Lebanon Finalizes Its Response to Gulf Initiative
Lebanon has finalized the draft of its response to the Gulf initiative and it has “accepted most of its articles,” Annahar newspaper reported on Thursday.
“The draft explains Hizbullah’s presence based on it being an essential component in Lebanon and notes that the government expresses Lebanon’s stances,” the daily said.
“As for the U.N. resolutions, the draft says that Lebanon is committed to these resolutions and that there is an international community that must help in implementing these resolutions and preserving the Lebanese interest,” the newspaper added.
The draft also says that the Lebanese government “welcomes the various articles of the Gulf initiative.”
“Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has prepared the draft and is carrying it to the three presidents (Michel Aoun, Nabih Berri and Najib Miqati) to win their approval, before carrying it with its official and final format to Kuwait,” Annahar reported.
The initiative, or paper of demands, had been carried by Kuwait’s foreign minister to Lebanon over the weekend. The minister said it contains “a Kuwaiti, Gulf, Arab and international message containing measures and ideas to build confidence again with Lebanon."
The measures include Lebanon's commitment to U.N. resolutions related to Hizbullah's disarmament, according to a leaked copy of the paper.
President Aoun has reportedly stressed to foreign envoys that he met that “the issue of Hizbullah’s arms and its regional role is not a local issue that has to do with Lebanon alone, but rather a regional and international issue.”
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://cdn.naharnet.com/stories/en/287501 |