Lebanese Forces leader Dr Samir Geagea's Press conferences

by **Admin** Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:29 am

Geagea Wants U.N. Help to Control Lebanese-Syrian Borders
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Tuesday he has asked for international help to control the Lebanese-Syrian borders, noting that the United States Middle East policy serves the interests of the Lebanese people.
Geagea, addressing a press conference about outcome of his recent visit to the United States, said "we've asked for international help because Lebanon's internationally-recognized borders lack control. All efforts exerted by the government to work out a settlement with Syria to the borders issue have been blocked."

Any change in the U.S. administration "wouldn't change the U.S. policy on Lebanon," Geagea added.

He said it is "impossible" to naturalize Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. The Lebanese constitution bans it … even if all of America wants to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon, this wouldn't happen."

"The Americans understand details of the Lebanese situation that doesn't allow for naturalization of Palestinians," he added.

"Some dictatorships persist in the region under the slogan of defending the Palestinian cause," Geagea said.

Geagea explained that he also discussed with U.N. officials the international tribunal that would try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes.

"Nothing would stop the tribunal. It will be an international tribunal that would issue a charge sheet this year," he said.

The tribunal, according to Geagea, "wouldn't just deal with the Hariri assassination, but would also shed light on what has happened in Lebanon in the past 30 years."

Geagea said he would ask the U.N. Security Council to adopt a stand on Lebanese detainees held in Syrian jails.

"As long as those detainees had been kidnapped on Lebanese territory, an independent international committee can be formed to look for them and determine their whereabouts and achieve the release of those who remain alive. We've asked Washington to help us in this regard, and we'll try to ask the UNSC to adopt a resolution in this regard," he explained.

Geagea said he also raised the issue of Lebanese detainees in Israeli jails and "we were surprised by the answer that Hizbullah is negotiating with Israel" on this issue.

""We answered that such a negotiation is nil and void because it is not being handled by the state of Lebanon," he added.

Geagea also said: "Not a single drop of blood should be shed over reclaiming Shebaa farms as long as political and diplomatic negotiations are capable of settling this issue."

Geagea stressed that Middle East problems "can only be settled if the Palestinian cause was settled … we, as a delegation representing the Lebanese Forces, have clearly informed U.S. officials that if you want to help Lebanon you should solve the Palestinian cause."

The U.S. policy in the past three years aimed at facilitating the creation of an "independent Lebanese state … the U.S. administration wants to support this objective," Geagea concluded.

Reclaiming the active role of Lebanon's Christian community can be achieved by addressing international decision-making circles "which is what we did during our visit to the United States," Geagea said.

He noted that national dialogue should follow the election of a president who should "sponsor any dialogue."

Beirut, 01 Apr 08, 15:30