Suleiman: Responsibility for ending crisis rests on our shoulders

Share:

During a speech addressing Arab and foreign diplomats at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urged rival Lebanese  politicians  Monday to cooperate in order to resolve the country’s deepening political crisis.

Suleiman stressed that there is still a chance for a settlement despite the current tensions over the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) , probing the 2005 killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Suleiman also  stressed that despite his appreciation for the mediation by the Arab leaders , the primary responsibility to solve the political crisis rests on the the shoulders of   the Lebanese.

“Despite our appreciation for Arab leaders on their initiative… the primary responsibility to find the appropriate political solution rests  on our shoulders as Lebanese … to bring about the appropriate political solutions through institutions and honest and creative dialogue” Suleiman told the diplomats.

“We still have the opportunity despite the current polarization to prove our ability to manage our own affairs by ourselves and take bold and wise choices that would lead us again to the paths of stability, justice, growth and economic and social development,” he added

His speech came hours after he decided to postpone for one week the parliamentary consultations for nominating a new prime minister to lead the new cabinet.

The two-day consultations were scheduled to begin Monday

Suleiman angers March 14

Suleiman’s decision to postpone parliamentary deliberations angered  the March 14 majority coalition.

Earlier on Monday it was reported that  caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri was against postponing parliamentary consultations .

Future TV quoted on Monday an unnamed source as saying that postponing the parliamentary consultations to nominate a new premier served the interest of Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition.

The postponement was reportedly requested by the March 8 coalition.

The Phalange party, a key member of March 14 alliance  labeled the postponement as “inappropriate because it is difficult to tamper with constitutional events.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, another key member of March 14 alliance  expressed his regret over the delay in consultations and “going back on official dates under pressure, threats, and external interference aimed at pushing caretaker Prime Minister Hariri to accept in advance what he previously rejected.”

“The reasons for delaying the deliberations are very clear and easy. After it became clear that … Hariri will be re-nominated, extensive pressures were exerted from inside and outside to prevent the nomination of Hariri. They are disrupting the democratic game to achieve their goals,” Geagea said after chairing a meeting for the L.F. parliamentary bloc at his residence in Maarab.

Ya Libnan correspondent reported that the opposition is still trying to pressure MP Walid Jumblatt who has the decisive vote to switch allegiance.

Parliamentary arithmetic

Hariri’s “March 14″ coalition won a majority in the 128-seat assembly in a 2009 election, but Jumblatt who was a central figure in the Cedar Revolution has since defected.

Current parliament makeup

March 14 – 71 members

March 8 – 57 members

If Jumblatt switches his 11 members to March 8 then March 14 will end up with 60 members and March 8 will end up with 68 members

But according to local reports Jumblatt was unable to convince the members of his bloc to switch despite the pressure by Hezbollah and Syria

At best Jumblatt can switch himself and 5 other members, according to local observers…. in this case:

March 14 will end up with 65 members ( 71-6)

March 8 will end up with 63 members ( 57 +6)

In such a scenario Hariri will be renominated to lead the new cabinet

According to local reports March 8 parties would nominate former Prime Minister Omar Karami.

Share:

Comments

3 responses to “Suleiman: Responsibility for ending crisis rests on our shoulders”

  1. I am sorry to say we don’t need any more any military person in the presidency ,Suleiman is playing the music of Syria and Hizbollah and Iran ,it really didn’t make any sense today to postpone the consultation to chose a PM other than showing a weakness . He’s reflecting a weak government instead of showing that he have balls and can lead instead being lead by others. Lahoud was 0 at thel eft as we say in Arabic , and this one is the same. How we can trust this president if Hizbollah take the street, is he going to agree too ? and help them out by doing nothing . I am not sure what he’s afraid of what ?, I hope he’s afraid for the peace, but I have a feeling that he’s shrewd person and playing games , I think his minister resigned by his consent to please Hizbollah . We have to remember that he used Nhar el Bared victory to secure his presidency and he struck a deal with the Syrian , also he never found the killers of Francois el Haj as he promised his mother, can’t help to say that I never liked any military who want to be politician,very rarely it workout ,Fouad Chehab was good in doing some reforms , but he’s alos was engaed in dirty politics and intelligence. The Lebanese Intelligence or 2 eme bureau, used the Cairo agreement to please the moslem in order to come back to presidency in 1970 but failed when Joumblat voted for Frangie and screw them up.
    Militiray belongs in barracks and on the border.By the end if the Lebanese army was capable and not split by religion , if it was secular like the Turkish army , we will not b in this situation now. But since 1943 the Lebanese army didn’t protect neither from Israel ,Syria , PlO, the various militias , just in May 7 2008 the Lebanese army sitting at the Future TV to protect it, watched the Hizbollah gangs go up and bur the TV station, and Soleiman was the head of the army , didn’t even try to defend private peoperties invaded in west Beirut when they were attacked by the Shiiye mobs from Amal and Hezbollah or whatever their name is . Do we have a president after the Cedar revoulution who can defend the people , the constitution and the flag, or we have someone passing his six years to say that I was president and wasting his time visiting Brazil, the UN etc…. with no value added at all. What he did so far ? no big bng at all !!!! all what the people do is listen to the loud uncivilised Shiite gang laeder Nasrallah and see where the country is going.
    I really weep for this presidency , the Maronite highest seat became a joke , thanks to Lahoud and the mother of all traitor to the nation the despicable Aoun !!! and now we have weak president that is going to do NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

  2. I am sorry to say we don’t need any more any military person in the presidency ,Suleiman is playing the music of Syria and Hizbollah and Iran ,it really didn’t make any sense today to postpone the consultation to chose a PM other than showing a weakness . He’s reflecting a weak government instead of showing that he have balls and can lead instead being lead by others. Lahoud was 0 at thel eft as we say in Arabic , and this one is the same. How we can trust this president if Hizbollah take the street, is he going to agree too ? and help them out by doing nothing . I am not sure what he’s afraid of what ?, I hope he’s afraid for the peace, but I have a feeling that he’s shrewd person and playing games , I think his minister resigned by his consent to please Hizbollah . We have to remember that he used Nhar el Bared victory to secure his presidency and he struck a deal with the Syrian , also he never found the killers of Francois el Haj as he promised his mother, can’t help to say that I never liked any military who want to be politician,very rarely it workout ,Fouad Chehab was good in doing some reforms , but he’s alos was engaed in dirty politics and intelligence. The Lebanese Intelligence or 2 eme bureau, used the Cairo agreement to please the moslem in order to come back to presidency in 1970 but failed when Joumblat voted for Frangie and screw them up.
    Militiray belongs in barracks and on the border.By the end if the Lebanese army was capable and not split by religion , if it was secular like the Turkish army , we will not b in this situation now. But since 1943 the Lebanese army didn’t protect neither from Israel ,Syria , PlO, the various militias , just in May 7 2008 the Lebanese army sitting at the Future TV to protect it, watched the Hizbollah gangs go up and bur the TV station, and Soleiman was the head of the army , didn’t even try to defend private peoperties invaded in west Beirut when they were attacked by the Shiiye mobs from Amal and Hezbollah or whatever their name is . Do we have a president after the Cedar revoulution who can defend the people , the constitution and the flag, or we have someone passing his six years to say that I was president and wasting his time visiting Brazil, the UN etc…. with no value added at all. What he did so far ? no big bng at all !!!! all what the people do is listen to the loud uncivilised Shiite gang laeder Nasrallah and see where the country is going.
    I really weep for this presidency , the Maronite highest seat became a joke , thanks to Lahoud and the mother of all traitor to the nation the despicable Aoun !!! and now we have weak president that is going to do NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

  3. I am sorry to say we don’t need any more any military person in the presidency ,Suleiman is playing the music of Syria and Hizbollah and Iran ,it really didn’t make any sense today to postpone the consultation to chose a PM other than showing a weakness . He’s reflecting a weak government instead of showing that he have balls and can lead instead being lead by others. Lahoud was 0 at thel eft as we say in Arabic , and this one is the same. How we can trust this president if Hizbollah take the street, is he going to agree too ? and help them out by doing nothing . I am not sure what he’s afraid of what ?, I hope he’s afraid for the peace, but I have a feeling that he’s shrewd person and playing games , I think his minister resigned by his consent to please Hizbollah . We have to remember that he used Nhar el Bared victory to secure his presidency and he struck a deal with the Syrian , also he never found the killers of Francois el Haj as he promised his mother, can’t help to say that I never liked any military who want to be politician,very rarely it workout ,Fouad Chehab was good in doing some reforms , but he’s alos was engaed in dirty politics and intelligence. The Lebanese Intelligence or 2 eme bureau, used the Cairo agreement to please the moslem in order to come back to presidency in 1970 but failed when Joumblat voted for Frangie and screw them up.
    Militiray belongs in barracks and on the border.By the end if the Lebanese army was capable and not split by religion , if it was secular like the Turkish army , we will not b in this situation now. But since 1943 the Lebanese army didn’t protect neither from Israel ,Syria , PlO, the various militias , just in May 7 2008 the Lebanese army sitting at the Future TV to protect it, watched the Hizbollah gangs go up and bur the TV station, and Soleiman was the head of the army , didn’t even try to defend private peoperties invaded in west Beirut when they were attacked by the Shiiye mobs from Amal and Hezbollah or whatever their name is . Do we have a president after the Cedar revoulution who can defend the people , the constitution and the flag, or we have someone passing his six years to say that I was president and wasting his time visiting Brazil, the UN etc…. with no value added at all. What he did so far ? no big bng at all !!!! all what the people do is listen to the loud uncivilised Shiite gang laeder Nasrallah and see where the country is going.
    I really weep for this presidency , the Maronite highest seat became a joke , thanks to Lahoud and the mother of all traitor to the nation the despicable Aoun !!! and now we have weak president that is going to do NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

Leave a Reply