Lahoud: Syria Triumphs Under Assad Leadership

Fatima Salemeh Former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud warned of the dangerous phase Lebanon is undergoing, noting it is a delicate phase in regard to the chaos and difficulties it faces. In an interview with al-Ahed news, Lahoud said "This is the most dangerous phase we live since I was army chief. Lebanese officials have acknowledged that one million refugees from Syria have moved to live in Lebanon, yet we do not know their nationalities. They might not be Syrian, rather they might be extremists from Arab countries (Yemen, Libya...). They have arrived with arms and money, we do not even know how, but this is omen of ruin to Lebanon." With regard to the government, Lahoud viewed that the PM Najib Mikati's resignation did not cause any change on the Lebanese arena. "This government dealt with a few routine administrative matters, it served as a caretaker government," Lahoud considered. The former Lebanese President assured that the golden formula of the Army-People-Resistance cannot be annulled, adding "They tried to end this equation with the help of former PM Fouad Seniora, but we did not allow them to do so." "We must maintain the strength of Lebanon by preserving its honorable Resistance and its party Hizbullah, which stands in face of the "Israeli" enemy. It should not be distracted by internal sectarian issues," he stated. Lahoud went on to say "We assure that Lebanon will form a government with the golden formula topping its agenda list. There is no Lebanon, Palestine, or right to return without the tripartite equation. It is a hundred times better to stay in a caretaker government than to withdraw the word "Resistance" from the ministerial statement. Lahoud called on all religious sects to join the Resistance, underscoring, "How can we give up on this resistance which confronts "Israel" and prevents it from re-occupying our land?!" The former President, commenting on the Arab summit that was lately held in Doha, said "The Qatari Emir was tasked to suggest again annulling the fourth item of the so-called Arab peace initiative (concerned with the right of the Palestinians' return)." According to Lahoud, this talk about annulling item 4 of the initiative directly targets one of Lebanon's main strength pillars. "They are trying to deviate us from confronting "Israel", they are trying to bring the Resistance to an end," he accentuated. On the election law, Lahoud said "It is best that the Lebanese agree on one electoral law, which can be reached by popular vote, that way the people will chose what they want." Moving on to the Syrian file, Lahoud assured that Syria remains strong under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad. He censured the Western campaign launched against him, reminding that the same scenario had taken place at the time the Egyptian President Jamal Abdel Nasser was in office and had called for patriotism and nationalism. Lahoud feared that the end of the conflict in Syria will lead extremists to target Lebanon instead. "Today, the Russians will not agree to topple the Syrian regime, because extremist ethnicities will reach in the heart of Moscow," he stated. He feared that the end of the conflict in Syria will lead extremists to target Lebanon instead. The former President finally assured "The Assad regime will not fall apart, because it enjoys the support of the people, also it is backed by the Russian Veto."

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