Government's Statement

Translation provided by www.mideastwire.com

On August 5, the Lebanese News Agency posted the transcript of the ministerial statement. The following are excerpts of the statement:

"The introduction:

1- "Around two months ago, under Arab auspices and with the support of Lebanon's brothers and friends, we reached an exceptional agreement that was highly necessary for that exceptional period. It is an agreement that returned us to the Constitution and the political process and the constitutional rules and customs in what would allow us to practice a democratic regime and resolve our conflicts by dialogue inside our constitutional institutions.

2- In Doha, we all agreed to prohibit the resort to weapons or violence regardless of the nature of the conflict and under any circumstances, in what would secure the adherence to the national partnership pact, which is based on the determination of the Lebanese people to live together in the framework of a democratic regime, and to restrict military and security power to the state only, thus securing the survival of the coexistence principle and civil peace for all the Lebanese.

3- "The Doha Agreement affirmed that all sides should abide by the principles and rules of the Lebanese Constitution and the Taef Agreement and [backed] the call for a national dialogue headed by the president, with the participation of the Arab League, over the mechanisms to reinforce the authority of the Lebanese State on its territories and its relations with various groups on the Lebanese lands, in what secures the safety of the state and the citizens.

4- "Our government , whose ratio of representation we agreed in Doha and which we pledged not to resign from or hinder its performance , is committed to implement this agreement fully and unequivocally. The reason is because [this agreement] leads to political stability and reconciliation and contributes to healing the wounds and reinforcing the ability of the state to safeguard the citizens and preserve their rights. This commitment is our only way to exit the state of economic stagnancy and confront the domestic repercussions of the international economic circumstances, in addition to resolving our increasing social crisis, fighting unemployment, and confronting the increasing rate of youth emigration.

5- "Therefore, the Lebanese people are hoping that our alliance in this government , the government of unanimous national will , will be a way to exit this crisis and avoid the threats of estrangement, towards rapprochement, calm and open dialogue over the great national choices that preserve Lebanon and safeguard the freedom of its citizens, their security and rights.

6- "They are the choices that entrench Lebanon's unity, underpin its coexistence, and preserve its independence, sovereignty, democratic regime, and its distinguishing characteristics of diversity, moderation, openness and the sense of belonging to this country and the strong bonds with its expatriate citizens across the world. They also strengthen its balance in the Arab world and the entire world.

7- "The government ensures its adherence to the principle of unity and the supremacy of the state in all the issues pertaining to the general policy of the country, in what preserves Lebanon and upholds its national sovereignty, which is the principle that governs all the clauses of the ministerial statement.

8- "The government also highlights the content of the [Constitutional] oath speech of His Eminence the president of the republic, namely the approaches and calls for dialogue and adherence to the Constitution, the National Agreement, and the National Agreement Pact. [End of the Introduction]

"Part one: General Policy

9- “Our government corroborates its commitment to implement all the articles of the Taef Agreement. It will work hard to meet the label it was given, a government that works for the sake of national unity, and to rebuild its cracked pillars and restore the confidence of the Lebanese people in their state and institutions.

10- "The government's efforts come in light of its awareness that the huge events witnessed in our country over the last years and months and weeks, and the wounds and fears of the Lebanese people, require from us to abandon violence, the violence of arms and threats and instigation. These events also make us avoid provoking sectarian feelings and other aggressive emotions, and instead, they call upon us to spread the values of tolerance, love and harmony, which represent the heart of Lebanon's mission.

11- "Abandoning violence represents a double responsibility in referring to the Constitution and laws and institutions and respecting the rules of the Lebanese political regime on the one hand, and dealing with others respectfully with the spirit of genuine partnership and seeking to achieve the public interests and keeping disagreements in their original place so they do not turn into rifts or destructive struggles [on the other hand].

12- "The Lebanese people sense the threats that engulf their country and they are worried about their security and future, while at the same time, they are suffering from social, economic and financial impacts that have accumulated over the past difficult years witnessed in Lebanon. The government should frankly and openheartedly inform the Lebanese people about the crisis overwhelming their country, which should be encountered without delay. They also have the right to know the mechanisms to meet these crises, away from illusions and gratis pledges that surpass capacities, in order to avoid anything that negatively influences economic growth and sustainable development.

13- "The government is also committed to designing a doable action program and implementing it, upon which we will be held to account by the Parliament and Lebanese public opinion. This program will focus on the priorities of the coming period in the context of general policies, including long term approaches in various domains.

14- "The government stresses the fact that preparing for the coming parliamentary election is at the top of its responsibilities, but this does not mean that the logic of struggle and competition in political action and electoral activity will overshadow its resolutions and the jobs of its ministers. Instead, securing the good functioning of the state's institutions and implementing the law and respecting the rights of the citizens without discrimination is what guarantees the execution of just and free elections. In any way, providing security for all Lebanese regions ensures that all Lebanese can practice their freedom to choose their representatives.

15- "The government is also committed to conducting parliamentary elections punctually according to the new electoral law that will be ratified by the Parliament, consistent with the Doha agreement, regarding the division of constituencies, and based on the reformative suggestions mentioned by the National Committee for the Electoral Law.

16- "Security issues in Lebanon still require redoubled efforts from the state to protect the Lebanese from assassinations and terrorism and to safeguard civil peace, away from violence with all means within reach. Fulfilling this duty is contingent upon the commitment of all the political rivals to what they agreed on and pledged in Doha, and their honest consent to the right of the Lebanese to enjoy a safe and stable life, and the right of the state to spread its control over all Lebanese territories, in order not to have any areas that are asylums for fugitives. The government will also be strict in fighting all sorts of murders and in putting an end to shootings that take place on various occasions and in demonstrations. The perpetrators will be pursued and brought to justice.

17- "It is the duty of the state not to overlook any attempts to play with peace or security and to put an end for mobile explosions and tensions , regardless of their reasons and pretexts , which threaten civil peace and crack national unity. Security is the right of the Lebanese, away from their political or sectarian affiliations. It is the condition for the establishment of the strong state and the wellbeing of democratic life. It goes without saying that security should not be subjected to compromise or political blackmailing. The commitment of all political forces to the Doha agreement at the level of civil peace and security is the criterion of their credibility in front of the Lebanese and the international community.

18- "It is the duty of the government , and the right of the Lebanese , to fight all sorts of terrorism and to hinder it from endangering Lebanon's stability. Thus, the government will expend all efforts to prevent terrorist organizations from manipulating some of the Lebanese people and employing them as fuel in their aggression. Last year, the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces were attacked by terrorists. The armed forces were forced to encounter them and offer martyrs and huge sacrifices to defend Lebanon and the Lebanese. The Lebanese people gathered around these forces – namely the Lebanese Army – which gained more confidence and admiration from the Lebanese people. The Army deterred the Israeli enemy as it deterred the terrorism, which had nothing to do with the Palestinian cause and the tolerant values of Islam.

19- "Today, we should reinforce confidence in the legitimate armed forces, and offer them political support, so they fulfill their role in a way that reassures the Lebanese, who should feel that these forces guarantee their right to security and protect them from any aggression. The government keeps up its support for the Army and the Internal Security Forces and the affiliated security apparatuses. It will provide them with the best capabilities to fulfill their national duties according to the laws and based on the resolutions and approaches of the political authority.

20- "At the Arab level, our government will work hard to reinforce the relations with Arab brothers and entrench the bonds that link us, out of our belief in the necessity to activate joint Arab action, in the framework of the Arab League. The government underscores the necessity of Arab solidarity in defending our pan-Arab causes, namely the Palestinian cause, in addition to protecting joint interests

21- "While the government ensures Lebanon's adherence to the legitimate national and Arab rights in the face of Israel and its aggressions, it stresses the Arab solidarity apart from the policy of axes, to adhere to Lebanon's higher interest and that of the Arabs. The Lebanese do not accept the custody of any [state] and refuse to be tools employed by regional and international players in their power struggle. A stable Lebanon , the homeland rather than the arena , and the formula based on coexistence, is a natural right for its citizens and an Arab and international need at the same time.

22- "The government looks forward to building unsurpassed relations with fraternal Syria, on the basis of mutual respect for the sovereignty and independence of both countries, and the trust and fraternal bonds. A sound relationship between two countries can never be built on estrangement or subordination. Hence, the government will work to purify Lebanese-Syrian relations, benefiting from the experiences of the past, in order to preserve the joint interests…

24- "Based on the state's responsibility to preserve the sovereignty and independence and unity of Lebanon and the wellbeing of its territories, and in line with the Constitution, the government lays emphasis on the following:

"First: the right of the Lebanese people, army and resistance to liberate the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, Kafar Shuba Hills, and the Lebanese section of Ghajar village, and defend the country using all legal and possible means.

"Second: The commitment of the government to UNSCR 1701 with all its clauses.

"Third: "To work towards designing a comprehensive national defensive strategy to protect and defend Lebanon. This strategy should be reached during a dialogue called upon by His Eminence the president of the republic, with the participation of the Arab League, after the government gains the confidence of the Parliament

28- "Based on the National Agreement Pact announced in Taef , which stipulated that the state spreads its control over all the Lebanese territories and stressed the need that the Palestinian brothers living in Lebanon should respect the state's authority and laws- the government will work in line with what the national dialogue committee unanimously agreed upon, and will put an end to the Palestinian arms outside the camps and resolve the issue of security and arms inside the camps.

"It also underscores its responsibility and commitment to protect the Palestinian camps from any assault. With the cooperation of the Palestinian factions' representatives and concerned Arab sides, the government will strive to reach appropriate solutions, in what preserves the security of the Palestinians and the Lebanese

"Part Two: Priorities of the government's action:

31- "Implementation of foreign policy

"Lebanon's foreign policy stems from the unanimous national will and the duty to defend Lebanon's rights and interests and characteristics and the responsibility of restoring its active role in the Arab world and the international community.

"This policy is also based on Lebanon's commitment to the Charter of the Arab League and the United Nations and its concern about joint Arab action and international cooperation. The government will take pains to reinforce the Arab and international role of Lebanon in various domains, through an active presence and participation in the activities of Arab and international organizations.

"In this context, the government will endeavor to gain wider support for the election of Lebanon as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council for the years 2010 and 2011. The government will work hard to develop its relations with the European Union, on the basis of the partnership agreement, neighborly policy, and the Union for the Mediterranean.

"The government will strengthen the capacities of Lebanese diplomacy, through training and modernizing the working methods, so it fulfills its role to the best in developing the economic, political, and cultural relations with the world and defending Lebanon's causes and interests, and enhancing its presence in international and regional forums and meetings and in the media

34- "Restoring the Lebanese who took refuge to Israel

The government , in line with the [Constitutional] oath speech, which stressed the need to return our sons who fled to Israel , will work persistently to resolve this issue. It will provide necessary climates and possible facilities to secure their return, in what harmonizes with the laws and takes into account the circumstances of each one of them.

42- "General guidelines of the social, financial, and economic policy:

"The government's efforts at the level of social and economic policies will focus on three major points:

"First: "Achieving economic growth rates capable of returning Lebanon to the track of sustainable development and restore some of its missing prosperity. In addition, it will work hard to attract direct Arab and foreign investments that would contribute to finding new job opportunities, improving the living circumstances of the citizens, strengthening the status of the state's general budget and reducing the rate of public debt

"Second: Enhancing the target and efficiency of social services offered by the state to the citizens and developing social support programs for marginalized and needy groups. In addition, the government will reinforce the social security system and follow up on implementing reformative projects for the social security organization.

"Third: "The government emphasizes its commitment to the economic reform policy, which Lebanon submitted to the Paris III Conference, and strives to implement it in the form of policies and programs and sector reforms, taking into account the new international and local economic changes, which require amending the timetables which Lebanon abided by, in order to accord with the exceptional circumstances that the country passed through over the past two years

43- "Reinforcing economic stability and growth and stimulating investments.

"First: The government is committed to continue implementing the economic revival program and speeding up sustainable development in what matched the capacities of the Lebanese economy and contributes to enhancing its productivity. This requires instantly discussing the program in order to ratify a large group of draft laws and reforms existing in the draft budgets of 2007 and 2008, which the government hopes from the honourable parliament to ratify as soon as possible.

"Second: "The government will endeavor to strengthen the partnership between the public and private sector. It will therefore consider the possibility of opening the area of investment in electricity production to the private sector or involve it in distributing power and collecting bills. In addition, the government intends to liberalize the telecommunication sector and embark on a privatization process, with emphasis on the principle of enhancing competitiveness, increasing the decree of disclosure, improving the quality, urging a price reduction and maintaining the interest of the citizens. (Please see the clause pertaining to telecommunication sector).

"In addition, the government will work to prepare a number of privatization projects and partnership with the private sector, including necessary draft laws in the transportation sector, sewage refining, oil refining and public parking lots and others"