Press release from the Lebanese Forces
03/27/2000

On the position of the Lebanese regime and Syria's allies in Lebanon regarding the subject of the withdrawal of the Israeli and the Syrian forces, the Lebanese Forces Party issued the following Press Release:

1. There is no need to mention that the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa must be a welcomed event by the Lebanese regime and not a reason for floundering or pandering. The Lebanese Government with all its institutions should be prepared for all contingencies, should plan for recovering the territories which will be freed and should be ready to treat the people in South Lebanon with compassion and respect.

2. It is the right of every Lebanese to demand for the withdrawal of the Syrian forces from Lebanon as long as the Lebanese regime regards the Syrian matter as a priority over other national postulates and as long as the Syrian allies and their followers abide by the Syrian will and empower themselves with it against each other.

3- The Lebanese Forces Party pauses at the recent statement by Premier Hoss: "Authority emanates from the public will and democracy is the only natural mean to express this public will." to ask him about the extent of the legality of the institutions established for the last ten years and the extent of their actual expression of the true Lebanese will in  the total absence of the foundations of democracy and its application.

4- Everyone knows that the Lebanese regime stifles freedoms and applies torture to intimidate the opposition. Premier Hoss should not listen to our statements with disbelief since we could refer him to Human Rights reports from various organizations and other official foreign institutions the latest of which from the United States foreign affairs department, so he may review his position.

5- Finally, The Lebanese Forces Party sees that the redundant refrain about the joint Lebanese-Syrian track, about the common way and destiny and about the attempts of pressuring Syria to weaken this unity, is not going to prevent the free Lebanese from making all efforts to achieve the Syrian military withdrawal and end the Syrian mandate over the security and political issues so that Lebanon returns to being the master of its land and decision.

Media Department
North America Division
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