The fifth part of a series of books entitled ‘Issam Fares, the Deputy Former Prime Minister of Lebanon’ has been issued. The 432-page book includes a series of stances adopted by and activities undertaken by Mr. Issam Fares in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon from November 2004 (the date of the end of Part IV) till April the 19th, 2005, and the events witnessed later till November 12, 2005.

The book includes an introduction and the five following chapters: The Stances; The Political, Social, &Developmental Meetings; the Foreign Trips; the Diplomatic Meetings; and the Deputy Prime Minister and Lebanon’s Official Visitors, in addition to a supplement about ‘Issam Fares’ Non-Participation in the Parliamentary Electoral Battle’, The Fares Foundation’, and ‘Excerpts … For History’.

The introduction illustrates the main headlines of Deputy Premier Fares’ stances regarding the key issues witnessed this year, mainly the assassination crime of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, depicted by Mr. Fares as ‘A Black Day in Lebanon’s History’, portraying Hariri as ‘An Exceptional Man’, deeming ‘His Loss as Big’, and lauding ‘His Personal Friendship with him’, as well as the ‘Permanent Cooperation’ among them in key stances.

The introduction also touched upon Deputy Premier Fares’ distinguished political performance in dealing with proposals and solutions instead of triggering disputes and provoking crises. This has been clearly manifested through his exposure to all parties, in a bid to build up a qualitative political culture that carries Lebanon from the rank of an authority to a real State.

This has also been illustrated in the numerous tasks Mr. Fares had accomplished, particularly at the UN Forum, when he represented Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese constants, among which figure:

A full commitment to international legitimacy and the respect of the resolutions emanating from the Security Council, the settlement of the Middle East crisis through the implementation of the international resolutions, the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, the provision of stability in a self-governed Iraq, assisting the Middle East in creating a stabilized regional system based upon justice and the people’s self-determination right, clearing the Middle East region from weapons of mass destruction, and encouraging the establishment of civil bodies that contribute in making reforms including the creation of developmental democratic regimes.

The part relating to ‘The Stances’ tackles the speeches, lectures, and declarations made by Mr. Fares, as well as the interviews conducted with him.
‘The Political, Social, &Developmental Meetings’ broaches the large number of meetings and reunions he had held, especially that Deputy Premier Fares never failed to hold any meeting that serves Lebanon’s interests. This chapter also revolves around the various, different reactions made by the politicians, journalists, and Akkar’s citizens, over Fares’ decision not to run for candidacy in this year’s electoral battle. Those had considered Fares’ renunciation as ‘a shock to all’, while Fares affirmed that his decision does not imply his renunciation to serve Lebanon.

The chapter relating to ‘the Foreign Trips’, ‘the Diplomatic Meetings’, and ‘Lebanon’s Official Visitors’, tackled Fares’ various meetings with the Ambassadors of the key powers and friendly states, as well as the Arab Ambassadors and the diplomats accredited in the international organizations, for the sake of securing Lebanon’s support, in addition to the high-level foreign officials who had paid visit to Beirut.

In the frame of his foreign trips, this chapter raised Mr. Fares’ visit to Qatar and his participation with the President, the House Speaker, and the Prime Minister in the meeting of the Higher Lebanese-Syrian Council, his participation in the funeral procession of the Supreme Pontiff Jean Pope II in the Vatican. The chapter also tackled Fares’ representation of Lebanon in the memorial service of Prince Rainier of Monaco, in addition to his reunions with former US President George Bush and former US President Bill Clinton.


Regarding Akkar, the supplement included a record about the Fares’ Foundation activities to which Deputy Premier Fares had devoted daily attention for the sake of the citizens in Akkar and Northern Lebanon. This aimed at reviving the citizens’ individual initiatives, activating coordination between the local potentialities and the public institutions and municipalities, in cooperation with the international organizations, on top of which figure the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the European Union, and AMIDEAST/ Lebanon.

This section illustrates the variety of services and plans carried out, and the achievements the Fares Foundation had realized or partially contributed in on the humanitarian, educational, medical, cultural, artistic, archeological, agricultural, and developmental levels.

The last chapter, ‘Excerpts … For History’, includes the main testimonies given this year about Deputy Premier Issam Fares.

This book is a document which collected, in a year, a part of Lebanon’s History.