Khaddam Criticizes Suleiman's Stance on Syria: Assad Played Major Role in Your Appointment

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam criticized President Michel Suleiman's positions on the Syrian crisis, saying that they are “hostile” towards the Syrian people, said various media reports Monday.

He added in an address to Suleiman: “Several Lebanese and Arab people do not question Suleiman's antagonistic stances against the Syrians and their revolt due to your loyalty to Syrian President Bashar Assad, who played a major role in your appointment as president.”

He also questioned Suleiman's comments on Lebanon's sovereignty and threat to turn to the United Nations Security Council should Free Syrian Army operations against some Lebanese border villages continue.

“Your ignoring of Hizbullah's crimes alongside the butcher Bashar Assad and his regime in Syria is worth noting,” continued Khaddam

“It is questionable that you do not know and do not want to know that Hizbullah is controlling Lebanon due to its military arsenal,” he remarked to Suleiman.

“We hope that you do resort to the Security Council that will, with the majority of its members, assert that the Lebanese government has lost its administrative control of Lebanon due to Hizbullah, which is backed by Iran and the killing regime in Syria,” he added.

“You only have a short time before your term ends and are left to retire, so we hope that you would perform something worth being remembered for,” said the former Syrian vice president.

Suleiman had headed earlier in April a security meeting at the Baabda Palace that had condemned the shelling of Lebanese territories from Syria “regardless which side is behind the attacks.”

The president did not threaten to turn to the Security Council to address this issue.

Khaddam, who played a prominent role during the period of Syria's hegemony over Lebanon, announced in January 2005 his defection from the Syrian regime.

His ties with Assad had deteriorated after he criticized Syrian foreign policy, especially regarding Lebanon, calling for the overthrow of the regime and the rise of a modern democratic state in Syria.