Source: NowLebanon, 26-03-2008
FPM official Alain Aoun told NOW Lebanon that the FPM's stance on Lebanese participation in the Arab Summit is very clear.
"We are against Lebanon's participation in the summit for several reasons, including the absence of a Lebanese president, the problem of the government, the lack of Lebanese consensus over matters that should be discussed with a unified approach, and the government's incapacity to make any commitment on behalf of all Lebanese," Aoun said.
On the other hand, MP Abdul Majid Saleh of the Development and Liberation bloc said that the cabinet's decision to boycott is not correct. "Mainly, its decision comes after the US call to boycott the summit. We think that the dispute between the government and the Syrians must not be reflected in the decision to boycott, as this does not pave the way for a solution," Saleh told NOW Lebanon.
"What prevented PM Fouad Saniora from forming a delegation that reflected the cabinet's call for dialogue?" Saleh asked.
MP Ismail Succariyeh of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc said that the government decision was not responsible, and that it didn't take Lebanon's interests into consideration, but was dominated by hostility toward Syria.
"The summit does not belong to Syria; it is an Arab platform to discuss all matters. The Lebanese crisis could have been discussed in a better way had there been Lebanese participation," Succariyeh added.