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MP Alice Shabtini: Hezbollah and Iran Link Lebanon’s Fate to Syria | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Lebanon’s Hezbollah members carry flags during the funeral of a fellow fighter killed in Syria, Reuters.


Beirut- Lebanese Minster for Displaced Persons Alice Shabtini confirmed that Iran and Hezbollah are the forces obstructing Lebanon’s presidential elections. The two continuously spend efforts to establish a relation between Lebanon’s future and the outlook on Syria.

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah’s political proceedings clearly indicate the vision held by Iranian Propaganda. Nasrallah has withheld all party ministers from attending electoral sessions, which translates clearly to Hezbollah deliberately prolonging presidential vacancy.

MP Shabtini sees that over a half of the Lebanese public’s opinion is disinclined towards MP Michel Aoun’s invitation to protest for presidential elections taking place, which was received by the public as an attempt for harvesting more Christian votes to raise Aoun into power.

Shabtini told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that “moderate Islam is a guarantee to all Christians; several Muslim leaderships are determined to preserve the deserved earnings, rights, and presence of Christians in Lebanon and the region.”

The MP also inquired as to what could materialize out of the unjustified campaign launched against Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries, saying that “it would only harm the relationship shared by Lebanon with its fellow countries, especially those who have always been the first to support Lebanon.”

Shabtini then revealed that the Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s visit to Gulf countries is not full-fledged yet, and that he has not received any invitations.

According to Shabtini, Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Bassil’s latest act on refusing to receive the U.N. Secretary General Ban Kimoon is directly related to Hezbollah’s stance taken after being listed as a terrorist organization, “especially that Bassil is an ally to the March 8 alliance.”

Hezbollah is a leading member in the March 8 alliance.

Shabtini then emphasized that taking on Arab world consensus is a guarantee for Lebanon- as stipulated in the constitution and the 11/06/2012 Baabda declaration- in terms of the country’s historical relationship with Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries and the international community.