FPM slams imagined majority for distorting Aoun΄s comments in Damascus

04-12-2008

The Free Patriotic Movement responded to criticism of their leader's visit to Syria on Thursday, saying, in a press release, that some in the imagined majority and their supporters in the media could not find anything to take issue with in Aoun's press conference in Damascus, so they invented and propagated a lie until they themselves believed it, and believed the people would as well.

The FPM said that "the lie was a deliberate misquoting of Aoun's clear and honest answer" to a question about a Syrian apology to Lebanon. According to the FPM press release, the transcript of Aoun's actual exchange in the press conference showed that "Aoun was asked: can we consider Syrian warm welcoming Syrian apology? Did President Assad apology to the Lebanese population about the previous period so that we move on with this new term?

He replied: Did the Lebanese in Beirut, who were partners in a specific period with those who were responsible at the time for the Lebanese situation, apologize to the Lebanese as Lebanese? Or are they still beating us. What happened was an honoring, not an apology, and the Lebanese in Beirut should begin by apologizing first to us so we are able to obligate Syria to apologize."

The FPM said that the majority's aim was clear: to distort the content of the visit and politically harm Aoun. The movement called on the people of Lebanon and their political, judicial, and journalistic authorities to make the proper "judgment."