Egyptian Radio Interviews Lebanese Foreign Minister On Crisis

Voice of the Arabs, Cairo
17 Jul 06

[Presenter] from Beirut we interview His Excellency Lebanese Foreign
Minister Fawzi Sallukh, who arrived there following his participation
in the Arab League Council meeting in Cairo [on 15 July]. Your
excellency the minister, let us start with the results of the Arab
League Council meeting: was its stand satisfactory for the Lebanese
government and people?

[Sallukh] How can I tell you it was satisfactory while I do not find
an appropriate interpretation of the word satisfactory? However,
Lebanon had a draft resolution, and the Arab brothers approved this
draft resolution on stopping the aggression immediately, supporting
Lebanon’s steadfastness as well as supporting Lebanon’s complaint to
the [UN] Security Council. There was another resolution for dealing
with the Middle East crisis. But as I heard that his excellency the
Arab League secretary-general announced the death of all endeavours
seeking a solution to the Middle East issue because all talks and
contacts were suspended as if everyone was handing over the solution
of the Middle East issue to Israel.

Israel wants a unilateral solution in order to impose its conditions on
Palestinians in the occupied territories in Palestine and on Lebanon
or any other country with foreign backing because international
public opinion and the international community failed to utter a
word while Lebanon is facing a ferocious war, the killing of its
people, the destruction of its infrastructure and of all civilian and
service institutions in Lebanon. We have not heard a voice from the
international community asking Israel to stop this barbaric, ferocious
aggression because such aggression is not self-defence. Self-defence
cannot be so ferocious and barbaric while there is international law,
humanitarian law and conventions [words indistinct]. Israel ignored
all this and adopts the police of force and violence. All they said
is that it [Israel] was using excessive force to defend itself. If
this ferocious attack and aggression is self-defence, I wonder how
wars will be in the future.

[Passage omitted: On his tour to Armenia and Cairo over the last week.]

[Presenter] How did you find the general situation in the country?

[Sallukh] Awful silence and inactivity dominate the country, from
Tripoli to Beirut. Few cars run on the road. There is no movement of
citizens from Tripoli to Beirut. Some people have left their homes
and resorted to safe shelters in the mountains or elsewhere. Some have
left the country. Some are staying still, staying at home and hoping
that the international community will pass a decisive resolution on
stopping this barbaric Israeli aggression that is at odds with all
conventions and laws in force.

[Presenter] Mr Fawzi Sallukh, Lebanese foreign minister: as a
professional diplomat, how do you see the way out of this crisis? Is
it the USA, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany? Will these
countries intervene eventually to stop this Israeli aggression and
apply a cease-fire, or will this crisis extend further?

[Sallukh] Who will intervene if these above-mentioned countries
fail to intervene?! They have to intervene if they believe in
the sanctity of man. Man everywhere has sanctity, but we see their
discrimination between people. Why did they fail to call for handing
over [Lebanese] prisoners of war in Israeli jails for 29 years since
they call for handing over two [Israeli] prisoners of war? So we
urge these above-mentioned countries to support the right and to
act in compliance with laws. They should respect these laws so that
international public opinion and citizens in all countries will
respect them. [Passage omitted]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress