MP Marwan Hamadeh of the “Democratic Gathering” bloc, led by Taymur Jumblatt, said on Tuesday, July 18, that the outcome of the Quintet meeting for Lebanon that took place in Doha was disappointing for Hezbollah and its allies as it failed to call for dialogue as demanded by the Iran-backed party.
In comments made to Voice of Lebanon Radio, Hamadeh argued that the Doha statement “reiterated the most important provisions of the communique released in New York years ago, thus disappointing many who had hoped that dialogue would be endorsed.”
“The statement extended an invitation to the Members of Parliament to fulfill their constitutional responsibility, thereby shattering some people’s aspirations while embracing others’ dreams… The most important thing is to steer away from dialogue and focus on the decisions of the Arab League and the implementation of the Taif Accord,” he said.
Furthermore, the MP stressed that “refusing dialogue is meant to safeguard the Taif Agreement because the dialogue proposed by the ‘momanaa’ (Hezbollah camp) is aimed at imposing (Sleiman) Frangieh and would prolong until he is elected, as they did in 2016.”
Hamadeh referred to the two-and-a-half-year deadlock imposed by Hezbollah and its allies until their candidate, former President Michel Aoun, was elected in 2016.
In a tweet on Tuesday, former MP and Chairman of the National Council for the Removal of Iranian Occupation, Fares Souaid, also highlighted the importance of adhering “to the National Accord Document, which stresses Lebanon’s status as a permanent homeland for all its citizens, characterized by freedom, sovereignty, independence and an Arab identity and affiliation – and any other discourse is outdated.”
He added, “It is a golden opportunity for those opposing Iran’s occupation of Lebanon to call for the implementation of the constitution and uphold legitimate Arab and international resolutions.”
MP Fouad Makhzoumi noted on his Twitter account that the joint statement from the second meeting of the Quintet on Lebanon reinforced the demands that some MPs had been calling for “a commitment by MPs to respect their constitutional responsibility, elect a president with integrity, and prioritize Lebanon’s interests; the implementation of economic reforms, particularly those recommended by the International Monetary Fund ; the implementation of judicial reform and the enforcement of the sovereignty of the law, in particular with regard to the investigation into the Beirut port explosion; the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as international agreements and other resolutions; and the readiness of the five countries to work with Lebanon to support the implementation of reform measures and the reiteration of their support for Lebanon”.
The Quintet, consisting of delegates from Egypt, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the US, convened on Monday, July 17, in Doha to discuss the urgent need for Lebanese leadership to expedite the presidential elections and implement the necessary economic reforms to fulfill their responsibilities toward the Lebanese.
Read more
Read more
Read more
