In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, PM Nawaf Salam blasted the remarks made by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem by saying
They carry a veiled threat of civil war, and intimidation “,
“These threats are are completely unacceptable”, No one in Lebanon today wants civil war”, and the threats and intimidation of it are completely unacceptable.”
Salam: We have requested the surrender of weapons to the army, whose patriotism we refuse to question. We are wary of irresponsible actions that encourage strife
He said, “The talk that the Lebanese government is implementing an American-Israeli project is false… Our decisions are purely Lebanese, made in Lebanon by our Council of Ministers, and no one dictates them to us.”
Salam said, “Qassem is talking about the exclusivity of arms as if it were a new issue. The exclusivity of arms to the state has been an issue that has been on the table since the Taif Agreement, which Sheikh Naim is now reminding us of, along with its charter. Yes, the exclusivity of arms to the state is a fundamental charter issue. We all agreed in Taif to extend the authority of the Lebanese state, with its own forces, over all its territory. We have been delayed for years and years in this regard.” He stressed that “no party in Lebanon is authorized to bear arms outside the Lebanese state.”
He stated that “no one has requested that Hezbollah’s weapons be handed over to the Israeli enemy, as some are promoting, but rather to the Lebanese Army, whose patriotism we refuse to question.” He added, “Beware of irresponsible actions that encourage strife.”