do not depend on concrete evidence. "I have a theory different from that of Jumblatt or any other politician, but we lack evidence."
About Hizbullah`s fears of internationalization of the Lebanese crisis, he said: "Some politicians draw the wrong analogy between the 1996 April understanding between "Israel", Syria, the U.S. and Hizbullah and the international committees and resolutions of these days."
"Unlike in 1996 agreements, Lebanon has no veto power over its present affairs."
The International Resolutions create a full foreign mandate over the country. Just like Larsen, all UN envoys are given full power over the Lebanese government and watch over the ministers` decisions and actions.
He said: "Hizbullah`s policies aim at defusing all the mines that are put in the country`s road for the sake of all the Lebanese not for the Shiites alone."
"Hizbullah`s position from the government is based on the reconciliatory democracy that we have agreed on before we decided to participate," he said. "We do not demand a veto power over the government`s decisions but we adhere to the articles of the Taif Accord, which determine the principles of coexistence and sharing."
"We accept any form of government put forward, as long as everyone is happy," he said.
