Following the scathing remarks made my the March 14th alliance in Cabinet Wednesday, President Emile Lahoud issued a long and winding statement regarding his political ties and objectives, defending his patriotic and autonomous stands, while labeling his accusers as the true traitors of the country.

Lahoud began by saying that he had always called for dialogue but his opponents have now chosen the language of cuss words and street demonstrations, driving the country into a deep crisis.

“You have read one article in L’Orient Le Jour but I read thousands of daily articles financed by known sides, but I can assure you that what you are reading is not the opinion of the Lebanese people who are tired of that dirty language,” Lahoud said.

“My only concern as a former Army chief and as president is to build a nation, without sectarian prejudice and favoritism, for I follow no one’s orders. When I took my presidential oath, I didn’t do it to please Syria or anyone; I did it to please my own conscience knowing that Lebanon cannot survive without sound relations with Syria in confronting Israel,” Lahoud said.

He added, “what we hear of the Middle East peace process is but another term for Israel’s peace and the nations that tell us they have but Lebanon’s best interests are only interested in Israel’s peace of mind, and how could Israel rest when the only country that stood in defiance of it and defeated it is Lebanon, through its resistance.”

“What is the point of now asking the resistance to fold and hand in their weapons,” asked Lahoud.

Lahoud then switched to the issue of his hanging on to the presidential seat saying “am I happy being cursed day and night, or reading articles accusing my children of being involved in illegal financial deals in Casino Du Liban and Al-Madina bank?” Lahoud dared anyone to expose the truth of the said bank saying he got assurances from Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh of the innocence of all his sons in any shady deals to finance politicians and said that he insisted on assigning an honorable person to run the Casino fund “in order to avoid illegal funneling of cash.”

Lahoud said he is now expected to pay for patriotic positions he had taken with former US Foreign Secretary Madeline Albright, who he claimed spent six hours with him on the phone trying to convince him of the need to announce the full withdrawal of Israel in 2000, “when there were still a substantial number of square kilometers still under occupation.” Lahoud then said that he had refused to dismantle a position for the resistance in the South, despite the fact that it was Hariri who had told him that while relaying a message from the Syrian leadership with whom the former premier had met.

Lahoud said he is governed by the constitution “and there is a dialogue coming, so let them review their conscience but I won’t runaway from my duties to serve my country faithfully.”

“I hear accusations that I was behind the country’s destruction from (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea who himself has served a jail sentence for killing a prime minister, Danny Chamoun and others, and he claims that my presidency will seize to exist before the start of the national dialogue, but the only thing I can say is: where are we headed?” said Lahoud. Lahoud added, “ I assure you that those who are weeping Hariri’s death are themselves involved in his murder.” He said that calls from Amsterdam from a person named Joe Sarkis (not the tourism minister) are warning that (Defense Minister) Elias Murr will be assassinated by Hezbollah, and that (Free Patriotic Movement leader) Michel Aoun and (Prime Minister) Fouad Siniora and myself will be assassinated by Syria.

Moving his criticism to France, Lahoud said that he had always sought good relations with the international community and that French President Jacques Chirac worked tirelessly in favor of Lebanon “but when Hariri passed away, Chirac suddenly changed his position to one of a vendetta, asking that the current leadership be removed, and he was behind the current boycott of world leaders to Lebanon’s presidency.”

Lahoud concluded his monologue by asking everyone to revert back to the voice of reason and to engage in a peaceful dialogue away from the language of bad-mouthing the other.

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