Franjieh Insists on Guaranteeing Third, Warns of Settling Refugees in Lebanon

 
Source: almanar.com.lb, 8-6-2009

The head of the Marada party MP Suleiman Franjieh said that the opposition, specifically General Michel Aoun, have preserved their representation in the most important Christian districts, "despite the war that was waged against it."

Speaking to Al-Manar, Franjieh stressed the opposition will not participate in the new government if it is not give the guaranteeing one-third of ministers. He added that President Michel Suleiman "had interfered in elections and we are waiting for his position on the guaranteeing third and the arms of the resistance."

Franjied criticized the huge amounts of money spent during elections, "including $20 million last week in Zghorta alone." The MP also note that there had been "international parties organizing the arrival of Lebanese expatriates given that between last Tuesday and Sunday, 50 thousand expatriates arrived in Lebanon. There were surprises in Koura and Batroun and this necessitates a calm assessment to the results."

"We have to respect the will of the voters in any case. But I believe that the war that was waged on the opposition was not a simple war. Bringing this huge number of expatriates into Lebanon needs financing that only states can provide. Even Saudi Arabia alone cannot finance this. There were states organizing this, and I believe that no Lebanese election campaign has the ability to provide lists of Lebanese voters overseas or look for a Lebanese expat who emigrated 30 years ago from Lebanon, find his telephone number and address. This is not an easy task. States must have had a hand in providing such data."

Franjieh also stressed that the opposition will stand steadfast. "We tell General Michel Aoun that we are on his side. He fought everything. The Church was against us, the presidency was against us to some extent but our representation remained as it is."

On the participation of the opposition in the new government, Franjieh said that "we will not take part without a guaranteeing one-third of ministers. Before elections, we told the March 14 bloc that if we win we would give them this third, but they said they don't want it. Now that they have one, we want this third. We will abide by the Doha agreement, if they refuse the guaranteeing third, they will be torpedoing the agreement."

Moreover, Franjieh said that the new government's policy statement must state on the legitimacy of the resistance and its arms, and the right of return of Palestinian refugees. "There are strategic choices that Lebanon must take in the coming phase. Today "Israel" is the enemy and this is not taken seriously in Lebanon. We should agree on our strategic choices otherwise there will be war since no one will allow the other to eliminate his entity.

There should be a high level of national awareness to live up to what is being prepared for us. Some Ambassadors have told me that it is impossible for the Palestinians to return to "Israel" and that a solution must be found for them. The international support to this notion could result in settling the Palestinians on our land. This is very dangerous, and if they think that this could pass through voting in the cabinet, they are very mistaken."