The Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah appeared on Al-Manar TV this Friday evening and spoke about the Egyptian accusations of Hizbullah. He also addressed the Lebanese affairs especially the electoral theme.

The following is the text of that discourse:

In the name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate.

Peace and prayers be to the seal of the prophets, Prophet Mohammad, his infallible household, his chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers...

Peace, God's mercy and blessings to you all

We had wished to use the weekly or semi-weekly appearances to address matters relevant to the elections, the political vision and the platform Hizbullah believes in for Lebanon, but we found recent developments-the accusations made by the Egyptian authorities against Hizbullah and myself-which we view differently, a matter too large and too important to simply respond to in a press statement, thereby necessitating a different approach which I must take care of myself.

So the decision was taken that tonight's talk would cover this matter, an occasion I also wish to take for responding to earlier accusations sometimes made as signals from some Arab countries.

This occasion also provides me the opportunity to re-explain and summarize Hizbullah's vision and policy towards the Arab world, Arab regimes, the Arab peoples, the movements and parties in the Arab world.

I will present this vision during the course of this speech and hope it finds serious consideration, as it is our committed policy and the vision we believe in, therefore, I will be very clear in stating it, hoping-God willing, that any further reports, stories or accusations regardless of whom or where is their source, that they be approached, judged or assessed based on this vision.

I will directly start by addressing the subject of accusations the Egyptian authorities made against me personally and Hizbullah:

I broke down this talk tonight into the facts first, the charges second, and third the commentary.

First the facts

On 19/11/2008, over a month before the war by "Israel" against our people in Gaza, Egyptian authorities arrested a Lebanese national, back then the media said that "A Lebanese national and others, Palestinians and Egyptians, were arrested for the transfer of weapons and equipment into Gaza through the Egyptian border."

At that time as some media outlets also mentioned that the Lebanese citizen belongs to Hizbullah... and that was that.

We did not comment on the matter, but followed up on it through the family of the detainee and through legal channels.

The Zionist enemy launched a relentless war on Gaza after about a month or so, everyone knows what happened during that war and the clear difference between the two positions taken by the Egyptian regime and Hizbullah.

Since Hizbullah's position was clearly and strongly in support of opening the Rafah border crossing and lifting the siege on the Palestinian people and their resistance in Gaza.

In the early beginnings we appealed to the Egyptian authorities to open the border crossing, and since they failed to do so, the least we could be done at the time was to condemn all those who imposed a blockade on Gaza, who locked its gates and passages, and I made a stand back in those days that is known to all.

Immediately after making my stand then, a very harsh media and political campaign was launched in Egypt, directed by the Egyptian government and its intelligence, against me personally by name and against Hizbullah.

Much was said, I was branded an Iranian agent and every other thing.

We understood this reaction as a normal price we paid for our stand on Gaza, and we were ready for more than that.

Of course, the significant volume of media and political campaign by the Egyptian authorities against Hizbullah and against our brothers in Hamas and the other resistance factions was noticeable.

But as far as Hizbullah is concerned the campaign was very harsh, when even now statements appear on the internet and through the media coming from both Arab and Muslim worlds, like this statement here for example... the cruelty of its text takes me by surprise, it incorporates names and signatures of approximately at least two hundred Sunni Muslim scholars and intellectuals condemning the Egyptian regime, even accusing the Egyptian President of 'apostasy' and 'grand treason', when what I did back then, did not go to the level of speaking of apostasy or treason, nor did I consider myself in a position of someone who could judge people in this way!

Nonetheless, we did not uncover a response from the Egyptian authorities to these harsh statements and stands when it singled out Hizbullah for a completely different response!!

I also understand that, because Hizbullah is not about a religious scholar, religious students, or only a political side.

Hence the question, what is the Egyptian government's position all about?

The issue with Hizbullah is related to the subject of 'resistance'!

There are sides in the Arab world which take hostile stands against resistance movements and fights them, thus bringing there regimes a degree closer to their American master and enhancing their friendship with "Israel".

Hence I understand.

Therefore, yes, there is a difference between the stand Hizbullah took as a resistance movement, and the one taken by persons, scholars or political forces.

In any case after war acts on Gaza ended, the general atmosphere calmed down, we welcomed and supported the doors that the were opened to inter-Arab reconciliations, and wished them a good outcome...until two days ago when the Egyptian Public Prosecutor (EPP) issued a statement in which he made a group of accusations we all heard in the media!

Some of what came through that statement... the statement pointed out that the EPP Abdel Majid Mahmoud, said that he "...received a communication from the State Security Investigation saying that available information confirmed by investigations state that Lebanese Hizbullah leaders sent some of its cadres to the country with the aim of recruiting members to the organization."

According to the statement "...investigations affirmed that the Secretary General of Lebanese Hizbullah (Hassan Nasrallah) commissioned the party's 'official for surrounding (to "Israel") countries operations unit to make preparations to carry out hostile operations in Egyptian territory at the end of his (Sayyed Hassan) Ashura sermon..." He elaborated that that sermon included "incitement of the Egyptian people and armed forces to rebel against the system, but that the arrest of the defendants prevented the execution of that plan."

The EPP had accused "the Lebanese Shiaa Hizbullah the Secretary-General Party, Hassan Nasrallah", of "planning to carry out hostile operations within the country" and of attempts "to spread Shiaa thought in Egypt."

The EPP also added that "the number of those accused in this operation stood at 49"...
The statement also said that "The Supreme State Security Court assumed investigations with them, providing all legal safeguards in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure." But of course they prevented their lawyers from attending the investigation and fabricated a story in which they claimed that the Bar Association did not accept to send lawyers, bearing in mind that the lawyers assigned to defend them were prevented from attending these investigations.

Those are the facts.

Regarding the commentary:

First, we are a people who tell things clearly and responsibly, we call a spade a spade...we are not ashamed of what we do, not for a single second. Yet what we don't do, we call a fabrication and a lie without any basis in truth.

Therefore, first I say this, brother Sami is a member of Hizbullah, we are not denying this subject nor are we ashamed to announce it.

Second:

What Sami was doing on the Egypt-Palestine border is logistics work helping the Palestinian brothers transfer equipment and personnel in aid of the resistance in Palestine.

This is the only truth that was not included in the EPP's accusations... also knowing that I had read the facts back then when the arrests were originally reported through the Egyptian media saying: "A Lebanese citizen and others were arrested for transferring materiel into Gaza."

But the entirety of the EPP's statement did not touch on this issue at all, knowing that this is all it is and absolutely nothing else.

Of course he did not touch on this subject because such an accusation would be a source of pride and honour to this group and this brother rather than a condemnation, and the condemnation would be to the EPP and the Egyptian authorities.

Third:

All the accusations made in the EPP's statement are fabrications, fiction and defamation, completely unfounded, with the sole aim to stir the Egyptian people that Hizbullah is coming to harm Egypt and its economy.

Today, I have also heard of 'key figures in Egypt are being targeted.' There is one accusation left in the world the EPP forgot to add and it is to accuse these young people of wanting to topple the Egyptian regime! The only thing remaining they were not accused of?!

[This is an attempt at] Agitating the Egyptian people and distorting Hizbullah's pristine and highly respectable image in front of the Egyptian people whom respect each and every Mujahid and resistance fighter, as this is what the Egyptian people's history is made of, their culture and sacrifices... these are their prisoners and martyrs who were killed by the "Israelis"... these are their triumphs and wars....This itself is the soul and purpose of the Egyptian people.

This why it is very natural for Hizbullah to gain deep respect, it is also very natural for the resistance movements in Palestine and other regions to gain the strong respect of the Egyptian people, and therefore it is a must (from Egyptian authorities' perspective) to tarnish the image of Hizbullah, Hamas and the leaders of this people's resistance movements, in addition to providing new credentials to the Americans and "Israelis" after the disappointment and failure of the Egyptian authorities and regime at every level, regionally and internationally.

For example, Obama came to Turkey, where the U.S. will give a role to the Turks, and there are Arab and regional states that play important roles in the region, this is the problem of the Egyptian regime, why then do they want to use us as a scapegoat in this regard?

Fourth:

The brothers who cooperated with brother Sami may not be ten in number. I do not know where they got the accused to nearly fifty from. In any case, many of the arrested are young people with no connection with this brother. They may have other circumstances, other issues I do not know about, but if they wanted to say this Hizbullah cell is composed of fifty people, it's also not true.

Fifth:

Let's be completely honest and clear. If assisting the Palestinians, if helping our Palestinian brothers the rightful owners of the land which is occupied and besieged, who are being killed, displaced, criminally starved is a crime, then today I formally admit to this crime. And if this is a misdeed, then it is a misdeed through which we draw ourselves closer to God... A crime for which we do not ask for His forgiveness... if this is an accusation. We are proud and dignified by such an accusation.

Everyone knows it is not the first time brothers from Hizbullah are arrested while trying to deliver arms to the Palestinians in occupied Palestine. There are known precedents. For that reason, any condemnation or accusation today, if any, should go to the Egyptian regime and not to Sami and his friends.

The Egyptian regime today is the one to be confronted with condemnation because it is still besieging Gaza Strip although the Gaza Strip needs the Rafah crossing today more than ever for reconstructing thousands of demolished housing units. The human conditions are far more tragic than ever before, yet the blockade continues.

The Egyptian regime is the one to be condemned because it works day and night on demolishing tunnels which form the only artery still extending Gaza with some life...and as you have seen on some channels, not only weapons and ammunition are transported through these tunnels, but medicine, even cattle, I saw a goat and a sheep on one program, consumption goods and foods. Yet the Egyptian regime in cooperation with the "Israelis" and the Americans, demolish even this meager but difficult and costly breathing outlet...cutting life off the Palestinians in Gaza, when "Israel" acquires the latest state of the art American-air weapons, develops its capabilities and prepares to carry out the greatest of war games in "Israel's" history this coming June!

...the same "Israel" which produces the Netanyahu and Lieberman Government, who said what they said regarding the subject of ‘so-called' peace, settlement and negotiations, which even insulted the head of the Egyptian regime personally too!

Considering the outcome of major regional shifts in Palestine and within "Israel", we waited for the Egyptian leadership to call on Arab governments, particularly ring-countries (surrounding "Israel") who are concerned with the conflict, to examine the actions and policies needed to be taken parallel with these developments and the new danger "Israel" now poses again on all the region's countries, especially in light of major international and American developments.

Unfortunately, we discovered that the Egyptian regime is continuing to place itself in the same narrow street, escalating antipathy to resistance movements and complementing the war strategy against resistance movements, including Hizbullah.

Returning to the accusations, I wish to comment on the EPP and the intelligence branch that provided him with the information as being 'very smart'!

Their information basically describes us knowing about a war going to start against Gaza before it actually starts, claiming that we took the opportunity to send these young people a month and ten days prior to that war starting, and that these young men had to lie in wait for a speech I make, during Ashura-as a signal- to launch their acts of sabotage against Egypt, while the war was being later raged on Gaza!

Reading this, I advise him after his retirement from his position as public prosecutor, to make a career in scenario writing and cinema!

I categorically deny any intention on the behalf of Hizbullah to carry out any attacks or targeting of Egyptian security, personalities or interests, in Egypt or anywhere in the world, based on the stand we had taken regarding the war on Gaza.

The mentioned statement had also said that Hizbullah is to blame for any Egyptian interests that may be targeted anywhere in the world.

We are not thus, we make a political stand, and we have even avoided demonstrating or holding sit-ins anywhere in the proximity of the Egyptian embassy in Lebanon, so as not to give substance for any conflict or fabrication of any kind.

As for the subject of spreading Shiaa thoughts, this is a tune we must get accustomed to [hearing]. Hizbullah, which has scholars, missionaries, institutions, respected cultural and intellectual apparatus in Lebanon, does not spread Shiism in Baalbek, the southern suburb of Beirut or Tyre, where Hizbullah has strong presence, and there are areas commonly cohabitated between Shiaas and Sunnis yet still it does not spread Shiism there either.

Against this background, why would Hizbullah send a young man of a nature that compliments the tasks he was carrying out, a "porter" with the Palestinians in other words, on the Egyptian border?!

We have gotten used to such rhetoric in recent times, because in truth, what do some Arab regimes say in their confrontation of the resistance movements with Hizbullah, being a resistance back-bone, who liberated the Lebanese territories and survived the July war making a great victory...a few days ago, I read in The Washington Post, not in the Syrian El-Watan Newspaper, or the Iranian Kyhan, but the Washington Post, how American experts have been working on a study since the end of the July war on this war, Hizbullah's accomplishment and the disappointments and defeats suffered by the "Israeli" army.

They sent delegations to the "Israeli" entity, ran investigations with their generals, and took many lessons.

The July war had a significant impact on the modification of American strategies, and priorities for military spending in the United States of America.

The Washington Post is saying this, not me of course, whilst there are still people who consider the July war a defeat.

After all that, what can they hold against Hizbullah?

They cannot accuse it of being dishonorable, unpatriotic, or not liberating any land!

Nor can they say it did not struggle in Jihad, or give martyrs; or may be even claim it lacks honesty or transparency!

So, with such a record, and the great level of respect the Arab and Islamic worlds hold it in, what could these regimes possibly use against Hizbullah?

The only accusation they could come up with is to turn to the old sectarian tune and accuse Hizbullah of spreading Shiism, nothing else!

As for the other accusations, they hold no weight or value, such as that 'I am an agent for Iran?!'

I and Hizbullah are friends of Iran, proud and honored of this friendship, and I hope the resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and the entire region find friends such as Iran and Syria.

On the last section of the commentary comes the general espionage accusation.

Clearly ineffective, according to all opinion polls we have seen distant from what some editors in Egypt write as their source of motivation and direction is widely known. The important thing to us is that opinion polls exist in the Arab and Islamic worlds, held by impartial sides, sometimes by enemy parties. We too observe opinion polls, which clearly indicate a daily growth and expansion of respect, appreciation and popularity for resistance movements, leaders and resistance symbols. I say to you, even within the homes of rulers themselves this respect and appreciation largely exists.

We have finished from the espionage tale, and the baseless story of spreading Shiism is also clearly ridiculous.

The last remaining and newly emerging topic, at which I like to pause and shed some light on and take the opportunity to explain our policy, against attempts to give Hizbullah a newly created image of being an organization wanting to or has already formed cells in Arab countries, aiming to disrupt national security in Arab States, topple Arab regimes and train opposition groups from here or there.

With this picture, my apologies to Al Qaeda, they are trying to give Hizbullah, Hamas, the Islamic Jihad in Palestine, and the other Palestinian resistance factions an al-Qaeda description that wants to fight in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Egypt and elsewhere.

Al Qaeda has its own thinking, ideology and program. These are its own concern. As for Hizbullah, things are different.

Here I would like to introduce our vision and policy very briefly and very clearly.

Hizbullah does not want to enter into hostility with any regime or system in the Arab or Muslim worlds or against any system in the world except "Israel", whose existence we believe is evil, cancerous, aggressive, illegal and illegitimate.

Our enmity against it embarks from this nature.

There is also the U.S.A. with whom hostility exists due to its policies. Should it modify its policies this hostility would cease.

We do not want to engage in feuds with any system, and while we are covering in the Arab world, let us speak in Arabic: "We do not want any bitterness with any Arab regime, we do not want any rivalry with any Arab regime, we clearly do not want to engage in any conflict with any Arab regime, not security wise, politically or militarily, even in the media.

You have noticed how they tried to accuse the Al-Manar satellite channel; they dragged the channel into this subject too, knowing that we are very keen not to engage into conflict with any Arab regime through our media outlets.

As for the Arab peoples, we have very normal friendships and relationships; we are partners and participate in many conferences in the world.

Some Arab regimes have many opposition movements within them who expect us to take stands toward their regimes. This matter we have made unambiguous and clear; Dear brothers, are not open to engaging in such battle or conflict nor can we do that, for we have a clear mission and are only a modest Lebanese party.

Those who insist on giving us regional and global dimensions are free to think what they like. As to us, we are a Lebanese party, our leadership is Lebanese, and all our members are Lebanese; we do not have branches anywhere, Egyptian, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Saudi, or Djibouti branches. We have nothing of this sort. We are a Lebanese party on Lebanese territory, our leadership is Lebanese, and so are our members. The core cause in which and for which this movement was born and matured will never abandoned: the cause of liberating the land, protecting Lebanon, and confronting the Zionist project which poses a threat to Lebanon and all countries and peoples of the region, as well as all governments in the region.

This is very clear. It is our mission.

We do not have a conflict or a problem with anyone, the Arab political system in this or that Arab country, whether democratic, dictatorial, royal or dynastic, religious or secular, legal or illegal.... regardless of the description, we do not interfere in such matters.

I remember even in Iraq and the successive governments produced by the political process, many asked us for a stand, at the time when it is our policy regarding any Arab government, be it Iraq nor any other.

However, yes, we do take a stand regarding occupation. We condemn the American occupation of Iraq. We support the Iraqi resistance of American occupation, but do not support the Iraqis to facilitate their inter-conflict. This is quite understandable. Yes, some opposition movements may consider such talk inappropriate or harming. They may even be alarmed by it, because we have been clear about this policy.

I remember when certain issues used to occur in some Arab countries, we used to receive messages on the internet saying: 'O Hizbullah, we have supported you and stood by you in the July war. Now we want your support in a problem we have with our government or regime.'

We used to apologize saying 'no, this is different. You supported us and we thank you for backing us in facing "Israel", the common enemy we all face. But regarding internal problems within any Arab country, Hizbullah can not and will not interfere.'

Conversely if we can play a positive role, mainly because of the respect these peoples hold for us, then by all means we have no objection.

I know that many hold great respect for us, including Arab rulers themselves even when they sometimes differ with us politically. We do not object to playing a positive role to stop tensions or sedition, but we object to taking sides or becoming a party in any internal conflict, within any Arab country.

Hizbullah exists inside Lebanon, as a struggling faithful Lebanese Islamic party, we do not consider ourselves involved in others' internal affairs and this is not a tactic, as it is founded on clear intellectual, scholarly, religious and jurisprudence paradigms, over which we differ with others who consider it their religious responsibility to intervene in every country, engage in every battle and become partners in every conflict.

It is why in confronting the common enemy "Israel" and the Zionist project behind it, we consider helping our brothers in Palestine our duty, just as everyone in the world took on the duty to help the resistance in Lebanon during the July war, and now to liberate the rest of our land and to quell ongoing "Israeli" attacks, ambitions and threats.

In all clarity this is our position, and in this context there are two details I like mention:

1-A few weeks ago, al-Hayat newspaper quoted the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh as saying the "Houthis" (a Yemeni group) were receiving support from Lebanese Hizbullah.

He said: "Perhaps, support is not coming from Hizbullah as a party or leadership as such, but from certain elements within Hizbullah." What I understand is that "the Houthis have received training in making bombs, mines and ammunition from some experts and some Hizbullah elements" and that "some Houthi elements travel to Lebanon

."

In other words, he softened the accusation by not directly accusing the party or its leadership, through saying 'there are elements within the party.'

If he has information of this kind, tomorrow or the day after, our brother, the Arab Relations Official in Hizbullah can go to the Embassy of Yemen and ask the Yemeni ambassador about these elements from Hizbullah training Yemenis?

I have nothing to tie me to what is happening in Yemen, we have no knowledge or accurate information, therefore, I do not want to take a 'for' or 'against' stand, not with the regime against the Houthis, nor the other way round.

We wish for the matter in Sana'a to be resolved allowing for healing of the wounds. We wish the Yemeni people well, but we are not a side in any dispute, whether near or far.

I know that Hizbullah is disciplined; I do not think there are elements from Hizbullah doing such deeds; however, Yemeni authorities apparently have information about Hizbullah members, a matter we are more than willing to investigate.

Regarding talk about people coming to Lebanon, I say everyone comes to Lebanon, but as far as we are concerned we remain detached from such matters.

The following is the second detail that completes this file

:

2- In the recent past, when arrests made in Bahrain included opposition party leaders, some Gulf newspapers mentioned the incident and at that time also said that 'members of these groups' or 'some groups are accused of having received training in Lebanon by Hizbullah in order to breach security in Bahrain.'

Of course, we were not formally informed of such accusations by the Bahraini authorities, but some Gulf newspapers reported this issue.

We certainly do not accommodate such requests because we believe, whether in Bahrain or countries other than Bahrain, that existing problems between people and governments concern that country, their people and their governments. However,

there are a variety of ways to treat such problems, because such matters remain the concern of those States and countries.
With these details brought up, I like to add the following comment to the Arab world, governments and peoples:

Dear brothers,
Hizbullah cannot take more than its power. I know many want to hold us responsible for matters larger than our country, our abilities or our country's situation.
Regarding helping our Palestinian brothers, we take into consideration the implications and consequences our country can tolerate. I like to say: please do not put on us more than we can handle.

Position we take and responsibilities we bear, the role we play as a Lebanese party is the result of our careful analysis and consideration. This is the limit of our capabilities. It is our strategy. We are very clear, and I always say when we do something, we have the courage to admit and take responsibility for it. We may be among a very few in the world who admit to mistakes when we make them or if we acted in haste here or there...I wish others were the same in this regard.

This is our transparency, hence to benefit from this incident I would like to send out the following appeal: ' we, officially culturally, intellectually and doctrinally,

according to our jurisprudence and in the field, do not at all interfere in other' affairs, nor do we want conflict or dispute with anyone, therefore, I ask everyone to scrutinize all media accounts, woven, fabricated or plotted against us by intelligence agencies here or there-who submit their reports to Arab rulers.

Of course, we do not stand on anyone's threshold begging for support either and we do not want anything from anybody.
It is why we have normal and natural relationships as you all see.

In the most difficult days during the July War, when the "Israeli" Air Force assigned more than one hundred fighter-jets to continuously bomb our homes, centers, villages, cities and neighborhoods, for days on end, even back then and under such bombardment I said, 'we want nothing from Arab rulers'. All I asked of the Arabs back then was to 'leave us alone...just do not plot against us or abuse us

.'

That is all, and again we do not want anything from you (the Arabs). By God we do not want anything from you... not political support, nor moral, financial or military, just do not abuse us, plot against us or falsely accuse us.

What has been concerning Hizbullah, with regards to Palestine, we ask for shouldering their responsibilities, to help the wronged and oppressed people of Palestine, long-suffering for more than sixty years, to lift the blockade on these people and help them rebuild their country and homes.

Today, someone like Lieberman says that 'negotiated settlements reached a dead-end. We (the "Israelis") do not recognize Annapolis or the Road Map'. When they have even rejected settlements that unfairly treat Palestinians, and now they are planning on conducting military exercises, do we know what they are preparing the region, Gaza, Lebanon or Iran for?
I call on Arab rulers to assume their responsibilities.

In light of the current "Israeli" extremist and more aggressive make-up, the region is living through a huge, sensitive and dangerous phase. Arabs should bear this responsibility. If they do not want to adopt or support resistance movements, the least they can do is not to abuse or fight them

.

I conclude by saying in all honesty and sincerity: Based on the breakdown I have just given, we do not want conflict with the Egyptian regime; regardless of all the accusations they directed against us. We still do not have a battle with the Egyptian regime.
We may have and still disagree and differ on the stand on Gaza and Rafah, but this is as far as this matter goes.

Since the only beneficiary of any conflict anywhere in the Arab world, between brothers, is the "Israeli" enemy of this nation, I recommend treating this matter calmly, deliberately and rationally.

The remaining two topics I like to comment on are related to Lebanese affairs.
Topic I
This is linked to my last speech and what I said regarding the Parliament.
I was saying that the parliamentary elections are very important in Lebanon, since parliament in Lebanon has the designated functions I recounted back then: The parliament elects the President of the Republic, brings a government in and gives it confidence, decrees laws and issues annual budgets, authorizes treaties, etc...

Some politicians and media personalities in Lebanon, whom I can define as malicious people of sedition, of course had praised me by saying "the Sayyed is usually precise and serious, prepares his speeches well" and I thank them for their praise and confidence, yet they later tried to contrive a political scheme from what I said, to place a wedge between Hizbullah and His Excellency President Michel Suleiman

.

They said Hizbullah Secretary-General gave a clear signal or implied in those words, that the new parliament-in the event the opposition wins majority-will topple the President of the Republic General Michel Suleiman, because, they claim, the opposition's goal is to re-elect General Michel Aoun as President of the Republic.

I have brought with me the text from that speech. I usually do not write entire speeches but I put down main points. I brought the text with me to make sure, and I will read it out to you, for you to know there are those who refuse to see a State, co-operation between the people or accord in Lebanon.
There are people determined for a battle of conflict, for confrontation and discord that is the subject.

In any case they have been uncovered and they are known now. All local, regional and international developments do not interest them, and if they are tense (they usually accuse us of being tense or of being "afraid for our heads"), but it is now clear which direction internationally and regionally, including Lebanon the area scene is heading.

Anyway, as for what I said at the time:
'The forthcoming elections are very important, like all elections in any country. They are supposed to be democratic, because elections bring in a new Parliament, which in turn brings in a new Cabinet'...so far I had not touched on the subject of the President of the Republic... 'Therefore we will be renewing a certain political life, bring in a new

one or extend the old etc...'

'Parliament in this country has great importance' ... again I have not mentioned the next parliament that elects the Cabinet, a matter known by all Lebanese 'it elects the President of the Republic, names the prime minister, gives confidence to the government. It also concerns itself with laws in all fields and passing the general budget. The Parliament as an institution in the Lebanese system, has a great importance, and hence the importance of the elections.'

Okay, if there is anyone there who understands Arabic language, then please bring primary school students and read this text out to them. Then, bring philosophers and ask them to deduce any reference from this text that about a new Parliament, which we as opposition, seek to hold majority in, with the aim of overthrowing the President of the Republic?!

This subject does not deserve more than this amount of clarification. I would like to say 'no we do not'.

We elected Gen. Michel Suleiman as President of the Republic, out of our free will and conviction. The Change and Reform bloc including General Aoun elected him as well. We all dealt with President Suleiman as a consensus President, and we deal with the situation thusly.

Certainly, this is where Lebanon's interests lie and this matter (toppling the President) never crossed my mind at any point in time, not even in a slip of the tongue.
The relationship between us and the President of the Republic is a very good and very positive relationship and it is not new. It has been established over the years, since he was Head of the Lebanese army. We share a strong and deep relationship of trust that cannot be rattled by some malicious journalists or politicians.

Topic II:

This is related to alliances.
Some political and media sides attempted to present the nomination of two brothers for candidates from Amal Movement in the Second District in Beirut, as 'a step to confront Hizbullah'.

I have a simple clarification that this nomination was by mutual agreement between the leaders of Hizbullah and Amal. According to a prior arrangement, we are in full agreement with Amal to nominate the brothers for the Shiaa seats in the second Beirut district.

Regarding this topic being raised, I would like to say to them that there is no discord at all between Hizbullah and Amal movement, even on the level of details pertaining to the elections and electoral coalitions. The situation is also the same between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), no disagreement on details or parts.

Yes, we are in the process of establishment of candidacy lists, t

here is an unfinished point in Jezzine and one in Baabda, both inter-related, this is natural.
What is happening between Hizbullah, Amal and the FPM, is a discussion on this unfinished point, nothing more nothing less. There is no disagreement, dispute, conflict or anything else. This subject is being discussed responsibly and calmly by all concerned parties of the opposition. We have so far addressed all other issues

.

But the elections and electoral campaigns attempt to present a non-appropriate or inaccurate image of this or that group. Therefore, in this clarification I wish to say that none of what was written or assumed has any real substance, for we are in constant communication in a calm manner and time is on our side, God willing.

If there were any unfinished points anywhere, we deal with them amongst ourselves.
The National Lebanese Opposition (NLP), with its entire spectrum, parties and movements, will continue with its clear, hard and sincere efforts, God willing. So, there can be calm, fair and truly democratic elections, in order to produce a new parliamentary majority, which we hope is in favor of the NLP.

We will settle for this amount tonight...
Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.