Salam Condemns 'Harming' Relations with Bahrain as Rifi Urges Govt. To Apologize
Prime Minister Tammam Salam on Saturday announced that remarks coming from “any political party” regarding Bahrain or any other country do not reflect the official stances of the Lebanese government even if the party is a part of it, as Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi urged the government to apologize.
Salam said in a statement that he is “keen on the brotherly relations between Lebanon and the Kingdom of Bahrain,” stressing that “remarks coming from any political party regarding Bahrain do not reflect the official Lebanese government stances.”
On January 9, Hizbullah chief Sayed Hassan Nasrallah alleged the presence of a “Zionist-like naturalization scheme” in Bahrain.
His statement was met by broad Arab dismay, with the Gulf Cooperation Council announcing the remarks contained “an incitement to violence and discord.”
Salam explained in the statement that “the political diversity in Lebanon allows differences in the stances regarding national and international issues, but this must not justify harming the Lebanese interests or relations with any of our brotherly or friendly countries.”
"The official Lebanese stances on the Arab and international issues are announced by the government and its spokesman, the prime minister, not by any political party even, if it was a part of the government,” he added.
He also stated that “Lebanon which suffered a lot from interference in its affairs is keen not to interfere in any country's affairs, especially if it is an Arab country like Bahrain.”
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Rifi stressed that “Hizbullah's remarks require an apology from the Lebanese government to Bahrain.”
He also declared that he will talk "about this issue in cabinet,” condemning how Hizbullah “allowed itself to announce such remarks like it is the one that controls our fate”.
"As a Lebanese citizen I apologize to Bahrain, and I hope that Hizbullah's stances will not affect the relations between Lebanon and Bahrain,” he added.
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