Deputy Prime Minister Issam Fares’ interview on CNN
22/3/2005

CNN: An Arab Summit is underway now in Algiers, nearly half of the Arab Leaders are staying away from the meeting. Some experts, watching from the sidelines, say they don’t believe much will be accomplished despite the changes in the region, particularly the renewed peace process with Israel and the recent political unrest in Lebanon. Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Issam Fares, joins us now from Monaco, by phone, to discuss the Summit.
Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, Thanks very much for joining us. The Arab League summit would appear to be a good forum to discuss the issues with your Arab neighbors on what to do in Lebanon, how to work in resolving the crisis there. Yet very few people have turned out, this must be a disappointment for you to lose this on an Arab platform.

Deputy PM Issam Fares: well, unfortunately, we have had these small problems in Lebanon which deprived our President from going to Algiers, and I was supposed to go with him. It is, an important summit although, there are some absentees from the leaders, but all Arab countries are represented, and there is a noticeable representation on the International level, especially European. It is an important summit not so much for discussing Lebanese issues, but to discuss peace in general, the peace process in general. This is a follow-up on the peace initiative of Prince Abdullah that took place in Beirut where it was agreed that complete normalization of relations with Israel will take place, in return for peace.

CNN: Would it be a good forum, Minister, if I can just interrupt you, would the Algerian Summit be a perfect forum for discussing issues relating to peace, obviously there is a crisis in Lebanon.

Deputy PM Issam Fares: Really, what is happening to us in Lebanon now, more or less, is an internal political debate, apart from the Syrian withdrawal. There was a decision for the Syrians to withdraw their troops from Lebanon, and it is important to watch today what President Assad has to say at the end of the day. But I believe, you know, he has covered all the issues in his comments later on today. There has been an international decision; the United Nations have passed resolution 1559. Syria has decided to comply to that resolution in what concerns it, that is, the withdrawal of the Syrian troops and the Syrian security forces from Lebanon. The other clauses of the resolution will have to be decided upon by the Lebanese people. We, in Lebanon, are waiting to form a government, and that government should supervise elections, and the electoral laws. These are internal matters that should not be discussed in the Arab Summit.

CNN: Are you confident though that a government of National Unity can be formed in Lebanon in the short term, the impasse continues?

Deputy PM Issam Fares: I am hoping that a new government will be formed one way or the other, whether by the current Prime Minister, Mr. Omar Karami, or through consultations and appointing a new nominee, as Prime Minister. The only way to solve the impasse in Lebanon is to have a unity government and we are hoping it would happen.

CNN: Issam Fares, Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon, Thank you very much for joining us.