Gemayel to al-Ahed News: All Sides must Accept Suleiman’s Call for Dialogue, New Electoral Law A Must

Fatima Salameh

The head of the Lebanese Phalange party Amin Gemayel congratulated the Lebanese over the Christmas holidays.

In an interview with al-Ahed news site, Gemayel urged all sides to meet President Michel Suleiman's invitation to the national dialogue table on the 7th of January and away from the arms issue.
He further hoped that the language of dialogue and understanding prevails between various forces, because "outside the framework of dialogue, there are no solutions, compromises, or covenant relations between the Lebanese."

"If we don't go to dialogue before the explosion, we will be forced to meet after it," Gemayel said, and wondered: "Is this what some people want?".
On the Syrian Crisis, the former President condemned any Lebanese intervention in the Syrian affairs as he warned that such acts mean playing with fire that is to harm Lebanon's independence.
Gemayel also went beyond the policy of "self-dissociation" describing the term as "indefinite".

"We are with adopting a policy of neutrality regarding Syria's developments," he declared, and pointed out that "although we hope that the regime is changed, we leave this decision to the Syrian people."
However, he noted that "we are no more dealing with a revolution in Syria but rather with a civil war."

In parallel, Gemayel stressed the need to demarcate, seize, and monitor the borders between Lebanon and Syria in order to stop the influx of refugees because Lebanon cannot embrace the displaced people who have fled their misery.
Regarding the electoral law, Gemayel reiterated the need to change the 1960's law as time passed on it and demographic changes have occurred.
"This electoral law does not provide good representation for various parties," he viewed, hoping that it would be changed to conduct elections on time.

However, Gemayel highlighted that the proportionality law as set by the current government proves the dominance of March 8 over March 14.

"This year will end and the next year might end. I do not know if we will manage to adopt a just electoral law that fulfills the dreams of our youths and the Lebanese in general,"Gemayel confirmed.

Furthermore, he denied that the electoral law problem is technical. "I have the impression that the problem lies on the kind of the new Lebanon that we seek. I much more concerned about this point rather than the electoral law."
In this context, he clarified if "we, as Lebanese, agree on the role and mission of Lebanon as well as on the covenant life, we would reach an agreement on a new electoral law as well as in all matters in less than 24 hours."

"We do not oppose any electoral law, but we want a law that gives the Christians 64 MPs and the same number for Muslims," Gemayed added, expressing the hope that a day will come on which we don't talk about Muslims and Christians, but of Lebanese citizens.

Moreover, he wished that Lebanon moves to be a united, sovereign, and independent country. "Lebanon must stick to positive neutrality to preserve it from the dangers looming on horizon 2013," the Phalange leader iterated, and stressed the importance of the adoption of the decentralization policy that would solve a lot of problems, especially on the security, social, and living conditions levels.

On the livelihood issues, Gemayel hoped that "the Lebanese state can meet the legitimate needs of the poor and workers."
"We hope that the state, the government, and the powers achieve the aspirations of the new generation because Lebanon is for them and for those who come after," he told al-Ahed news.
He also urged all sides to work for handing the coming generations a more safe and stable country than the one we had inherited. "Assassinations must end and the slogan of "Lebanon, the first and the end" must be raised by all sides," Gemayel said.

On the governmental level, the former President urged for the formation of a new government that is able to save the country and end all the existing disputes.
"The existence of the current government has become problematic. Even Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke about the possibility of his resignation to form a government that gives the Lebanese hope and limits divisions, " he stressed.

He concluded by saying: "I wish that every Muslim put in his faith a grain of Christina wheat, and that every Christian puts in his faith a Quranic verse."

Source: al-Ahed news, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org