July 26, 2010 - Daily Star - Hariri: Demand for justice 'not subject' to negotiation

By Elias Sakr

BEIRUT: The Future Movement assumes a big responsibility with regard to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, since “we are concerned more than anyone else” with revealing the truth behind former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Sunday.

Hariri made his statements on the second day of the founding conference of the Future Movement during which he was elected to head the party.

The conference tackled Sunday the structural and organizational issues of the Future Movement after addressing the party’s political, economic and social policies on Saturday.

Hariri said Saturday justice in the assassination of his father had become a “national, Arab and international cause” that is “not subject to interpretations or negotiations.”

The Lebanese premier’s remarks come two days after Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the Lebanese premier had informed him that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) would indict rogue members of Hizbullah.

Hariri did not comment on Nasrallah’s statements but Future Movement MP Ammar Houri denied on Friday that

Hariri informed the Sayyed of the STL’s expected indictment, saying both leaders discussed Western reports that tied Hizbullah to the murder.

“We do not build our judgments or point of views based on any information or facts [outside those] held by the committee investigating the murder,” Hariri said.

In a speech on Sunday, Nasrallah reiterated his condemnation of the STL as an Israeli project and expressed Hizbullah’s openness to the formation of a Lebanese committee to discuss an approach to preserve Lebanon against a plot to destabilize the country.

“A commitment to achieving justice is an issue of Lebanese consensus that is not subject to compromise or interpretations and an inseparable part of the National Dialogue’s decisions as well as part of the ministerial policy statements of all governments that followed the murder,” Hariri said.

But Hariri said he refused to allow the assassination of his father to ignite Lebanese civil strife, as he played down the importance of Lebanese fears of crisis.

“It is an issue of national and ethical commitment to protect the track of justice which we tackle with high responsibility to prevent strife from destabilizing our domestic unity,” Hariri said.

Tackling the Future Movement’s domestic alliances, Hariri said the party would remain loyal to its partners in the March 14 alliance in line with its national convictions despite “changing stances and circumstances.”

“We took a step back at certain times for Lebanon to move toward stability,” Hariri said.

Nasrallah had called on March 14 parties to engage in self-critique and review their past behavior that led to sectarian tensions in Lebanon in recent years, after unfounded accusations were made in Rafik Hariri’s assassination against Syria and Lebanese security officials.

The Lebanese premier said his recent visits to Damascus led to a new page in ties with the Syrian leadership based on positive relations after the re-evaluation of the past period.

“It was the experience of Rafik Hariri that inspired me to conduct a re-evaluation of the past period as well as the positivity that the Syrian president and government expressed that led to moving forward in the right direction and putting an end to a period that is no longer in the interest of anyone,” Hariri said.

Hariri added that he sought to reinforce the outcomes of the Arab reconciliation initiated by Saudi Arabia to promote Lebanon’s role among Arabs. “I look forward with all loyal Lebanese to building upon this phase to promote the Lebanese role in reinforcing Arab unity and strengthening the outcome of the major Arab reconciliation started by King Abdullah,” he said.

A Syrian-Saudi rapprochement in November 2009 led to the formation of a national unity cabinet that was headed by Hariri following four years of broken ties between the parliamentary majority and Damascus.

On another note, Hariri stressed that the Future Movement party would not bear a Sunni identity but would rather establish the foundations of a modern Lebanese state away from sectarian and religious alignments.

Hariri also emphasized the party’s commitment to defending the Palestinian cause.