27/09/2010 A pocket of stances declared in these two days by different political sides, shows that Lebanon is in a difficult deadlock over the indictment which will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STI) investigating in the assassination of former Premier Rafiq Hariri.
As the President Michel Suleiman said that the tribunal must restore its credibility, Speaker Nabih Berri said there are things are things he hasn't said in the issue of false witnesses. On the other hand, Hezbollah renewed its position from the STL stressing that the probe is targeting the party as a resistance.
In a surprising stance, President Michel Suleiman said the STL must restore public credibility "by staying away from politicization."
Suleiman's remarks came late Sunday in an interview broadcast live on al-Jadid television from New York.
He said the STL should "investigate all possibilities, including Israel."
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri said there are things he hasn't said in the issue of false witnesses, urging judicial authorities to follow-up the issue.
"I did not say everything I know about false witnesses," Berri said in remarks published Monday by the Lebanese daily as-Safir newspaper, pointing important legal aspects related to this issue which he has not yet revealed.
"I may do that in due time," he said.
Berri stressed that Lebanese judicial authorities should follow-up the issue of false witnesses to be able to determine the side that is standing behind them.
He added that he is exerting every effort to protect Lebanon from a devastating sectarian strife.
Berri said that while he considers a "red-line" a Christian-Muslim conflict, he will do everything in his power to avert war between Sunnis and Shiites.
On the other hand, Loyalty to resistance MP Nawaf Moussawi renewed on Sunday criticism against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
He said that by avoiding to arrest false witnesses, the U.N.-backed investigation team into Hariri's assassination has "failed the integrity and trust exam the first time; giving us a clear evidence that it (probe) is subject to politicization because of its support to one political camp."
Mousawi also defended what happened at the airport last weekend.
"What happened at the airport was our right as MPs and political sides to open the VIP lounge and be present there because we are the makers of honor," he stressed.
"There shall be no compromise on defending ourselves in the face of false accusations, and we have the absolute right to use what we deem appropriate for that," he warned.
Hezbollah and other opposition figures received last week former Chief of General Security Gen. Jamil Sayyed at Rafiq Hariri airport, in a show of consolidation against Attorney Gen. Said Mirza's decision to summon Sayyed following a press conference by the latter.
Hezbollah said members who escorted Sayyed were party MPs’ and ministers’ bodyguards and thus were authorized to be armed, remarks that Interior Minister Zyiad Baroud corroborated.
Moreover, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned on Sunday that targeting Hezbollah as a Resistance is tantamount to targeting Lebanon and the region. He said that his party's demands focus on two issues – uncovering false witnesses and those standing behind them; and accusing Israel of assassinating former PM Rafik Hariri based on the data provided by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
"Targeting Hizbullah means that the future of the country is targeted," Qassem stressed, adding that the resistance "is in a very good condition."
“We openly accuse Israel of assassinating Rafik Hariri and those concerned should discuss this accusation and study the evidence,” he said, adding that “our continual demand to reveal the truth rests on two matters: Discovering false witnesses and their fabricators, and accusing Israel with evidence.”
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
No comments:
Post a Comment