Boutros Harb
Posted on 09/12/2007 2:12:26 AM PDT by familyop
Beirut: Boutros Harb, long-serving Maronite Lebanese Member of Parliament, is standing for president and reaching out to the Shiite Hezbollah, across the political divide in the country.
He is part of the ruling anti-Syrian coalition, called 14 March, but he has hopes of support from parts of the pro-Syrian opposition coalition, called 8 March. Harb spoke on the Shiite TV station NBN earlier this week, and to Gulf News the day before.
"I have proposed that the Lebanese army and government must be in control of declaring war, and that we should find a way to incorporate Hezbollah's forces into the army. But this has to be on the condition that the Lebanese government and army accept the full duty of being ready to fight and protect Hezbollah if Israel attacks," he said, adding that it was also important that Lebanon had to liberate the occupied territory of the Sheba'a Farms from Israel.
"A president has to be ready to fight against Israel whenever the country is attacked. The present president does not have a vision and was not ready to lead when Israel attacked Lebanon last year," he added, making clear that if the plan is implemented, Hezbollah would not be on its own in any future fight against Israel, as it was last summer, but nor could it initiate conflict.
The 1989 Taif Accord required all the militias to disband, but the only militia which refused to do this was Hezbollah, thanks to Syrian agreement. The guarantors of the Taif Accord were Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Algeria, but "unfortunately they were unable to enforce it because Saddam invaded Kuwait, the Americans formed alliances with several Arab Muslim states, including Syria, to send troops to fight Saddam. And this new alliance allowed Syria to ignore Taif, and so gave Lebanon to Syria", he said.
Encouraged
Harb told Gulf News that he was encouraged this week by the tacit approval for his electoral programme indicated by a deliberate silence from Hezbollah, pointing out that if they wanted to oppose it, a torrent of furious comments would have emerged.
Within the ruling 14 March coalition, Harb is competing with Nassib Lahoud for the presidency, but feels that he has a wider appeal across all communities. The opposition candidate, former general Michel Aoun, who has bizarrely allied himself with his former enemies, Hezbollah, is facing a challenge in getting support from enough parties in parliament. For example, Druze leader Walid Junblatt spoke out a few days ago making very clear that he will not support an Aoun presidency "under any circumstances".
Harb's election manifesto is based on starting a new presidency with a programme of reuniting all the parties in Lebanon through accepting the constitution, and implementing the 1989 Taif Accord in full. The accord redrafted the Lebanese constitution giving more power to the Sunni and Shiite parties, and reducing the powers of the Maronite presidency.
This election is the first after the shocking assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which triggered huge popular outrage and led to the political reshaping of the alliances in what is called the Ceder Revolution, which vastly reduced the Syrians' direct influence in Lebanon. This new atmosphere, combined with the Americans's efforts to reduce Syria's influence in the Middle East at large, is why Harb thinks his ideas have a better chance than ever before.
AT A GLANCE Crucial weeks ahead for the country
- Lebanon's president is voted in by a simple majority of the 128 members of parliament, as long as two-thirds of the MPs take part.
- Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has refused to call parliament for over a year due to the political turmoil.
--September 25: Speaker Berri has called for a special session of parliament to vote for a new president.
--It is unlikely that the traditional agreement between all parties on a consensus candidate will be achieved.
--Following weeks: Intense lobbying to find a suitable consensus
--November 15: Ten days before incumbent Emile Lahoud's term runs out, parliament has to reassemble in a special session to vote for a new president, again by simple majority.
--Constitutional experts are arguing over whether this special session requires a 50 per cent turnout of MPs or still needs the two-thirds turnout of the earlier session. The answer to this is vital since a lower quorum reduces the opportunity to block a candidate.
--November 25: Incumbent Emile Lahoud has to leave office. Parliament should have voted in a new candidate by this date. If not, Lebanon faces even more political and constitutional confusion.
What an idiot! My Christian friends from Lebanon will have a fit of apolexy. The Maronites should be standing with the Orthodox, moderate Sunnis and the Druze. It’s the Christians only chance for long term survival in a land they once dominated with 60%+ of the population.
the Judea Socialist Anarchy Free Trade Party might take offense
Yet another nutcase emerges. I suppose that’s to be expected in a land full of mentally deranged rock worshipers. The Maronites are just another backward group among them, backstabbing traitors throughout history against which ever side they pick to hide behind. Whenever the situation changes you can count on them bailing when the going gets tough.
Not really. It was Israel that saved their hides when the muslims went on their Christian slaughtering spree in the 70's. There are only a few Christian apostate groups that support Hezbollah.
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Maronite in name only (Lebanse President) ping! Playing buddy-buddy with Hezbollah, one of civilization’s mortal enemies! What a “maroon!”
Ping!
A “useful infidel”..
Are there any decent people left in Lebanon who can create a force powerful enough to boot the Hezzies out? Until that occurs, it’s difficult to view Lebanon as anything more than a satellite of Syria and Iran.
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