Miqati Extends Hand to Opposition but Insists on Cabinet's Productivity
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister Najib Miqati said he kicks off a three-day visit to Paris on Monday with a hand extended to the Lebanese March 14 opposition coalition.
“I go to Paris with a hand extended to the Lebanese and mainly the opposition,” Miqati told An Nahar daily on the eve of his official visit to France.
“But pending a joint solution, the government will continue to be productive” and exert efforts to achieve “political and security stability in the country and openness to the international community,” he said.
The March 14 coalition called on Miqati's cabinet to resign after it blamed it for the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Wissam al-Hasan in a car bomb explosion in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district.
Miqati told An Nahar that Lebanon's decision to steer itself clear of the Syrian crisis would be the main focus of his discussions with French officials and mainly President Francois Hollande on Wednesday.
He said he will urge the officials to back Lebanon's decision.
Miqati also said that several economic, media and cultural agreements will be signed between the two sides.
According to An Nahar, Paris-3 French assistance is not on the agenda of the talks but Energy Minister Jebran Bassil will join Miqati and the accompanying delegation on Wednesday to discuss French aid to the electricity sector.
The PM and the delegation are scheduled to return to Beirut on Wednesday to take part in the Independence Day ceremony the next day.
18 November 2012, 07:58
68
Nobody elected him, who is he to give us more opportunities to follow his lead?
This is how it should be. There should be a list of candidates (christians for presidency, sunni for the premiership, etc... ) and we should directly vote for who we want to be elected.
Why can't we vote for Moslem if we're christian and vice-versa.
18 November 2012, 20:54
14
"FPM has so far demonstrated it's the only secular political power in lebanon,"
did we see aoun fight for the abolishment of religious privileges? fight for civil marriage? fight for the divorce of maronites couples?fight for one law for all and not different laws according to the religions? fight for a law forbidding religious figures to meddle in politics? fight for a cabinet where ministers are there according to their capacities and not religion? did he do that for the last cabinet? NO!
he may have fought against berry but we know that berry doesn t get on well with aoun s new pimp the hezbis! he defended more hezbis than secularism!
so let us laugh at your silly comment!!!!
let us all laugh at this good propagandist joke.... secular power? LOL!
keep on FT, you re as funny as your claoun
18 November 2012, 10:18
72
Hollande wants to return France to its' imperial greatness (He brags about it) and he will do so over the dead bodies of as many as it takes in Libya, Syria and Lebanon.
Christians should take note of how Christians have fared in Iraq, how they are faring in Syria and now Egypt. The only hope is peace otherwise the ethnic cleansing will hit Lebanon too.
Hariri and Geagea are but agents for foreign powers. They are selling Lebanon's future for their own power. Geagea has no trouble watching the bloodshed of Christians. He should still be serving life in prison for shedding Christian blood.
18 November 2012, 11:05
13
mmckinl (part 2). In Lebanon, the issue is chiite-sunnite. Christians have nothing to do with this. Let sunnites and chiites work out their middle ages issues, choose the bearded man of their choice. Moslems are courting the christians to come to their side, not ethnic cleansing htem. Plus the lebanese moslems silent majority (especially the beirutis) being the most advanced in the region, would beg to have christians by their side rather than Assir or Nasrallah types. If that was not the case, christians would have taken their region (they are grouped in one region, remember), armed themselves, and separated.
18 November 2012, 11:14
41
It is not the situation between Lebanese I speak of. It is the situation that foreign powers are imposing on Lebanon through the agency of Hariri and Geagea.
There is a compromise to be made. It is being forestalled because of the Saudi-Zionist vendetta against Hezbollah. This is all about Iran. First they destabilized Syria then they bought off Hamas.
This entire situation was conjured by the neoconservatives in the US more than 5 years ago. First take out all of Iran's allies in MENA and then go after Iran itself. Iran knows this which is why they are offering Lebanon deals.
18 November 2012, 17:50
14
But Mr. Nasrallah is a firm believer in secular statehood for Lebanon and is a staunch Lebanese who abhores any foriegn arming of particular sects/groups. He opposes of any groups takeover of operations in airports or seaports and believes that arms should be confined to the state. Feel safe you Christians, minorities and all patriotic and moderate Lebanese of all religions, for the savior Nasrallah is here for you.
No to Nasrallah, No to Salafists and YES to LEBANON where Liberty and justice prevails for all its citizens.
18 November 2012, 20:58
03
funny how easily people are nobodies in FT mouth; as long as they are not hezbis or FPM they are all nobodies!
typical binary view from an M8 supporter... M8 criticizes bush who classified the world in two, but they do the exact same thing.
so easily predictable... sign of pathological ignorance or populist vision of the world easily accessible to brainless people...
i am therefore proud of being a nobody at least i am free!
18 November 2012, 11:04
13
mmckinl -Agree abt hariri and geagea. But also same can be said about nasrallah and iran.
Re- ethnic cleansing? BULLSHIT. first christian and moslems are the same ethnicity, so it is religious cleansing, not ethnic.
Second, In Irak, christians left because they were given better opportunities. Sunnites would have left if they were given the same opportunities.
As the christians in Lebanon, they are divided between "chiite christians" and "sunnite christians". They are not the issue. The sunni chiite strife is the issue. Let the sunnite and the chiite work
In Syria, most of the killed are sunnites, not christians. Christians are bystanders in the fight.
And in Egypt, you have 10% of the population (copts) who are controlling 30% of the economy, and despite that, the hardline moslem brotherhood is head over heels to try to please them and to prove that to the world.
18 November 2012, 11:20
41
"In Irak, christians left because they were given better opportunities."
You really need to take another look at why the Christians are fleeing from Iraq.
"In Syria, most of the killed are sunnites, not christians. Christians are bystanders in the fight."
Only because Sunnis are the majority in Syria. Why do we see al Qaeda in Syria? Because as yiu say this is between salafists and moderate sunnis.
"And in Egypt, you have 10% of the population (copts) who are controlling 30% of the economy,"
Dead Wrong. The Coptics are a poor minority. It is the Military that controls the wealth in Egypt. The military owns the utilities, farms and manufacturing ...
18 November 2012, 16:28
20
Miqati is by far and away the best man in Lebanon to be Prime Minister at this time. He has already accomplished more than Harari and in a much more transparent manner than previous Lebanese governments. Clearly ,trying to shield Lebanon for further involvement in the Syrian fiasco is the correct decision. He has dealt with tough problems wisely. March 14 should show the same appreciation as Jumblatt who sees no better alternative. mmckini the Christians in Lebanon are in a more secure position than in Iraq. the Syrian situation is still evolving. Hollande is worthless and already a failure. He is sucking up to the United States and Finance because France will face austerity problems next year and he will need support. You are right about Geagea? March 14, the USA and Harari should be judged harshly for their association with this man.
18 November 2012, 20:14
11
Hey someone who writes for Naharnet read this
http://mmajunkie.com/news/31673/ufc-154-results-john-makdessivs-sam-stout.mma
John Makdassi was raised in Lebanon. He is my cousin and is an impressive fighter. You should ackowledge his fight.
