Hariri: Where is Lebanon headed to?

Following his meeting with president Michel Suleiman at the Baabda palace Catertaker PM Saad Hariri told reporters:

“I discussed with President Michel Suleiman the result of the Syrian-Saudi efforts to resolve the political impasse in Lebanon and the decision of some ministers to resign from the government. “

He added :”I also briefed informed Suleiman on the talks I held in the US, France and Turkey. These talks were aimed at finding a solution for the current crisis.”

Hariri said in reference to the resignation of the minsters of Hezbollah-led coalition:

“Some may have found the opportunity to change the rules of the game …The question is Where is Lebanon headed to?

He added: “The decision to resign is a democratic right, but this decision is an unprecedented development in the history of Lebanon’s governments. We fear that it would stand as an example of the Lebanese’s failure to form a national unity government.”

He praised the Saudi Syrian failed efforts and said:

Syrian-Saudi efforts played a central role in maintaining a political truce in Lebanon in the past months. They produced results similar to those achieved in the Baabda Presidential Palace between Suleiman, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz . The efforts produced a suitable atmosphere to clarify a group of ideas that are crucial for resolving the repercussions related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s work and pending indictment.

He added: “The pledges we made about this issue are clear, especially to the Saudi king… We said from the very beginning that we are ready for an initiative to prevent strife. But any initiative we take must be met with practical steps. Some of these steps are related to the dialogue’s decisions. Another part is strengthening state institutions and authority.”

He added: “Unfortunately, some people’s] main objective was to make us offer national and personal sacrifices without any benefits for Lebanon and the state. Our brothers’ efforts hit a dead end and a real opportunity that serves Lebanon and its people was lost.”

He concluded his comments by regretting the failure of the SS effors:

“We are very sorry that the Syrian-Saudi efforts reached a dead end. Any effort must follow the example of the Saudi king’s good will in working with Syrian President Bashar al- Assad to help Lebanon. This effort was the result of the Saudi king’s historical stance that stands by Lebanon and encourages everyone to be united, reconcile and resort to dialogue. Now Lebanon

He added : It is my duty to list to you a number of facts. The Saudi-Syrian efforts resulted in a number of central ideas to tackle the repercussions of the STL.

The initiative should coincide with steps required by dialogue bolstering the state’s authority.

He stressed : Any effort to end the crisis should take place with the support of Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Commenting on the resignation of the minsters of Hezbollah-led coalition he said

“The decision to resign is a democratic right, but this decision is an unprecedented development in the history of Lebanon’s governments. We fear that it would stand as an example of the Lebanese’s failure to form a national unity government.”

-Syrian-Saudi efforts played a central role in [maintaining] a political truce in Lebanon in the past months. They produced [results] similar to those [achieved] in the Baabda Presidential Palace between Sleiman, Syrian President [Bashar al-Assad] and Saudi King [Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz]. [The efforts] produced a suitable atmosphere to [clarify] a group of ideas that are crucial for [resolving] the repercussions related to the [Special] Tribunal [for Lebanon’s] work and pending indictment.

-The pledges we made about this issue are clear, especially to the Saudi king… We said from the very beginning that we are ready for an initiative to prevent strife. But any initiative we do must be [met] with practical steps. Some of [these steps] are [related] to the dialogue’s decisions. Another part is strengthening state institutions and authority.

Unfortunately, some people’s main objective was to make us offer national and personal sacrifices without any benefits for Lebanon and the state. [Our] brothers’ efforts hit a dead end and a real opportunity that serves Lebanon and [its people] was lost.

He added: “We are very sorry the Syrian-Saudi efforts reached a dead end. Any effort must follow the example of the Saudi king’s good will in working with Syrian President Bashar al- Assad to help Lebanon. This effort was the result of the Saudi king’s historical stance that stands by Lebanon and encourages everyone to be united, reconcile and resort to dialogue.”

” Lebanon needs the efforts of all its sons. There is no alternative to dialogue” he concluded. Now Lebanon