Author of ’’Dans le Secret Des Presidents’’ Confirms Chirac Knew Details of Investigation in Hariri’s Assassination

Local Editor

Day after day, fact about conspiracies planned against Lebanon are being revealed, and the content of the French book entitles, Dans le Secret des Presidents, which means, In the Presidents' Secret, proves the schemes, especially those planned between former French and US Presidents, Jacque Chirac and George Bush.

In this context, the author of the book, Vincent Nouzille, confirmed that Chirac was informed of every detail concerning the investigations in former PM Rafiq Hariri's assassination case at all levels.

Furthermore, the former French President attempted to exploit, diplomatically and politically, the reports of Terje Roed-Larsen, UN envoy assigned to follow up resolution 1559 implementation, and Detlev Mehlis, former head of international investigation committee in Hariri's assassination case.

Concerning Mehlis, author Nouzille said that the first reason for Chirac was the importance of accomplishing everything in order to launch the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), and point it to international judiciary, releasing it from the Lebanese.

Nouzille referred that after Rafiq Hariri's assassination and the meeting between George Bush and Chirac in February 21 2005, the latter's main priority was to launch international investigation, and to establish an international tribunal later on.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera TV, Vincent Nouzille referred that Bush and Chirac aimed at defeating the Syrian regime, an attempt which they has been working for before Hariri's assassination.

Nouzille also revealed that Chirac was opposing for the "Shiite sect", and believed the Sunnis and Christians should take over the power in Syria.

According to Chirac, what was needed in the first place is the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, Nouzille referred that it was a request from late Hariri himself, especially that pressures were all on Lebanon before a couple of months.

On this level, Nouzille clarified that Chirac believed if Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon, then Assad's regime will fall back by its self, and thus achieve what Chirac aims at.

The author affirmed that Chirac planned to pressure Syria before Hariri's assassination, and has declared that since 2004, vital cooperation started between the Elysee and the White House, precisely between Presidential Advisors Gordo Montari and Condalisa Rice.

Bilateral discussions revolved around Lebanon and the Syrian-Lebanese file.

Since the year 2004, Chirac told the Americans that as George Bush wants to spread democracy in the Middle East, occupying Iraq to do so, then the best example for that could be by protecting the poor democracy in Lebanon, through putting an end to what he called, "Syrian occupation".

Therefore, since spring and summer of 2004, phrasing resolution 1559 began between the French and the Americans, in order to achieve the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, denouncing the Syrian interference in Lebanon, and thus defeating the Syrian regime.

On the level of resolution 1559, Vincent Nouzille referred that since summer 2004, the resolution began to be formed in Paris and Washington, in cooperation with diplomats and ambassadors of both countries, especially France's ambassadors to Lebanon and the US.

Nouzille revealed in his book that Jacque Chirac directly accused Syria of Hariri's assassination, declaring it in his meeting with bush on February 21 2005 in Brussels.

Concerning Tejre Roed-Larsen, author Nouzille confirmed that the coordination between him, the French and the Americans was very tight, and this when he visited Lebanon and Syria, his information were transferred naturally to the Elysee and the White House.

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