Govt. Statement Keeps Same 'Resistance' Clause, Welcomes Russia's Refugee Initiative
A ministerial panel drafting the new government's Policy Statement on Tuesday finalized the draft and will hold a “final reading session” on Wednesday, Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah said.
Wednesday's session will witness “some amendments and omissions,” Jarrah said after the meeting.
As for the clause on “resistance” against Israel, the minister said the new statement will keep the same wording that was endorsed in the previous government's policy statement.
“As for the Russian initiative, it is currently the only available one to deal with the issue of Syrian refugees,” Jarrah added.
Asked whether Lebanon will still “dissociate itself” from the regional events, the minister said: “Certainly, seeing as this policy spares Lebanon all the threats in the region.”
“We are not the ones to decide on the relation with Syria because it was the Arab League that suspended Syria's membership in it, and therefore the decision does not belong to Lebanon but rather to the League. We as a state are committed to dissociating ourselves from the region's events,” Jarrah added.
Asked whether there were reservations during the meeting, Jarrah said: “There were some reservations and the discussions over them should be finalized tomorrow.”
The reservations are “minor and unessential and we hope they will be resolved tomrrow,” the minister added.
MTV meanwhile reported that an agreement was reached on abolishing the ministry of internally displaced people within two years as the information minister demanded the abolishment of the information ministry and replacing it with a national media committee.
According to the TV network, the clause on Syrian refugees will not mention the phrase “voluntary return.”
“The only solution is the safe return of the displaced to their country and the rejection of any form of integrating them or naturalizing them within the hosting societies,” MTV quoted the clause as saying.
The clause also says that the government “welcomes the Russian initiative for the return of the refugees to their country.”
Source: Naharnet
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