Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opened the session at 6 p.m., expressing hope that the rival March 14 and March 8 blocs would join efforts to achieve
Berri then asked Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to read the draft ministerial statement before Parliament.
MPs Walid Jumblatt, Mohammad Raad, Saad Hariri, Talal Arslan, Michel Pharon, Henry Helou and Bassem al-Shab were recorded absent.
Siniora read out most of the draft statement, which was approved by the Cabinet on Monday, but skimmed over the latter portions in a bid to save time, thus allowing lawmakers to start delivering their scheduled speeches.
After reading the statement, Siniora said that the government was about to face many challenges in the near future. "We have to reunite the people and win their trust in order to face future challenges," he said.
The prime minister also stressed the need to ensure the security of all Lebanese citizens.
"Lebanese people need security … they cannot afford more risks, nor can they tolerate internal strife," he said before leaving the floor to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.
Aoun started his speech by stressing the need to maintain more than one form of defense against "continuous" Israeli threats. "The Lebanese army is about classical warfare, while the resistance is about guerrilla warfare … both could be forms of defense, but one form cannot replace the other," he said.
Aoun voiced his reservation on paragraph 24 of the draft statement, which recognizes "the right of
Aoun criticized the division of
The retired general also complained about the use of the word "reclaim" in paragraph 24 when speaking about
"The proper word to be used is "liberate and not reclaim," Aoun said, adding that
"Putting the land under UN custody will solve part of but not the entire problem … therefore, we should demand that the Shebaa Farms be put only under Lebanese sovereignty."
Aoun moved on to address the issue of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, calling on all international and Arab parties to shoulder their responsibilities toward the Palestinians.
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"The Palestinians were forced to leave their land as a result
"The
Speaking after Aoun, Deputy Speaker Farid Makari criticized "some parties possession of arms," hinting at Hizbullah without directly referring to it.
"Although the draft statement stresses the role and authority of the state, I believe that the Lebanese people deserve a clearer ministerial statement that leaves no space for different interpretations," he said.
Makari praised the draft statement for addressing the issues of missing Lebanese in Syrian jails and the fate of Palestinian refugees in
As for the Palestinians, the statement reiterated
Earlier on Friday, Siniora met with President Michel Sleiman at the Presidential Palace in Baabda. The two leaders reportedly discussed the new government’s policy statement ahead of the president’s scheduled visit to
Sleiman is scheduled to visit
Parliament has not held regular sessions since October 2006. However, it last met on May 25 for the purpose of electing a new president.
Source: daily star
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