Bassil Calls for 'Political Independence,' Rejects 'Interference'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil asked on Friday for the assistance of the international community to prevent interference in Lebanon's internal affairs and hoped that the vacuum at the presidential palace would not persist.
Bassil addressed diplomats based in Lebanon, asking for “assistance not to meddle in its affairs but to stand by its residents and institutions.”
“Lebanon through its diversity cannot preserve itself without its independent decision-making,” he said in a speech on the occasion of Independence Day.
“Political independence does not mean isolation. It means interacting with its surroundings,” he told the diplomats.
Bassil also urged the ambassadors to help the Lebanese army in its fight against terrorism.
He stressed Lebanon has an “independent and effective diplomacy,” which allows it to take the right decisions.
He said Lebanon should not become a by-stander. “It should play - whenever it can - a role bigger than its size.”
“Lebanon should become a success story and not a failed state,” Bassil stressed.
He also said Lebanon should consolidate itself against “the axis of terrorism” and “hold onto its right of resistance.”
“It has the natural right to enjoy peace,” Bassil said.
“It is time for a solution and not a settlement. It is time to be independent,” he added.
On the presidential deadlock, the foreign minister hoped that the vacuum at the helm of the country's top Christian post would not persist.
“As we meet today on the occasion of Independence Day, the exception lies in not having a president among us,” he said.
Bassil described it as “derogatory” for not having a president chosen by the Lebanese.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since May when President Michel Suleiman's term ended without a successor.
G.K.
M.T.
21 November 2014, 11:58
16
god bless independence and god punish dependent people and muppets
21 November 2014, 12:19
96
It's funny when he "claims" that he wants political independence and is allied with Iran Syria and HA :) such a hypocrite like his leader...
21 November 2014, 21:18
00
Parotic to king Dollar. Who pays him makes no difference. Would you guys believe that he still doesn't know what side a steak knife should be placed when invited to a meal? Minister my butt.
21 November 2014, 12:29
28
the only way to stop outside interferences is a popular vote and an electoral law based on proportionality as stipulated in taef
god bless independence from (arms and money )
21 November 2014, 13:02
23
Nobobody...i repeat nobody can contradict this factual ...fact (-:
21 November 2014, 13:03
84
have you noticed?
he is loosing his eyesight and wearing glasses from counting the stolen money....
21 November 2014, 13:19
82
Too many hours late at night infront of comuter watching "stuff"... ;)
21 November 2014, 21:18
01
FT, just as that seat is driving papa Aoun and his prodigal son nuttier. Mou?
21 November 2014, 13:14
73
Peiple answer this legitimate question: who is Iran's number one man from FPM...?
21 November 2014, 13:35
34
Honestly speaking I classify people like Jebran Bassil in Lebanon as emerging elites whose ascend to power comes not from merit or hard work, but through personal connections in this case would be political alliances at the expense of rival factions that collectively dominate the entire political arena in Lebanon.
However, it is crucial to point out that this is in no way restricted to Mr.Bassil, but is a general phenomenon in the internal political dynamics of Lebanon. We can say in this respect that corruption and nepotism in Lebanon are the means of reaching the ends. All political representatives in this decaying political system engage in one way or the other in similar methods for reaching their political objectives.
21 November 2014, 13:35
73
A Looser is nit always a Looser, if you make them rich, provide him with bodyguard, a broacasting platform, continously on TV for no or some trivial reason, always talking about great subjects that doesn't nake sense, Encounters with important people acting like a weird kid ... then serious media press speachs about his encounters to clear his unfortunate misshapens. HE IS Back again covering his masters as if people are as simple as he is.
21 November 2014, 13:54
12
Lebanon will never change as long as people keep supporting the same thugs from the 75 to 90 era. I donno why u guys criticize each other, yet you defend those politicians. Did any 1 of them supported the people financially? Never. They become rich so fast, yet you stay poor. Enough with the non-sense, if just for once, you stop supporting these thugs\puppets, maybe there will be a change for good. God bless you all.
21 November 2014, 13:56
73
@ The smart guy comparing Iran to KSA, where do you see KSA helping mustaqbal or LF with weapons against peoples will?
21 November 2014, 14:36
43
Even if they want to criticize KSA etc... why don't they acknowledge the destructive role of Syria and Iran and their local agents?
21 November 2014, 14:47
53
how can we have political independence when Aoun is covering for an armed Hizbollah who is armed, funded and directed by Iran
21 November 2014, 15:50
00
There is an interesting phenomena here that I cannot help but notice and that I'm sure many of you have as well, when the so called flame thrower is away most other M8 spammers are also away. Following his first post there is a deluge of them posting like their life depended on it. I wonder if they are all bused in like little mentally handicapped children going to the lollipop factory or do they pile into one clown car and come over together, the contents of most of their posts suggests the later. Or just maybe the spam squad are really just the Johnny punch-card AKA flame thrower.
21 November 2014, 21:20
01
Interesting how Geagea is called criminal yet people even more criminal seem to be exonerated on the fly. If people like Aoun, Nasrallah, Berri and Jumblatt don't get that label stuck on the forehead, then that should by definition make Geagea an angel, that simple. Now let's cut off the crap shall we?
21 November 2014, 14:48
52
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil asked on Friday for the assistance of the international community to prevent interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.. please interfere to stop interference!
this is comedy gold folks, after his farther in law croaks and his political career is over he can go into comedy his deadpan is worthy of Leslie Nielsen!
Please don't call me Shirley call me Caroline.. CAROLINE!
21 November 2014, 15:04
52
Aoun & co have been lying to you...just look at how much money they have...even Simon (everyone knows the little commerce he had in Paris) he is now multimmillionnaire...HOW?
21 November 2014, 16:19
22
Guys don't make fun of Bassil, he's our future president lmaoooooooooooo
21 November 2014, 20:03
00
Bassil Calls for 'Political In'
Hizbullah secretary-general's political aide Hussein Khalil announced Thursday that the and us have become one body
22 November 2014, 16:48
00
Seriously are there still people in Lebanon that listen to this guy apart from his wife and maybe his chauffeur ?
Ahhh...I almost forgot about FT :D
Peace y'allll !
