On the line now with us, the Former Deputy Prime Minister M. Issam Fares. He joins us now from Zurich.
· Mr. Fares, thank you very much for joining us. According to Brent Saddler, our correspondent in Beirut, he has heard from Lebanese politicians and some security sources that we expect to hear on Saturday from President Bashar Al Assad strong clarifications about Syria’s troops presence in your country. What have you been able to glean on this? What do you expect to hear from the Syrian President?- Good afternoon Relissa, Yes, I agree. In my opinion the President will announce to Parliament in Syria that he is to follow through on the 1989 accord that ended the Lebanese civil war and call for a Syrian redeployment to Eastern Lebanon near the Syrian border. And eventually to a full pull out after the military committees of both countries meet. I imagine they are set to meet soon after that announcement.
· So, what time table are we looking at? Is there a possibility this could be completed before elections in May?
- I would be surprised if this can technically happen but every one is really determined to see it through and I don’t think there are any bad intentions, it’s a matter of logistics.
· Now you are saying that what you expect the Syrian President to do is announce a partial withdrawal and then a negotiation of a complete withdrawal. However the UN Security Council resolution calls for a complete withdrawal right away.
- This is very true. I happen to have delivered the Lebanese speech during the UN General Assembly meeting and we totally agreed with the resolution 1559. However we had some reservations on the timing of implementation. We do not want neither the Lebanese nor the Syrians to see anything hastily happen to disrupt the security and the instability of our country.
· Speaking of security and stability, the United Nations Security Council was considering Peace Keepers to take the place of Syrian troops which will pull out.
- No the resolution mentioned they should deploy the Lebanese army in the South … (interrupted)
· Yes but this is something new; the British Foreign Secretary Mr. Jack Straw has said that this is something very recent we heard about it today, in fact in the last few hours that the United Nations Security Council has discussed that possibility.
- Well I am not up to date on that one and we certainly would look into it, but I have not heard anything on that.
· Crucial about this, this is not just a withdrawal of the Syrian troops, but also there has been calls for the withdrawal of the intelligence, the Syrian intelligence services so that there are free elections, so that Lebanon can set its course. What do you think about the possibility in it and the complexity of that happening by May?
- Relissa, they go together you know. The Security is supposedly present to seeing that their troops serving in the country are not subjected to wrong doings. However I believe they would leave together.
· I wanted to ask about the talks on the formation of a new government. They go no where so far, the opposition has said it won’t consider talking with President Lahoud and Parliament about the interim government to take over until the elections, until Syrian troops and Syrian intelligence services are out and until the resignation of all members of Lebanese Intelligence services. What is President Lahoud going to do to bring in the opposition so as the Government is put together?
- Really the Government has resigned but the State has not; the State should be there; and institutions should take care of the whole thing. I mean there is no way that the whole state should fall or institutions should fall. If there is any wrong doing made by any of those security men, the government should be informed and should immediately send them to Courts or to other such institutions. But the demonstrations do not have States fall, the government resigned and that is basically what demonstrations can do.
Regarding the formation of a new government, and according to the Constitution, the President is not to discuss any of these details he just calls for consultations, which is, binding. He will then announce the nominated Prime Minister whose first role will be to discuss with various parties, various groups, how their representation and conditions will be, and then present the results to the President for both of them to sign.
Issam Fares, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon thank you very much.