Kataeb party leader MP Samy Gemayel emphasized on Wednesday that the priority is to protect Lebanon and that “no settlement should occur at the expense of the country's sovereignty.” He strongly rejected Beirut being used as a bargaining chip in exchange for border arrangements, assuring that they will be “vigilant against any settlement at Lebanon's expense.”
Gemayel's statements came after his meeting with the French Ambassador Hervé Magro with whom he conveyed his party's “concerns regarding the developments in the South.”
“The danger is that negotiations and discussions are ongoing, and everyone is waiting for a solution between Israel and Hezbollah, while official Lebanon is absent,” he said. “What matters to us is the implementation of Resolution 1701 to prevent any aggression against us. We are also concerned about the application of Resolution 1559, which is essential for Lebanon to regain its free decision-making and for the state to take charge of defending its territory,” he added.
The Kataeb leader stated that the government should be responsible for the security of the country and its people, which requires the election of a president who would be “the primary spokesperson for Lebanon, the first negotiator, prioritizing Lebanon's interest in all forums.”
He said that Hezbollah has a choice whether to stay “isolated from the state and the Lebanese people, and remain in a state of perpetual conflict, violence, attempting to exclude others and control them, or to be a major and essential partner.”
Gemayel's statements came after his meeting with the French Ambassador Hervé Magro with whom he conveyed his party's “concerns regarding the developments in the South.”
“The danger is that negotiations and discussions are ongoing, and everyone is waiting for a solution between Israel and Hezbollah, while official Lebanon is absent,” he said. “What matters to us is the implementation of Resolution 1701 to prevent any aggression against us. We are also concerned about the application of Resolution 1559, which is essential for Lebanon to regain its free decision-making and for the state to take charge of defending its territory,” he added.
The Kataeb leader stated that the government should be responsible for the security of the country and its people, which requires the election of a president who would be “the primary spokesperson for Lebanon, the first negotiator, prioritizing Lebanon's interest in all forums.”
He said that Hezbollah has a choice whether to stay “isolated from the state and the Lebanese people, and remain in a state of perpetual conflict, violence, attempting to exclude others and control them, or to be a major and essential partner.”
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