Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab revealed, in an interview on MTV, that a Cypriot security envoy was in Beirut on Thursday, but did not specify the nature of his mission.
The visit was related to the Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's threats against Cyprus on Wednesday.
According to Bou Saab the threats were in fact a message "that led to reactions" from Nicosia. But he pointed out that this message was essentially directed at London, "which has military bases in Cyprus, that are considered British territory". "Lebanese officials should therefore contact the British authorities to ensure that their bases are not used by Israel to attack Lebanon,” he noted.
Commenting on the recent visit of American envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon and Israel, Mr. Bou Saab explained that the latter resumed a mission he initiated with a view to the post-Gaza period. The goal of this mission, he said, is to get the Lebanese and Israelis to agree on arrangements that would guarantee lasting calm on the southern border.
"The only new element in the efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Gaza and southern Lebanon is US President Joe Biden's ceasefire proposal. If it doesn't succeed, it seems that there are other ideas that are considered and that could achieve the same result," he said, ruling out a wider war.
Regarding his relationship with the FPM, from which he was expelled, Mr. Bou Saab explained that he "could no longer accept the methods of this party," without elaborating on his conflict with its leader, Gebran Bassil. He said only that "proposals" had been made to him, but that he could not go against his convictions. Among other things, Mr. Bou Saab said he was not convinced by Gebran Bassil's refusal to support the candidacy of MP Ibrahim Kanaan for the presidency of the Republic.
On the subject of the economy and the financial crisis, he stressed that the majority of MPs are opposed to the IMF's proposed regulation, which includes the abolition of bank deposits.
In the same vein, he warned against the liquidation of the banking sector, considering the ideas put forward to be suspect, before advocating the implementation of a plan to return depositors' money.
The visit was related to the Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's threats against Cyprus on Wednesday.
According to Bou Saab the threats were in fact a message "that led to reactions" from Nicosia. But he pointed out that this message was essentially directed at London, "which has military bases in Cyprus, that are considered British territory". "Lebanese officials should therefore contact the British authorities to ensure that their bases are not used by Israel to attack Lebanon,” he noted.
Commenting on the recent visit of American envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon and Israel, Mr. Bou Saab explained that the latter resumed a mission he initiated with a view to the post-Gaza period. The goal of this mission, he said, is to get the Lebanese and Israelis to agree on arrangements that would guarantee lasting calm on the southern border.
"The only new element in the efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Gaza and southern Lebanon is US President Joe Biden's ceasefire proposal. If it doesn't succeed, it seems that there are other ideas that are considered and that could achieve the same result," he said, ruling out a wider war.
Regarding his relationship with the FPM, from which he was expelled, Mr. Bou Saab explained that he "could no longer accept the methods of this party," without elaborating on his conflict with its leader, Gebran Bassil. He said only that "proposals" had been made to him, but that he could not go against his convictions. Among other things, Mr. Bou Saab said he was not convinced by Gebran Bassil's refusal to support the candidacy of MP Ibrahim Kanaan for the presidency of the Republic.
On the subject of the economy and the financial crisis, he stressed that the majority of MPs are opposed to the IMF's proposed regulation, which includes the abolition of bank deposits.
In the same vein, he warned against the liquidation of the banking sector, considering the ideas put forward to be suspect, before advocating the implementation of a plan to return depositors' money.
This Is Beirut
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