Address by Prime Minister Mr. Fuad Siniora to Socialist International - Beirut - Grand seray

Ladies and gentlemen:

I am very pleased to welcome you here at the Grand Serail in the heart of Beirut today. The strong and unwavering solidarity of the Socialist International for the democratically elected Lebanese government and for democracy and the democratic forces in our country is of great comfort to us. We salute you and the Lebanese member of the socialist international, the Progressive Socialist Party, led by Mr. Walid Joumblatt, for standing by us today, as you have done throughout the struggle of the Lebanese people for independence, sovereignty, and freedom.

Your visit is a sign that we are bound together by our firm belief in democratic culture and institutions and by shared values, those of respect for human rights, diversity and tolerance. This visit comes at a time of turbulence in Lebanon. Only five months ago Israel launched a savage, unwarranted war on Lebanon. I need not repeat nor recount in detail the scale of human suffering and enormity of the damage done to our infrastructure and social fabric, the direct and indirect consequences of which will be felt for many years to come. We worked tirelessly with our partners in government, during and after the onslaught, to address the economic, social, humanitarian and environmental issues facing us to insure the rapid and efficient rehabilitation of our infrastructure and the rebuilding ofour homes as well as to help kick start our shell-shocked economy.

Ladies and gentlemen, Lebanon is exhausted by thirty years of successive conflicts, occupations and external interference. We have struggled to maintain our values, our freedom, and our economy throughout. However, and despite our resilience, we can no longer afford the cost of destruction on our own and are looking forward to the Paris III Conference scheduled for January 25 to help us out of our current economic crisis and reduce our debt overhang. Our target is to achieve sustained and equitable growth, and I believe that failure to achieve these objectives could well jeopardize the broader goals of political and social stability and a strong and vibrant democracy.

Another major national goal of the government is to translate the cessation of hostilities into a permanent cease fire, whereby Israel must put an end to its over flights in Lebanon, in clear breach of UNSCR 1701, submit all the maps of landmines planted in our territory, withdraw from the Ghajar village, and return the detainees held in Israeli prisons. We have been strongly urging the international community to help us achieve this goal.  As a constant reminder of the brutality and indiscriminate nature of Israel's latest   aggression, the casualty toll continues to rise daily as a result of the hundreds of thousands of cluster bombs unleashed by Israel this last summer.

We also believe that the Shebaa Farms should be placed under UN custody, thereby allowing Lebanon to reaffirm the exclusive authority of the state over the entirety of its territory, thereby reviving the 1949 Armistice Agreement with Israel pending a final and just solution to the conflict in the Middle East is found.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Only a few months ago the Lebanese stood side by side to confront and repel Israel’s unjust assault on our country. Side by side, and each from a different angle, we forced them out. Government, society and the resistance were as one. Unfortunately, and instead of continuing to act in unison, we were divided by those who seek to scuttle the tribunal of international character, which is meant to bring to justice those who planned, organized and perpetrated the assassination of Prime Minster Rafic Hariri and other connected political assassinations. A year ago, Hezbollah and Amal ministers walked out of a cabinet meeting that was about to call for the establishment of the tribunal. Eleven months later they resigned when they saw that we were going to accept the UN proposal worked out jointly by international and Lebanese jurists, the latter appointed by the Council of Ministers. Suddenly, to create further confusion and impede progress toward establishment of the international tribunal, as well as to set the clock back on our progress toward full sovereignty, segments of Lebanese society were mobilized into the streets in large numbers under the guise of demanding wider participation in government and calls for our resignation through the use of sectarian sentiment.Some even went so far as to accuse us of complicity with Israel; to accuse the very same government which was praised a few short months ago as being the government of political resistance. They have thus created divisions amongst the Lebanese by pitting one faction against the majority of the citizens. We firmly believe in the sacred right of people to express themselves freely and without fear of reprisal. This is a basic tenet of any democracy. And we believe in democracy. That is why we cannot ignore the support of a clear majority in parliament and of the Lebanese population. We also believe that democratic change must come through democratic, institutional means, and not by intimidation, and threats. Yes, we believe in a wider participation in government but not in a mode of power-sharing that may well obstruct its work through vetoes and threats of resignations that would bring about the fall of the cabinet. While the major pressing issues facing us, including the continuing Israeli occupation and the social and economic problems are still those that existed before the summer, and have been augmented by the war, people, alas, are being distracted by  demonstrations, sit-ins and fiery and divisive rhetoric.

The cycle of action and counter-action, demonstration and counter-demonstration, accusation and counter-accusation is futile, and will only increase tension and further fracture our country. Let us pursue common goals and common interests and provide a better future for all the Lebanese. What we need is open and frank dialogue consistent with democratic principles and the rule of law. Dialogue is the only way to bridge differences and settle differences. We are also for genuine participation as fifteen months of coalition government have proven; it also serves as a reminder that while we could have taken decisions unilaterally, by majority, we did not do so. We simply do not believe that unilateralism works in Lebanon. National cohesion is essential. Our strength is in our diversity and should remain so. But it must not become the cause of discord and conflict. We must cultivate our strengths, not succumb to our weaknesses. Furthermore, it is most important that we protect Lebanon's legitimate interests as a sovereign and independent country, and not become an arena for the conflicts of others. At the same time, the failure of democracy in Lebanon and the disrespect of its constitutional institutions and processes will have dire consequences not only for our country but well beyond it in the region.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Times of crisis are also times of truth; times to ask the right questions and make the right choices: Do we want an open, pluralistic, democratic Lebanon? Do we want a progressive and growing economy able to raise living standards and stem poverty? Do we want to drive our youth away, or rather make them feel that they have a role and a future in their own country? Do we want to create opportunities and hope for future generations, or abandon them to unemployment, despair and emigration? Do we want to know who killed Rafik Hariri, Basil Fuleihan, Samir Kassir, George Hawi, Gebran Tueni, Pierre Gemayel and so many others? Do we want to know who tried to kill Marwan Hamade, Elias Murr and May Chidiac? Are so many political assassinations over the last thirty years to continue with impunity and maintain a state of terror and fear? Let me tell you, dear friends, that we are committed to see the tribunal established, truth revealed and murderers brought to justice. On this there will be no compromise, for justice cannot be negotiated and truth is indivisible.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The majority of our people want to live in dignity and tranquility, in a free, sovereign and independent Lebanon; a model of tolerance, enlightenment and moderation in the Arab world. It is our duty as government to strive with determination to fulfill this goal. While we speak of majorities and minorities, let us not forget that the majority of Lebanese are tired of slogans and will not be drawn into the streets to confront their fellow citizens; a majority which chooses the culture of life over that of death; which looks forward and not backwards; which believes in democracy, justice, freedom and the rule of law; and supports the exercise of the full sovereignty of the state over the entirety of its territory; and believes in reinstituting the values of competence in public service.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We must not lose yet another opportunity for our country to break out of the cycle of discord and economic stagnation. We are called to look forward to achieving progress, prosperity and peaces. In this journey of determination and hope, we are confident that you will accompany us in solidarity, a solidarity that has not- and will not fail. For this, and for your presence with us today, we convey to you all the best of our gratitude.

Finally, I would once again like to reiterate our thanks to the Socialist International for the statement issued in Portugal last week and for the statement of today regarding Lebanon’s independence and freedom and the support expressed for the Lebanese government.

I would also like to remind you that the crises in our region, including our present crisis in Lebanon, all stem from the central issue, that of Palestine. Many resolutions have been adopted in this regard, but none ever saw its way to implementation. I also remind you that the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002 took a bold initiative through the comprehensive peace offer which aimed at putting an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in conformity with the relevant UN resolutions. The greatest contribution to our region and to the Arab people, so close and so vital to Europe and the rest of the world, is in the earnest  search for comprehensive peace through Israeli withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Thank you.

16/12/2006

Prime Minister

Fuad Siniora