Sheikh Kassem: Summit Boycott Ridiculous, Deplorable

Source: Al Manar TV, 31-03-2008
Hizbullah's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Kassem held on Sunday the unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora responsible of all the disasters Lebanon has been passing through, stating that any move such as "repairing" the government would mean a rejection of the Arab initiative and an additional complication for the ongoing Lebanese crisis.
Speaking in a ceremony, Sheikh Kassem described the ministerial bloc decision to boycott the Arab Summit in Damascus as "ridiculous and deplorable." He said the ruling bloc "sought through its childish moves to play the game of overthrowing the Syrian position in the Arab world." "First, their bet was that the Summit won't be held but postponed and this did not happen. Then, they bargained that Syria would not invite Lebanon and they sought stimulate Arab emotions by claiming that Lebanon was ignored; this did not happen as well. The final result was that whoever wanted to boycott boycotted, but the Summit took place, thus, it's Lebanon that was out of the Summit not Syria or the Summit as a whole," he said.
Sheikh Kassem added that there are four signs that can be understood from boycotting the Summit. "First of all, it shows the weakness of the unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora and its incapability to represent Lebanon in such a conference. Second, it shows how this government executed the American decision given that the US sought to use Lebanon to pressure on Syria. Third, it became clear that this bloc wants to strain Lebanese-Syrian relations, and every time there is a possibility to rectify these relations, those same people refuse. Last but not least, this ministerial bloc has put Lebanon in the winds of the Arab conflicts," his eminence stressed.
The deputy secretary general urged the ruling bloc to consider asking "why some Arabs didn't boycott the Summit completely but were represented in a specific level, while Lebanon alone was used to boycott the Summit." He underlined that those Arabs "don't bother asking about Lebanon's interests but only about theirs."
Sheikh Kassem praised the Summit for refusing US decisions and pressure. "This is proof that if we stand all together we can achieve something and impose many things on the US," he noted.
Meanwhile, he reiterated the readiness of the opposition for a real participation adding that without it there will be no solution "even if the Americans and some Arabs sought to interfere". His eminence stressed "Lebanon has, from now on, an independent and special character enabling it to refuse or accept being an arena for others to play with."
On the latest anti-Islam activities especially in Europe, Sheikh Kassem wondered why some insult Islam and its Prophet without even bothering to discuss its beliefs. He called on European nations to seriously face this assault on Muslims and their beliefs and the UN Security Council to pressure towards issuing legislations preventing insulting the Prophet.