Syrian Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam says that in Lebanon there is “one culture, the Arab culture.”
According to him, the remarks according to which there is a plurality of cultures in Lebanon “do not rest on scientific or objective foundations”, even if it is Lebanese who make them.
These statements, Mr. Khaddam made them in an interview with Radio-Orient, to be broadcast today Friday, and the text of which ANI (official) published yesterday.
In this extensive interview, Mr. Khaddam also addressed several current Lebanese topics.
For him, the situation in Lebanon is “good” and the country has “crossed the most dangerous stages during which its very existence as a state was threatened.” “Whoever claims that Lebanon is in a state of economic collapse is putting on visors,” he added.
He considered that “the differences which appear from time to time within the Lebanese political class, whether within the power or between the latter and the (parliamentary) opposition, do not undermine the foundation of civil peace” , and described the domestic opposition as “constructive”.
The Lebanese “must work day and night to strengthen the principles and foundations on which the document of national understanding (Taif) is based, but this cannot be achieved in a month or two, or even in a year or two,” he said elsewhere.
He also stressed the need for municipal elections to be held, saying that the government's decision in this regard was "important" and was "in the interest of Lebanon."
Asked about the recent remarks of the head of state, Elias Hraoui, according to which the 1943 formula was “better” than the current one, Mr. Khaddam clearly sought to evade the answer, indicating that he did not was not aware of these statements and therefore could not draw conclusions from them, while reaffirming his “great consideration for the efforts of President Hraoui in the service of Lebanon”. On the question of whether “regional circumstances” allow the election of a new President of the Republic or require the extension of Mr. Hraoui’s mandate, he replied: “Regional circumstances do not prevent either nor the other possibility.
