MP Raad: Resistance arms out of discussion in Doha
Source: Al-Manar, 18-05-2008
Another round of talks among Lebanese feuding leaders is set to take place on Sunday in the framework of Lebanese national dialogue in Qatar, amid increasing hopes of reaching agreement on the government of national unity and the electoral law, opening the way to elect a new president and resolve the ongoing crisis.
The conferees agreed on Saturday to form a six-member committee to discuss the electoral law. According to sources close to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the committee, which held three meetings on Saturday, basically agreed on adopting the kadaa' as constituency and dividing Beirut into three constituencies, but differences remained on details. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, expected to reach an agreement on both the government and the electoral law within the next 48 hours.
However, there was still disparity in dealing with the electoral law between the national opposition and the ruling bloc. The head of Hizbullah's delegation to Doha MP Mohamad Raad stressed the opposition was working to adopt a clear standard that would be the same for all regions and all sections of Lebanese population.
Speaking to Al-Manar correspondent in Doha Mohamad Kazan, Raad refused to go through details since discussions were still ongoing, but insisted that adopting selective standards under the principle of appeasement or for personal ends was unacceptable and "wouldn't result in a real and tangible solution."
On the national-unity government, Raad said there was no final version of agreement yet. Nevertheless, he stressed there was tendency to approve one of many possible formulas still under consideration. He recalled that the opposition had limits concerning the government, "but seeking to negotiate one point on the account of another is useless, agreement should be reached on the whole package."
Raad emphasized that the national opposition was abiding by the dialogue's agenda as declared in the Phoenicia (hotel in Beirut) statement and was open to rational dialogue without overstepping its principles and rules, accusing the ruling bloc of seeking to infiltrate and raise other issues by claiming that they were oppressed.
The head of Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary ridiculed such claims, saying that the opposition has lost in Beirut and Mount Lebanon 14 martyrs. "Those martyrs didn't fall because they were struck by electricity, but because they were shot at," he pointed out, recalling that "the ruling bloc and its militias were the ones who started the military confrontation."
Raad denied the Resistance and its weapons were discussed during Saturday's dialogue session, saying that the resistance has the impression that it's negotiating with the whole world in Doha. He affirmed that Hizbullah's weapons were out of any discussion in Qatar.
Another round of talks among Lebanese feuding leaders is set to take place on Sunday in the framework of Lebanese national dialogue in Qatar, amid increasing hopes of reaching agreement on the government of national unity and the electoral law, opening the way to elect a new president and resolve the ongoing crisis.
The conferees agreed on Saturday to form a six-member committee to discuss the electoral law. According to sources close to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the committee, which held three meetings on Saturday, basically agreed on adopting the kadaa' as constituency and dividing Beirut into three constituencies, but differences remained on details. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, expected to reach an agreement on both the government and the electoral law within the next 48 hours.
However, there was still disparity in dealing with the electoral law between the national opposition and the ruling bloc. The head of Hizbullah's delegation to Doha MP Mohamad Raad stressed the opposition was working to adopt a clear standard that would be the same for all regions and all sections of Lebanese population.
Speaking to Al-Manar correspondent in Doha Mohamad Kazan, Raad refused to go through details since discussions were still ongoing, but insisted that adopting selective standards under the principle of appeasement or for personal ends was unacceptable and "wouldn't result in a real and tangible solution."
On the national-unity government, Raad said there was no final version of agreement yet. Nevertheless, he stressed there was tendency to approve one of many possible formulas still under consideration. He recalled that the opposition had limits concerning the government, "but seeking to negotiate one point on the account of another is useless, agreement should be reached on the whole package."
Raad emphasized that the national opposition was abiding by the dialogue's agenda as declared in the Phoenicia (hotel in Beirut) statement and was open to rational dialogue without overstepping its principles and rules, accusing the ruling bloc of seeking to infiltrate and raise other issues by claiming that they were oppressed.
The head of Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary ridiculed such claims, saying that the opposition has lost in Beirut and Mount Lebanon 14 martyrs. "Those martyrs didn't fall because they were struck by electricity, but because they were shot at," he pointed out, recalling that "the ruling bloc and its militias were the ones who started the military confrontation."
Raad denied the Resistance and its weapons were discussed during Saturday's dialogue session, saying that the resistance has the impression that it's negotiating with the whole world in Doha. He affirmed that Hizbullah's weapons were out of any discussion in Qatar.
