Aoun: Everyone knows the source of obstruction... "the return of Saudis to the situation"

Source: nowlebanon.com, 02-07-2008

MP Michel Aoun told the Lebanese daily An-Nahar that the 600,000 Palestinians refugees living in Lebanon give a certain demographical weight to the Sunni sect. "I have a copy of a document by the General Security revealing the dangers of permanently settling Palestinians in Lebanon. This is why the US policy is dangerous," Aoun said, adding that Europe and America only want to ensure ‘Israel's' interest in getting rid of the Palestinians.

Aoun noted that the inter-Christian dispute is political. "There are two pillars on which the relations between Christians are based: political diversity and the acknowledgment of others." He added that if there is a problem anywhere in the equation, all Christian parties suffer.

"The solution is to reach an inter-Christian agreement over basic principles, which will make up the platform for Christian participation in power, whether they are a minority or a majority, rather than resorting into another majority that erodes Christian representation," Aoun said, referring to Ruling bloc-allied Christian factions.

Commenting on the establishment of the government and the level of Christian representation, Aoun said that those who were satisfied with getting the Tourism Ministry are not accepting anything less than a sovereign ministry, a reference to the Lebanese Forces' representation in the present government through Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis.

"It is good that I have managed to raise the level of representation for everyone. I am not upset. If George Adwan is Finance Minister, I would feel better represented than if Jihad Azour is Finance Minister," Aoun told the daily.

Aoun also said that no new suggestions on how to allocate seats in the next government have been proposed to him, "but they are accusing us of obstruction."

"Everyone knows the source of obstruction. One of the main reasons for the dispute is the government's plan of action and the return of the Saudis to the situation," Aoun said.

He added that the Armenians in Lebanon have been humiliated, "because MP Saad Hariri wanted to steal the Armenians' representation in Beirut."

Aoun noted that while Christians were forced to leave the Mountain due to violence, the Armenians will be isolated through politics.

"Hariri is continuing the project of displacement," he said, adding that he fears that the Lebanese Christians will leave the country once and for all.