BASSIL in CAIRO: We Are Called Upon to Adopt a Unified Arab Position That Consecrates Reconciliation, Draws Up Confrontational Plans

 12 Oct 2019

Lebanon - Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Minister, Gebran Bassil, stressed Saturday during the Arab Foreign Ministers Extraordinary Meeting in Cairo that "we are not convening today against Turkey, but rather we are meeting for the sake of Syria."

"We are compelled to adopt a unanimous Arab position to convene an emergency summit of the Arab League, with its entire members, to consecrate reconciliation and draw-up plans to confront what is planned for us, and anything less than that will not be taken seriously nor will it ward off the Turkish side," said Bassil.

He stressed the need for more than verbal condemnations at this stage.

"Isn't it time for Syria to return to the Arab League's haven?" he continued to question, adding, "Isn't it time to stop the bloodbath, terrorism, and the wave of displacement and asylum? Isn't it time for the return of the displaced and for the Arab-Arab reconciliation? Or should we wait for the green lights from here and there...?"

Bassil emphasized that the Arab light is much needed today as a first response by the League against the Turkish aggression on the Syrian Arab territories, so as not to lose the north of Syria as the Syrian Golan was lost.

"The Syrian people were forced to abandon their homes and scatter all over the world as refugees and displaced people seeking security and safety. The countries of the whole world intervened in this conflict, and Arab states such as Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq paid a heavy price at the economic, social and security levels, in light of the Arab involvement, the European intervention and the complicity of interests and greed...leaving the Syrian people to their fate," Bassil went on.

"Today, some may consider that Lebanon's interest lies in supporting the Turkish military operation, as it seeks to secure a safe area for the Syrian refugees who fled their homes, which will in turn pave the way for the return of the displaced Syrians in Lebanon to the safe areas under the Syrian government," he maintained.

"Others may deem that Lebanon's interest lies in the process is to prevent the creation of a Kurdish entity that threatens the territorial integrity of four countries - Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq - which, if established, would allow for other sectarian entities in the region, thus undermining Lebanon's core existence," explained Bassil.

"Yet, Lebanon's position is based on a sovereign, national and Arab principle, whereby a genuine Syrian Arab land cannot be attacked without a declared stance from us. Lebanon's definite interest is in a principled Arab consensus that protects every Arab country, as large as Syria or as small as Lebanon, from any aggression on its territory, people or dignity," Bassil underlined.

The Lebanese Foreign Minister thanked the Egyptian Republic for its convening of the Arab Foreign Ministers in an extraordinary session, while urging the attendees to support the call sent out a year ago for the return of Syria to its seat at the League which has been vacant for the past 8 years.