BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hariri Accuses Muallem of Trying to Foil Arab Efforts to Salvage Lebanon
Al Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri accused Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem of addressing a "serious message" to Lebanon and attempting to block Arab efforts aimed at settling the ongoing presidential crisis.

Hariri, in a statement released by his press office, said remarks made by Muallem during a press conference earlier Wednesday were a pre-emptive move to block efforts by Arab foreign ministers who are scheduled to tackle the Lebanese crisis in a meeting scheduled for Sunday in Cairo.

Muallem's remarks, Hariri said, should urge France and the international community to shoulder a "double responsibility" regarding Lebanon, which is facing a "vendetta assault against the success that the Lebanese people have achieved" in forcing the withdrawal of Syria's troops and intelligence agencies after nearly three decades of dominance.

Syria, Hariri added, "wants to block the road for whoever wants to extend a helping hand to us, to our state and to our people with the aim of salvaging the Lebanese Republic" from the existing presidential void.

He stressed that Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman is a serious consensus candidate for the presidential office and is capable of "opening a new chapter that the Syrian Regime wants to prevent."

"The list of demands announced by Muallem on behalf of the Syrian Regime … tells the Lebanese that the destiny of their national entente remains in Damascus and that any presidential candidate, Gen. Suleiman included, would not be able to find his way to the Baabda palace without a full understanding with the Syrian Regime," Hariri stated.

He accused Muallem of "twisting facts … and I believe our French friends were aware of that."

Muallem, according to Hariri, tried to "seclude (Parliament Speaker Nabih) Berri from negotiations and aimed at restricting dialogue to Gen. Michel Aoun."

He stressed that "no negotiator is able to promote the Syrian Regime's ideas with Saad Hariri or any other leader of the March 14 alliance."

Muallem "wants a solution in Lebanon, not based on Lebanese national consensus, but in line with terms set by his March 8 allies in Lebanon," Hariri said.

He concluded by stressing: "The chief of Syria's diplomacy was negotiating the French Administration on behalf of the March 8 forces. The (settlement) text was in his pocket and not in the pocket of any Lebanese side." He was apparently referring to Aoun. -Naharnet