Suleiman Accuses Syria of Sparking Diplomatic Spat with Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman considered that Syrian authorities were the first to spark the dispute on the complaints against Lebanon, considering that the memos sent to the United Nations and the Arab League on Syrian violations as constitutional.
“The constitution states that the president is in charge of maintaining the safety of citizens and Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” visitors quoted Suleiman as saying.
They told As Safir newspaper published on Friday that the president considered that Syrian authorities initiated the matter, accusing the Syrians of sending “memos of stronger contexts to the U.N.”
“I stressed on the importance of stability in Syria in my memos... I also pointed out at the violations committed by both the rebels and the regime forces against Lebanon,” Suleiman said.
He noted that Lebanese authorities at the beginning chose to “deal with the matter according to the norms that govern the relations of any two countries... But I was personally attacked and threatened.”
Suleiman said that he is only interested in “safeguarding Lebanon and its citizens,” denying accusations that he is defending the Syrian opposition.
“My duty obliges me to safeguard Lebanon from any danger... I had to send those memos and I didn't demand any measures to be taken,” he added.
On Wednesday, Hizbullah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a hint to Suleiman that “those who are keen on Lebanon should not be subject to the U.S. dictates under the excuse of defending constitutional institutions.”
Qassem also accused the president without naming him of “standing in the same trench of the American-Israeli project.”
Another March 8 figure, Baath Party MP Assem Qanso accused Suleiman of “high treason.”
The memos handed by the president to the U.N. and the Arab League deal with the violations and attacks carried out by all the warring parties in Syria.
Syrian regime troops have carried out attacks on Lebanese border areas, mainly air raids on the northeastern town of Arsal, which has become an escape route for rebels and people running away from the fighting in Syria.
There have also been several attacks from rebel-held areas of Syria on Hizbullah strongholds in recent months.
21 June 2013, 09:28
213
Another March 8 figure, Baath Party MP Assem Qanso accused Suleiman of “high treason.”.......... I do not know whether to laugh or to cry, or to curse or to just pray.
Considering the source of the accusation of treason, the President is now proven beyond any doubt that he is Patriotic Lebanese.
21 June 2013, 09:41
110
True...
since when is kanso qualified to talk about the treachery of others,him being the master of it.
khalli yrouh yhott el laffe aala rasso w yer3a me3zeh!!!!
22 June 2013, 18:05
01
MP Assem Qanso is not a Baathist. He is an assadist. The real Baath party who remained loyal to the legal national leadership of the party headed by Michel Aflaq was hunted down by Syrian and Iranian intelligence service and destroyed. Its leader in Lebanon, n Sunni MP from Tripoli, Abdel Majid al-Rafei, told reporters that "the presence of Syrian troops on Lebanese territory is a contravention of the Arab league charter" and that "since 1976, the Syrian regime has not only interfered [in Lebanon], but also massacred and destroyed cities." Within 24 hours, Syrian forces had arrested around 200 of his followers in and around Tripoli. [Lebanon Central News Agency, 9 October 1989]
21 June 2013, 09:53
18
hizbushaitan launched a campaign against the president for being .... Lebanese.
you see, hizbushaitan is Iranian/Syrian by nature, so how does the president dare to defend Lebanon?
these are thugs and they need to be stopped in their foolishness.
21 June 2013, 09:42
25
Alla ye7mik weyawik betmanna men fakhamtak dirbelak 3ala 7alak lianno yali bidir belo 3alwatan fikhawef 3ala 7ayeto wanna bektere7 ested3a2 le7tiyat 3algedme lianno lwatan bi 7ajeton walmowatnin bi7aji la lamen wal aman alla wel3adra ye7mok wa ye7mo lwatan
21 June 2013, 10:14
26
karim
you are the gutless coward and attacking the president of Lebanon for being Lebanese by someone like you, an Iranian thug, is not acceptable.
go back to iran you filthy traitor.
21 June 2013, 10:17
81
Geha, an Al Qaeda sympathizing Saudi thug like you has no moral right to lecture others on their Lebanese-ness. Go back to Saudi Arabia where your ancestors came from.
21 June 2013, 10:36
25
Full of BS
you pertinently know I hate al Qaeda, which shows how empty your comment is :)
21 June 2013, 12:57
51
If you support FSA-Al Qaeda, that makes you, um, an Al Qaeda sympathizer. Is that difficult to understand?
21 June 2013, 20:56
16
Karim, it's amazing how stupid you Aouni, Hezbollah supporters can be. Your brains are Binary meaning you can only understand 2 alternatives.
If you're anti-Aoun or anti-Nassrallah or anti-Iran, that doesn't make you Pro-Geagea, Pro Hariri or Pro Saudi / US.
Being anti Hezbollah means you strongly believe that there is no way in hell a Lebanese state can co-exist with an armed, terrorist organisation. It means that you are a true Lebanese patriot. If the US and Saudi share the same beliefs, then good for them and better for us.
Hezbollah has never done anything in the interest of this country and I challenge you to prove otherwise.
21 June 2013, 10:38
27
Karim: your IGNORANCE is beyond repair! Our President and the people like him are a horn in your paw and those like you. We'll make your path a living hell if we have to. Our ancestors always were a wall separating you from our beloved country and so shall we be with God and his Holy Grace on our side! I always try to be polite but in this case I ask for all to forgive me. Karim you are the filth of this country. You are a spec of dust in the trash pile that people like you created!
21 June 2013, 10:41
26
You and those like you are pathetic. You're no more Lebanese than your handlers in the Iranian dictatorship. Go and climb back into the disgusting hole that you came out of, you worthless piece of satanic trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
21 June 2013, 15:09
02
Mr. President Michel Suleiman is the symbol for all of Lebanon...Political disagreements are understandable but we should all unite around our president in time of crisis...
21 June 2013, 15:25
13
Wow, I really feel bad for lebanon. Which kind of country accuses its own president of being traitor for defending his country against a foreigner?
21 June 2013, 17:48
02
Division will lead nowhere. We should stop these byzantine discussions about origins and conspiracies... our leaders are all air-headed losers except one guy: our president.
There was a very inspiring interview on MTV with Ghassan Salame - every lebanese should watch it . If only our politicians can think straight like this guy!
http://mtv.com.lb/Bi_Mawdouiyeh/Ghassan_Salameh_17_Jun_2013
22 June 2013, 02:10
02
result: a missile on baabda to warn the president of being careful.... thx hezbis !
22 June 2013, 19:27
01
Josh - This is not Syria. Our presidents do not win all the time and with 99% of the vote. They are only allowed one term (except when your criminal regime forced to extend to Lahoud. We are allowed to disagree with the president and say if we think he is not doing a good job.
