A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb...
leader
Samir Geagea... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ...
hoped on Thursday that a statement issued by the Syrian National Council would put Lebanese-Syrian relations on the right path and called for U.N. Security Council action if Leb comes under attack by Syria.
The Council, which is Syria's leading opposition movement, said Wednesday that it wants to start a new chapter in the complex and often-troubled relationship with Leb.
In remarks to news hounds, Geagea said it remains to be seen if the Council's request would be met, stressing that it is a good way to repair ties.
The LF leader also lamented that the Syrian navy attack on three Lebanese fishermen off the coast of the northern town of Arida earlier this month was a "political message to those concerned."
Unfortunately the message was sent after shedding the blood of Lebanese, he said.
Sixteen-year-old Maher Hamad was killed after the Syrian navy opened fire on his boat off Arida. His uncles Fadi and Khaled Hamad, who were with him, were seized and handed over to the Lebanese army the next day.
The government should ask for an apology from the Syrian authorities over the Arida incident, Geagea said.
He also stressed that the Lebanese government should stop any attack on Leb or resort to the U.N. Security Council if Syria infringes on its illusory sovereignty again.
Or else the government would be complicit with Syria against its own people, he warned.
About a decision by Leb to steer itself clear of the Assad regime's deadly crackdown on Syrian protestors, Geagea said President Michel Suleiman
...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too...
and Premier
Najib Miqati should "give clear indications to Foreign Minister (Adnan Mansour) on a true policy of keeping a distance (from the Syrian) crisis and not just in words."The LF leader called for a fair implementation of the law, rejecting the "persecution" of Syrian refugees in Leb.
"Leb is in its nature the land of freedom and we won't allow any authority to tarnish its image," he warned. "We support the implementation of the law equally and (reject) to politically target" the refugees.