Berri: Lebanon has Right to Acquire Oil Through Resistance if Diplomacy Fails
Local Editor
Fatima Shoeib, Msaileh
Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri assured that the oil issue should top the list of Lebanese affairs, and should be the Lebanese people's primary concern.
During a talk with reporters in his summer house in Msaileh, south of Lebanon, Berri said "Lebanon's right to its oil wealth involves its national sovereignty.
There are no reservations on this right, just like we see our territorial right in retrieving the Shebaa farms, Qana, and Tyr, we have to preserve our maritime rights."
Berri, following meetings with Progressive Socialist Party MP Akram
Shehayeb and a delegation from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party headed by party leader Asaad Hardan, said that "Balanced economic development [funded by oil incomes] will reduce sectarian emotion in areas across the country, and this will not take place unless we distance the issue of our oil wealth from political bickering."
Berri said there are promising amounts of offshore oil as studies have proved, adding that "it has become certain there are also amounts of oil on land but not in the same large quantities."
Praising the Energy Ministry, Berri noted that the demarcation of the maritime border is as important as land border demarcation.
The speaker said that some have been calling for the start of offshore oil drilling in the undisputed areas, warning that Lebanon should not fall for such a hoax, which implies that the Lebanese actually admit they suspect their borders, and have to demand "Israel" in a retreat of 850 miles while they give up the same distance.
Equating between the importance of land and maritime borders, Berri underscored that oil drilling will not take place from one side only. He stressed that Lebanon has the right to acquire oil through resistance if diplomacy fails.
However, Berri noted "We have never resorted to resistance until all the other options have been exhausted".
Moving on to Syria, Berri wondered "Why are we trying to find another enemy on the northern borders? We all know that since the time of our ancestors and grandfathers, since 1948, "Israel" has been our sole enemy."
The policy of disassociating Lebanon from it benefits everyone," he stressed.
On the current debate over the parliamentary electoral law, Berri said "The Development and Liberation and Loyalty to the Resistance blocs will support whatever agreement the Lebanese reach, whatever helps in decreasing tension and sectarianism."
"Everyone claims to support proportional representation, but in fact they back the 1960 law," he noted.
"We support the adoption of one electoral district and proportional representation," he publicized, adding "We are open however to any serious discussion that could benefit the Lebanese people and the government must assume its responsibilities in this matter as soon as possible."
On the issue of food safety, Berri said that the discovery of hundreds of tons of expired food and medicine rocked the country in recent weeks. He said that if a functioning consumer protection agency existed, the food sector would not be beset by "corruption."
"This is one of the most dangerous issues and should be considered attempted murder," Berri said, urging that the law treat such acts as felonies rather than misdemeanors.
Fatima Shoeib, Msaileh
Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri assured that the oil issue should top the list of Lebanese affairs, and should be the Lebanese people's primary concern.
During a talk with reporters in his summer house in Msaileh, south of Lebanon, Berri said "Lebanon's right to its oil wealth involves its national sovereignty.
There are no reservations on this right, just like we see our territorial right in retrieving the Shebaa farms, Qana, and Tyr, we have to preserve our maritime rights."
Berri, following meetings with Progressive Socialist Party MP Akram Shehayeb and a delegation from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party headed by party leader Asaad Hardan, said that "Balanced economic development [funded by oil incomes] will reduce sectarian emotion in areas across the country, and this will not take place unless we distance the issue of our oil wealth from political bickering."
Berri said there are promising amounts of offshore oil as studies have proved, adding that "it has become certain there are also amounts of oil on land but not in the same large quantities."
Praising the Energy Ministry, Berri noted that the demarcation of the maritime border is as important as land border demarcation.
The speaker said that some have been calling for the start of offshore oil drilling in the undisputed areas, warning that Lebanon should not fall for such a hoax, which implies that the Lebanese actually admit they suspect their borders, and have to demand "Israel" in a retreat of 850 miles while they give up the same distance.
Equating between the importance of land and maritime borders, Berri underscored that oil drilling will not take place from one side only. He stressed that Lebanon has the right to acquire oil through resistance if diplomacy fails.
However, Berri noted "We have never resorted to resistance until all the other options have been exhausted".
Moving on to Syria, Berri wondered "Why are we trying to find another enemy on the northern borders? We all know that since the time of our ancestors and grandfathers, since 1948, "Israel" has been our sole enemy."
The policy of disassociating Lebanon from it benefits everyone," he stressed.
On the current debate over the parliamentary electoral law, Berri said "The Development and Liberation and Loyalty to the Resistance blocs will support whatever agreement the Lebanese reach, whatever helps in decreasing tension and sectarianism."
"Everyone claims to support proportional representation, but in fact they back the 1960 law," he noted.
"We support the adoption of one electoral district and proportional representation," he publicized, adding "We are open however to any serious discussion that could benefit the Lebanese people and the government must assume its responsibilities in this matter as soon as possible."
On the issue of food safety, Berri said that the discovery of hundreds of tons of expired food and medicine rocked the country in recent weeks. He said that if a functioning consumer protection agency existed, the food sector would not be beset by "corruption."
"This is one of the most dangerous issues and should be considered attempted murder," Berri said, urging that the law treat such acts as felonies rather than misdemeanors.
Berri had started his meeting with condolences on the death of al-Jadeed TV reporter Ali Shaaban. Shaaban was shot dead Monday in Wadi Khaled region on the Lebanese-Syrian borders. The other two crew staff Hussein Khreis and Abed Khayyat were able to escape.
Source: al-Intiqad, translated and edited by moqawama.org
