Hariri vows to follow in his father's footsteps

‘We must consecrate national unity’
By Nafez Kawas
Daily Star correspondent
Saturday, February 13, 2010

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed on Friday to follow in the footsteps of his father, assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

“Rafik Hariri opted for the path of coexistence between the Lebanese and was keen on preserving the unity, stability and development [of the country],” he told visitors on Friday.

“We must consecrate national unity,” the premier added. “We have fought for the last four years to build a nation for all the Lebanese.”

Urging supporters to participate in the downtown Beirut rally on February 14 to mark five years since the assassination of his father, he said Sunday’s rally “will show that we are keen on continuing Rafik Hariri’s path.”

In an interview Friday evening broadcasted live of MTV and Future TV, Hariri stressed that “only death” would separate him from his allies in the March 14 Forces.

Hariri said Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt remained a “main ally” to the Future Movement, adding it was his “democratic right” to hold a different political opinion.

Jumblatt said on Wednesday he would attend the commemoration of Hariri but would not make a speech. Following last year’s parliamentary polls, Jumblatt broke with the March 14 alliance saying the circumstances which tied him to the group were no longer applicable.

Also on Wednesday, Jumblatt said during an interview with As-Safir newspaper that he had never asked the US to invade Syria like it did in Iraq.

Hariri said on Friday that he had turned the page with Syria, adding that the two neighboring countries ought to build “mutual trust.” The premier said talks were ongoing with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Hariri said he and Assad had “frankly tackled” pending issues and discussed “how we can build for the future.”

“Assad was clear that he wants to build state-to-state relations with Lebanon,” he said.

Hariri praised the initiative by Saudi King Abdullah to mend Arab divisions, adding that if tensions had persisted between Saudi Arabia and Syria, the situation in Lebanon would have been critical.

Rafik Hariri’s death in a massive bomb blast on Beirut seafront in February 2005 was widely blamed on Syria although Damascus has denied any involvement. An international tribunal based in The Hague was set up by a UN Security Council Resolution in 2007 to try suspects in the murder.

Saad Hariri said he would respect any findings made by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) concerning his father’s assassination.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon’s spokesman said Friday that the UN remains committed to legal efforts to uncover the truth about the slaying of Hariri five years ago.

“The secretary general reaffirms the commitment of the UN to the efforts of the STL to uncover the truth, so as to bring those responsible to justice and end impunity in Lebanon,” Martin Nesirky said in a statement.

Tackling recent threats made by Israel against Lebanon, Hariri said he was leading contacts to raise the awareness of the international community about the dangers of such threats.

Hariri also renewed Lebanon’s commitment to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which put and end to the summer 2006 war with Israel. Concerning Hizbullah’s arsenal, Hariri said the issue was “problematic” and ought to be tackled during National Dialogue sessions

On Friday, the March 14 Forces laid the final touches on preparations for the February 14 rally to mark the fifth anniversary of former Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination,

The Central News Agency reported that a delegation from the Development and Liberation bloc – representing Speaker Nabih Berri – would visit former Premier Rafik Hariri’s memorial in downtown Beirut on the eve of February 14.

The agency added that other figures within the March 8 coalition would also visit the memorial. However, they would not participate in the commemoration.

On Friday, Russian Ambassador Sergei Boukine laid a wreath on Hariri’s memorial. Boukine praised the late premiere’s struggle for the impendence of Lebanon.

Source: The Daily Star.
Link: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=111734.