Bassil Lashes Out after Mashnouq Criticizes 'Erratic Foreign Policy'
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Sunday traded jabs over Lebanon's foreign policy, which the latter described as “erratic.”
“Those who don't like our independent foreign policy are the ones who are subservient to foreign forces and those who are not used to living without submission,” Bassil said.
“As for us, we live with our heads held high,” Bassil added.
Mashnouq had earlier in the day blasted Lebanon's foreign policy as “erratic,” warning that “the continuation of this political approach subjects solidarity among the government parties to real threats.”
“The shock, coercion and compulsion policy cannot continue,” Mashnouq added, noting that he differentiates between President Michel Aoun and the policies of the Foreign Ministry.
“The president has my full respect and appreciation and our relation is based on mutual frankness and clarity, while the policies of the Foreign Ministry are breaching the norms that govern the work of governments and the Cabinet's Policy Statement,” Mashnouq said.
He lamented that “the dissociation policy, which was one of the pillars of the presidential settlement, has suffered several blows in the latest period, such as the visits to Syria by a number of ministers and their participation in an international fair in Damascus as well as the New York meeting between Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Syrian FM Walid Muallem, which was not coordinated with the prime minister.”
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