- Speaks of pending issues with Syria and Beirut’s keenness on ties with Riyadh
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed that the Lebanese state has restored the decisions of war and peace.
“These decisions are now being taken in Beirut, at cabinet, not anywhere else,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat in an extensive interview, the first installment of which was published on Saturday.
“No one is making dictates to us, not from Tehran or Washington,” he added.
Moreover, he underlined the right of the people to hold protests—a reference to Hezbollah supporters rallying against the government’s decision to disarm the Iran-backed group and limit the possession of weapons in the country to the state.
Salam said however, that protesters should not block main roads, including the one leading to Lebanon’s only functional airport in Beirut.
Asked if he believed that the Shiite ministers would resign from the cabinet in wake of the decision to disarm Hezbollah, which is Shiite, he responded, “The government is united, but that does not mean that all of its 24 ministers share the same opinion over everything.”
If consensus is not reached over an issue, then disputes and differences are resolved through a vote and other constitutional measures, he explained.
“We are not opposed to anyone turning to the streets to express their views. (…) We respect the right to have a different opinion. But we draw the line at blocking roads. It is forbidden to impede the freedom of movement of the Lebanese people, especially in heading to vital areas, such as the airport or international highway,” he said.
Salam noted that several attempts to block the airport road have been successfully thwarted by the army.
Asked if he has been advised in recent weeks to increase his personal security, the PM replied: “I have a deep sense that the majority of the Lebanese people have confidence in our government. I am acting on this trust and my conscience is clear. I believe that any threats are being made by a small fraction of the Lebanese or some unruly people.”
On US special envoy Tom Barrak’s upcoming highly anticipated visit to Lebanon in wake of the disarmament decision, Salam said the envoy had presented the government with a proposal, which was in turn submitted to cabinet.
“The cabinet actually received an amended version of the proposals – a ‘Lebanonized’ version,” the PM explained. “Not a single patriotic Lebanese citizen can be opposed to the goals listed in the proposal that was adopted by the cabinet.”
He revealed that he along with President Joseph Aoun and parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had direct input in the final drafting of the approved goals.
“No one is opposed to the first article on ending the hostilities immediately. No one is opposed to the complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories. No one is opposed to the return of the displaced people to their villages in the South. No one is opposed to the release of Lebanese detainees by Israel. No one is opposed to reconstruction and holding an international donor conference,” he stressed.
“Let them stop challenging the government about these issues. You are Lebanese. You have read the proposals. Tell me, what issues do you oppose? Let any Lebanese citizen tell me which articles they oppose. Does anyone oppose the international conference? Does anyone oppose the Israeli withdrawal? Does anyone oppose the return of the detainees or displaced? So why this uproar over the government decision?” he asked.
Asharq Al-Awsat countered that perhaps the uproar stems from removing Lebanon from the military conflict with Israel, to which Salam responded: “Lebanon was supposed to be removed from this equation with the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701. That was around 20 years ago.”
The ceasefire agreement last November and the government’s policy statement only consolidate the resolution, he stated.
“Who doesn’t want to get out of the military conflict with Israel? Up until the year 2000, the resistance (Hezbollah), which I salute, was the main actor in this conflict. Before that, other groups were involved, such as the Communist Party and Communist Action Organization in Lebanon.”
“Hezbollah was the main player in making the enemy withdraw from our occupied territories in 2000. Unfortunately, after that, we spent years discussing whether to deploy the army to the South or not. Why should it even be a contentious debate to allow the army to deploy in its land in the South to protect our people?” he wondered.
The deployment was met with objections and then doubts were raised about the army, continued the PM. “This was a wasted opportunity. The same thing happened with the decisions of war and peace. How could a decision be taken to drag Lebanon to a ‘support war’ (with Gaza)? This never should have happened. The state did not have a say in it,” he said.
“The decisions of war and peace have today returned to the state,” he declared. “Only we decide when to wage a war or not. This does not mean that weapons exist outside the authority of the state. We are now concerned with how to have state monopoly over them.”
War and peace
Asharq Al-Awsat said that the state’s reclaiming of the decisions of war and peace effectively means that “Lebanon has been taken out of the (Resistance) axis that has existed for decades.”
“Yes, I know that,” replied Salam. “They used to brag about certain issues, like saying Tehran controls four Arab capitals. I believe that that time is over. Lebanon’s decisions are being taken from Beirut, at cabinet, not anywhere else. No one dictates to us what to do; not from Tehran or Washington.”
“Is that what you told (Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali) Larijani?” asked Asharq Al-Awsat.
“I issued a statement to clarify the discussions that we had. Of course, I strongly reproached him for the Iranian criticism of the Lebanese government’s disarmament decision,” said the PM. “I informed him that balanced relations between countries, especially between us and Iran, should be based on mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.”
“We have never allowed ourselves to meddle in Iranian internal affairs. I have never stated that I support one side against the other in Iran. I do not express my opinions on Iranian affairs. I do not express my views about Iran’s defense strategy or internal politics. What I am asking of Iran and any other party is to not meddle in our internal affairs.”
“Statements have been made, and unfortunately, some threatened the government. I told Larijani that this is completely unacceptable in any way, shape or form,” he stressed.
Relations with Washington
Turning to ties with Washington, Asharq Al-Awsat asked if Beirut was receiving the aspired backing from it, to which Salam replied, “Of course not. We had hoped and want to have greater support in making the Israeli enemy withdraw completely from Lebanese territories and stop its daily violations. The United States is the side that is most capable of influencing Israel and it is not doing that enough.”
“I do not feel useless when I hear an Israeli drone flying over Lebanon. I know that today I am incapable of preventing them from flying over Lebanon, but I do not want to embark on a new military adventure. What I can do is garner enough political and diplomatic support to stop these flights and Israel’s hostile acts. We have not reached that goal yet, but more contacts are needed with our Arab brothers, who are effective players on the international arena. Similar contacts are needed with the Europeans and the US,” he added.
He revealed that Barrack’s proposals demand that the US and France pressure Israel to pull out of Lebanon. “This is a positive point that I am revealing for the first time. Israel, meanwhile, has not committed to Barrack’s proposals. We are,” he stressed.
