Hariri: Lebanon's interests take priority over politics - Summary

Beirut - Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Friday that his country needs the efforts of all its people, but primarily the wisdom of its leaders, to overcome the current political turmoil.

"Some political figures in particular should overcome the disputes of the past because no one is more important than their country," Hariri said after holding talks with President Michel Suleiman.

Hariri returned earlier to Beirut after holding talks with his Turkish counterpart as part of an ongoing effort, including stops in the United States and France, to build support following the dissolution earlier this week of the unity government he had led.

That collapse was triggered Wednesday by the resignation of Hezbollah members who are opposed to a UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, father of the current caretaker prime minister.

"My allies and I will participate in the parliamentary consultations. We will cooperate fully with the president to form a new cabinet that would meet the demands of national consensus," the caretaker premier said.

Hariri stressed if he had to choose between authority and Lebanon's dignity, he would choose the later.

"Let it be clear for everyone that I have never sought authority at any expense," Hariri added.

"The 11 ministers' resignation is a democratic right. However, we want to note that this decision is a development unprecedented in the history of governments in Lebanon. We fear it will become a model of the Lebanese failure to establish national unity governments."

Hariri said that Saudi-Syrian efforts to resolve the political impasse in Lebanon "played a central role in maintaining a political truce in Lebanon in the past months."

He added that the efforts aimed to prevent strife and called for steps to strengthen state institutions.

Hezbollah and its allies have for months been pressing Hariri to disregard the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on the grounds that it is part of a US-Israeli plot that will indict Hezbollah members.

A source close to the Hezbollah-led opposition said earlier Hariri can head the new government if he pledges to stop the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"We do not want to close the doors completely," the official said.

Hariri "could head the new government until 2013 if he pledges to terminate the plot behind the international tribunal," he added.

Hariri's adviser, former lawmaker Ghattas Khoruy, said "Prime Minister Saad Hariri is considered the only candidate for the premiership."

Suleiman has asked Hariri to head a caretaker government pending the outcome of consultations due to start Monday between Suleiman and parliamentarians on creation of a new government.

The current crisis is Lebanon's worst since 2008, when Hezbollah launched a military offensive to protest a government decision by the majority to dismantle the group's private telecommunication network.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/362391,priority-politics-summary.html.