Naharnet

Geagea Calls on Hizbullah to Negotiate over ‘Arms Settlement’

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on Hizbullah to negotiate with political parties in Lebanon to reach a “historical settlement” over its arms and all the controversial issues amid the developments in the region.

“It may seem a hard step but it’s courageous and necessary… The sooner the better because changes (in the region) will decrease the value of its (Hizbullah’s) weapons… Until it becomes a burden on it,” Geagea said in remarks published in As Safir newspaper on Thursday.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah reiterated in his last speech that his group, the only party that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war, would never give up its weapons.

Hizbullah's arsenal has been at the center of the National Dialogue, stalled since 2010 because of bickering between rival parties.

Asked about the cabinet, Geagea described it as a “bizarre government.”

Concerning the expected return of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Geagea said it would be “near,” noting that preparations are underway.

He revealed that the March 14-led opposition is preparing a comprehensive strategy to deal with the upcoming stage.

Geagea considered that the situation in Syria will head towards more complications and escalations, confirming that the collapse of the regime is “inevitable and a matter of time, not more.”

“The regime of (Syrian President) Bashar Assad can no longer go on… it lost the local, Arab and international legitimacy,” he noted.

Geagea refused to announce his position over Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa al-Thani’s proposed to send in Arab troops to quell the unrest in Syria.


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