April 27, 2010 - Daily Star - Sleiman vows authorities will preserve country's security

BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman stressed Monday that the Lebanese authorities would not allow any attempts to tamper with the country’s security.

“The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will continue its investigations without any political interference,” Sleiman said, addressing expatriates at the Mount Lebanon Club in Sao Paolo.

The STL was established in 2007 by the UN Security Council to try suspects in the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, assassinated in an car bombing in Beirut.

Tackling the Lebanese domestic situation, Sleiman highlighted Lebanon’s political, security and economic stability and stressed that its election as a member of the UN Security Council would help restore its role on the international arena.

“On the political level, Lebanon is respecting its democratic regime and constitutional deadlines, regaining its role on the international arena and establishing diplomatic ties with Syria after opening new channels of cooperation,” the president said.

“On the security level, the army and the security forces are assuming their duties,” he said. According to the president, Israel fears the Lebanese “who will face the enemy united to defend their land and dignity.” He added that National Dialogue talks would continue in order to reach a defense strategy “that merges the capabilities of the army, the people and the resistance.”

Sleiman also stressed that Lebanon was achieving economic growth, while highlighting an increase in expatriates’ remittances and growth in the tourism sector.

“I ask you to venture and return to Lebanon to help its growth like your ancestors ventured to Brazil to build their identity,” he told expatriates.

“I know you have demands and I expressed in my inaugural address and in the ministerial statement my commitment to grant expatriates the right to vote in 2013 as well as the right of people from Lebanese origin to retrieve their nationality,” he added.

Sleiman also called on the Lebanese to fight sectarianism and work united to build a democratic Lebanese state.

“The enemy wants to prove that diversity does not help build a state but we want to challenge them and prove otherwise since we are many religious sects that could practice democracy and implement reforms,” Sleiman said.

He also urged expatriates to register their children in civil registries in Lebanese embassies and consuls abroad.

Sleiman urged the Lebanese community in Sao Paolo to return and invest in Lebanon, while calling for unity among the Lebanese Diaspora. – The Daily Star

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=114262#ixzz0mJApFxFP
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)