July 18, 2009 - Daily Star - Nasrallah: We want no guarantees on our arms

By Elias Sakr

BEIRUT: Hizbullah wants "no guarantees" about its weapons or the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in exchange for joining the next government, the party's leader announced on Friday. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that Hizbullah was only interested in real partnership, and had avoided setting down concrete formulas for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, who was charged with forming a cabinet three weeks ago.
In a televised speech to mark the first anniversary of the most recent prisoner and detainee swap with Israel, Hizbullah's secretary general said the party was open to several suggestions regarding the cabinet make-up so as to facilitate Hariri's task.
He denied reports claiming that Hizbullah was hampering the government's formation by asking for guarantees with regards to the party's weapons or the STL, adding that the opposition only demanded to be granted "real participation."
Nasrallah explained that he didn't set pre-conditions during talks with Hariri earlier this month, adding that the issue of Hizbullah's weapons was left to discussion when Lebanese leaders convene for a session of National Dialogue, to tackle the country's defense strategy.
"We refrained from mentioning the next cabinet's specific structure in order to facilitate Hariri's task, and [there are] several suggested proposals that would lead to a government of partnership," Nasrallah said.
Concerning the timing of the cabinet's formation, Nasrallah advised Lebanese parties against using time as an element to pressure Hariri into quickly forming the government.
"The matter requires that Hariri take the necessary time [to accomplish it]," he said.
Hizbullah's leader stressed that the June 7 parliamentary elections proved that opposition groups were representative of a large segment of the Lebanese people, and as a result, the majority should acknowledge its rivals' role in decision-making in the next government.
"We have called for real partnership in the next cabinet, which would [lead to] cooperation rather than obstruction," he said.
Nasrallah said the new government should be solid enough to deal with major economic, social and security challenges, both domestically and regionally.
Nasrallah added that Lebanon's current economic challenges, given the huge level of public debt, as well as domestic and regional security threats posed by Israel and its recently-uncovered spy networks in Lebanon, necessitated that no group take monopoly over decision-making.
"Whether we want it or not, Lebanon is the country that is most affected by regional developments," Nasrallah said.
Citing recent meetings between former political rivals, Nasrallah urged Lebanese parties to take advantage of the present opportunity to end divisions, but added that some elements of the March 14 coalition "didn't want cooperation" to take place between the parliamentary majority and the opposition.
He also took March 14 figures to task for continuing to warn of Hizbullah's weapons, saying they wanted to disturb the calm atmosphere in the country. "I advise them to re-evaluate their stances because the Lebanese people seek dialogue and understanding."
He added that Hizbullah will "not be provoked at this stage" and that the opposition would remain open-minded.
Moreover, Nasrallah pledged that if the current efforts ended up leaving Hizbullah out of the next cabinet, "I'd personally support such a government."
Addressing the party's struggle against Israel, Nasrallah noted that the prisoners and detainees issue hadn't been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, despite last year's exchange, which saw the release of the longest-serving Lebanese detainee, Samir Qantar.
He expressed his party's commitment to liberate prisoners and recover bodies of martyrs still in Israel's possession, in the absence of efforts by the Lebanese government toward resolving the issue.
Nasrallah accused Israel of submitting false reports on the fate of missing detainee Yehya Skaff, adding that Hizbullah believed he was still being held by the Israelis. "Yehya's family said he was still alive and detained in an Israeli prison and we take their word for it; Israel's reports claiming they ignored his fate were not convincing in legal terms," Nasrallah said.
Hizbullah would not give in to "Israeli claims" stating that they had returned all bodies and prisoners, he added. Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah wasn't trying to take over the Lebanese authorities' role in the matter, adding that the party would be glad to assist the government if it assumed its responsibilities.
Nasrallah also called on the future cabinet to resolve the issue of the Lebanese and Syrians who went missing in both countries during the 1975-1990 civil war. "Let their fate be uncovered, to put an end to their families' misery," he said.
Nasrallah praised President Michel Sleiman's recent pardon of Youssef Shaaban for the assassination of a Jordanian diplomat in Beirut in 1994, after the killers were convicted and executed by the Jordanians. He also said the Lebanese authorities should end the practice of administrative detention and urged them to free detainees who haven't been convicted of a crime.
Qantar delivered a short address prior to Nasrallah's speech, which was broadcast on a big screen in front of hundreds of supporters at the Shahed Complex in Beirut's southern suburbs.