| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Outraged Lahoud tells Aoun: Stop misleading the Lebanese |
| 2009-03-18 |
| Lebanon's Minister Nassib Lahoud responded to the attacks of the Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's during a press conference on Tuesday, by telling the retired general "to stop cheating and misleading the Lebanese people." Lahoud, who appeared to have had enough with Aoun told reporters : Aoun has reached a new low, which does not suit the Lebanese and the Christian communities. In response to Aoun's allegations that he was with Saiqa, Lahoud said : " The Lebanese people will decide who is right. Everyone knows that I was never a member of the "Saiqa" organization. I was an adherent to the National Liberal Party not to the 'Saiiqa' as Aoun claimed." He added : "what Aoun said about the issue is fabricated. Let the Lebanese people judge who is the ignorant amongst us." He continued " General [Michel] Aoun's rhetoric is based on rumors. Misleading information cannot fool the Lebanese." In response to Aoun's attacks against the Church Lahoud said : " Who forgets the campaigns against Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, the Maronite bishops and the Patriarchy?" " I tell Aoun: Stop fooling and misleading the people, enough forgery, enough cheating . You deceived people too many times and we won't let you cheat them again." He added With regards to the elections in the Metn , Lahoud said : "I believe that the Lebanese and the Metn residents will abide by the Maronite Patriarchy's recommendations." He added " June 7 would witness the response to General Aoun personally." Lahoud stressed that : "The March 14 alliance would be unified in the Metn district and a unified list will be announced in the forthcoming weeks." Lahoud criticized Aoun's campaign style : " Attacks and campaigns are Aoun's style to run in the elections. Aoun's campaigns also targeted prominent journalists, the spirit of the martyrs." Lahoud warned: " We will not remain silent to these attempts." With regards to Aoun's former ally MP Michel Murr, Lahoud said : "There used to be a disagreement with MP Michel al-Murr in the past, but I previously announced that there are some common points between us." In response to allegations that March 14 leaders are behind his defeat in 1990 Ladoud responded " Those responsible for October 13, 1990 are not only those who were present at BIEL on Saturday, but also some were Aoun's allies. I have nothing to do with the Presidential Palace's invasion in Baabda in 1990 as Aoun claimed." Aoun "should have remembered Oct. 13 during his visit to Damascus," Lahoud proclaimed For the record on 13 October 1990 Aoun was defeated by the Syrian army and forced into exile. He returned to Lebanon on May 7, 2005, eleven days after the March 14th Cedar Revolution forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Lahoud concluded: "I remind Aoun that I was within the opposition for 15 years. If he wants to hold me accountable for participating in governance, this would be for the past six months when I became minister of state." |
| Posted by:Fred |