During an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio station Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday Lebanon’s decision to abstain from voting on the UN Security Council presidential statement condemning the brutal crackdown in Syria.
“We, as Lebanese, not proud of Lebanon’s position in the UN Security Council, when it disassociated itself from the presidential statement condemning Syria,” Geagea said
Geagea also said that “when we notice that 14 member nations out of 15 voted for the statement, this means that there is something abnormal about Lebanon’s stance], especially that countries like Russia, Brazil, China, India and South Africa voted for the document .”
“Doesn’t Lebanon’s stance put it outside the international community?” Geagea asked, adding that “this step made Lebanon appear like a tiny celestial body in the orbit of the Syrian regime.”
He added that the “ Lebanese cabinet’s standpoint on Syria is heinous.”
Geagea defended the UN Security Council presidential statement and stressed that it does not constitute an intervention in Syrian internal affairs.
“ The statement comes within the framework of the international responsibility to limit crimes against humanity and against the United Nations’ principles,” adding that “such crimes threaten the security of countries neighboring Syria.”
“Whatever affects Lebanon, affects Syria, whatever affects Syria will also affect Lebanon,” Lebanon’s deputy ambassador Caroline Ziade told the the UN Security council yesterday .
“Since Lebanon believes that the statement being discussed today does not help address the current situation in Syria, Lebanon therefore disassociates itself from this presidential statement,” she added.
Geagea also commented on the attack against the anti-Syrian regime rally held in Hamra, Beirut and said that “whenever a small fight erupts, we notice that security forces immediately mobilize, but in events similar to the Hamra one, which involve Hezbollah or Syria, the state does not intervene.”
Dozens of Assad supporters attacked a small rally held in the Beirut neighborhood of Hamra on Tuesday, leaving at least five injured.
Other March 14 leaders and religious officials criticized Lebanon stance at the UN . March 14 MP Ziad al-Qadiri said in a statement released on Thursday that Lebanon’s decision to abstain from voting on the UN Security Council presidential statement pertaining to the Syrian crisis “is shameful and brings harm to Lebanon’s reputation and relations with the international community.”
Mt Lebanon Mufti Mohammad Ali Jouzu also criticized Lebanon’s position at the UN security council regarding the condemnation of the the brutal crackdown by saying : “Lebanon does not dare to condemn the crackdown because it has itself been the victim of the crackdown since 36 years or since the days of tutelage till now” stressing” that the Lebanese people reject dictatorships of all kinds”.
He added that the Lebanese Foreign minister should represent the will of the Lebanese people, a possible reference to Syria’s influence over Hezbollah which controls the Lebanese cabinet decisions
Jouzu also criticized the position of China at the security council and warned that this could lead to boycott of Chinese products by the Arab countries
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