Moussawi: No political party with the strength of Hizbullah could be ignored

Source: Nowlebanon.com, 9-10-2008
Hizbullah foreign affairs spokesman Nawaf Moussawi said that since 1992 communication between France and Hizbullah had never been cut, even during the 2006 July War. Moussawi said that any state that looked at the Lebanese political landscape would realize that no political party with the strength of Hizbullah could be ignored. He said that France's policy toward Lebanon had shifted to a focus on the presidency, after it had been proved that adopting a biased stance was useless.
In a press statement released on Thursday, Moussawi said that the visit of Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of State David Hale and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Mary Beth Long to Lebanon had had no "practical affect," and was only aimed at supporting one faction in Lebanon. He called for ignoring American policy, and instead focusing on consensus with Lebanese partners.
Moussawi said that the naturalization of the Palestinians was not a "scarecrow," as some used to say, but a true danger. Accordingly, all political forces, American allies primarily, must realize the danger to Lebanon caused by such a decision, Moussawi said, adding that Hizbullah did not need the issue of naturalization to keep its weapons.
Moussawi said that the 2009 parliamentary elections would define whether there would be a ruling elite seeking naturalization in Lebanon, or one cooperating with the Palestinians to restore their right to return to their homeland.
Moussawi called for reinforcing the Christian role in the Lebanese political landscape through a large and balanced Christian bloc on par with other forces represented in the parliament. He also said he feared foreign intervention, supported by an immense amount of money, would divide Christian blocs, and lead to the marginalization of the Christians. He also said there were no disputes between Hizbullah and its allies as to candidate lists.
Moussawi said that President Michel Suleiman's call to amend the rights and privileges of the president was correct. "The presidential position is no longer active and its privileges do not allow it to perform the role of the guarantor," he said.
He called for the cessation of political disturbances that restricted the army in the North in its battle against security threats.