Tueni Skirmishes with Berri During Policy Statement Deba
Beirut lawmaker Gebran Tueni made a lengthy assessment of the pros and cons of the policy statement of Premier Seniora's newly formed government in Parliament Thursday and then skirmished with Speaker Berri over U.N. Resolution 1559 and Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails, An Nahar and other Lebanese dailies reported extensively on Friday.
An Nahar's General-Manager called for a speedy establishment of diplomatic ties with Syria plus an exchange of recognition with the Assad regime, urging, too, a reconsideration of all treaties concluded during Syria's 29-year control of Lebanon, including the structure of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council for its bad performance.
Tueni also urged a demarcation of the Lebanese border with Syria and asked the government to intensify efforts to bring home all Lebanese held in Syrian jails. He criticized the lack of gratitude in the policy statement to U.N. Resolution 1559, which helped Lebanon spin out of Syria's orbit and regain its sovereignty and independence.
When Tueni started to climb down from parliament's podium, Berri told him you have three more minutes to speak. "It's not a shame to express gratitude to the western nations that authored resolution 1559, but I want to ask whether Israel is among them," Berri said.
"Israel is an enemy state," Tueni shot back. "But the Israeli says he made 1559," Berri contended. "The resolution was issued by the Security Council of which Israel is not a member," Tueni replied.
"It is Israel who claimed to have had the principal role," Berri insisted. "We do not usually believe what Israel says. This has always been our stance. Why should we believe her now?" Tueni snapped back.
Berri noted that Tueni made no reference to Lebanese held in Israeli jails within the context of his calls for rescuing the Lebanese from Syrian jails. "That goes without saying," Tueni responded. "How can I abstain from supporting intense efforts to bring back home all the sons of Lebanon from Israeli prisons?"
The Berri-Tueni saber rattling stole the limelight of the evening session of parliament's televised debate of the policy statement that was resumed Friday morning for a vote of confidence. Tueni said he was giving the Seniora government a yes vote.
An Nahar's General-Manager called for a speedy establishment of diplomatic ties with Syria plus an exchange of recognition with the Assad regime, urging, too, a reconsideration of all treaties concluded during Syria's 29-year control of Lebanon, including the structure of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council for its bad performance.
Tueni also urged a demarcation of the Lebanese border with Syria and asked the government to intensify efforts to bring home all Lebanese held in Syrian jails. He criticized the lack of gratitude in the policy statement to U.N. Resolution 1559, which helped Lebanon spin out of Syria's orbit and regain its sovereignty and independence.
When Tueni started to climb down from parliament's podium, Berri told him you have three more minutes to speak. "It's not a shame to express gratitude to the western nations that authored resolution 1559, but I want to ask whether Israel is among them," Berri said.
"Israel is an enemy state," Tueni shot back. "But the Israeli says he made 1559," Berri contended. "The resolution was issued by the Security Council of which Israel is not a member," Tueni replied.
"It is Israel who claimed to have had the principal role," Berri insisted. "We do not usually believe what Israel says. This has always been our stance. Why should we believe her now?" Tueni snapped back.
Berri noted that Tueni made no reference to Lebanese held in Israeli jails within the context of his calls for rescuing the Lebanese from Syrian jails. "That goes without saying," Tueni responded. "How can I abstain from supporting intense efforts to bring back home all the sons of Lebanon from Israeli prisons?"
The Berri-Tueni saber rattling stole the limelight of the evening session of parliament's televised debate of the policy statement that was resumed Friday morning for a vote of confidence. Tueni said he was giving the Seniora government a yes vote.
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