Policy Statement Panel Fails Anew to Reach Consensus as March 14 Says Positive but 'Not at State Expense'

The committee drafting the ministerial policy statement on Friday failed again to reach an agreement on the clause related to resisting Israel as the March 14 forces insisted on “the state's authority over everything.”

“We still have disagreements over some points, including the resistance topic and some other points related to sovereignty,” Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi, the Phalange Party's representative in the panel, announced after the meeting at the Grand Serail.

“We're positive in dealing with all issues and we want the cabinet to start its work, especially that the president will head to Paris to take part in the meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon,” Qazzi added.

“We are positive but not at the expense of the principles according to which we took part in cabinet, which involve the state's authority over all decisions taken on Lebanese territory, whether at the political, strategic or military level,” the minister went on to say.

He noted that the panel has not reached a final agreement but was not also before a dead end.

Asked about a meeting held by March 14 ministers and Health Minister Wael Abou Faour at the telecom ministry building prior to the meeting, Qazzi said: “Ahead of every session, we meet together, not only as March 14 ministers, but also with all the ministers who are inside and outside the panel. These meetings are positive and are not aimed at obstructing the sessions."

Earlier, MTV reported that Qazzi, Abou Faour, Telecom Minister Butros Harb and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq had held a meeting ahead of the session.

"The main obstacle is revolving around defining the relation between the state and the resistance," said Qazzi.

"I'm willing to offer concessions on issues that are maybe related to March 14, but we're not willing to offer concessions over matters related to the Lebanese state. This is about the state's role and it is not a textual dispute," he stressed.

Also speaking after the session, the panel's spokesman Abou Faour said "there are issues that are still under discussion but things have not reached a dead end."

"Political talks will be held inside and outside the panel and I hope we will be able to reach an agreement that leads to endorsing the policy statement during the next session," he said, noting that the National Struggle Front led by MP Walid Jumblat is not the only party that is exerting efforts.

"A large number of formulas were discussed but none enjoyed consensus," Abou Faour revealed.

"The positive thing in discussions is Lebanon's right to resist Israel and preserve its fortunes but the debate is revolving around the state's role in resistance," he said.

Abou Faour added: "A concise policy statement would have been better but no agreement was reached over this proposal and despite all this, all political forces are feeling the pressure of the public opinion regarding the need to endorse it."

Meanwhile, Hizbullah's al-Manar television quoted Abou Faour as saying that he has “sensed a real step backwards in the stance of the March 14 forces on the policy statement.”

“Away from cameras, Abou Faour said he is pessimistic and he called (former premier) MP Saad Hariri after the meeting,” al-Manar said, noting that Abou Faour's meeting with ex-PM Fouad Saniora “failed to reach any solution.”

The committee's meeting is the seventh since Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet was formed two weeks ago.

Salam has announced that his government's mission is combating terrorism and preparing for the upcoming presidential election.