By Karine Raad
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, November 08, 2005

BEIRUT: Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday challenged allegedly false accusations made about his party by the International Lebanese Committee for UN Security Council Resolution 1559. On October 27 Qassem urged Lebanese MPs to recognize Resolution 1559 as "an Israeli-U.S. resolution" before participating in a meeting for the International Lebanese Committee for UNSCR 1559 on November 2.

He said: "They have the freedom to take part in setting the agenda and the timetable for the implementation of a U.S.-Israeli resolution, but they should not be disturbed if we or the Lebanese people consequently object."

The committee chaired by Secretary General Atef Harb replied to Qassem on October 30 saying "Hizbullah's position can only be understood as being in opposition to the freedom of expression of the Lebanese people and their representatives."

Harb denounced what he considered threats by Hizbullah and praised the integrity of the MPs who "are not the employees of some militia allied with the Syria occupation and the Iranian regime."

Responding to recent claims, Qassem released a statement stating Hizbullah's commitment to freedom

of expression.

"Threatening is not one of our virtues as we said [in the former statement] 'they have the freedom' to take part in the event," he added, reiterating  "it is about time that every party thinks of itself as a partner of other parties."

According to Qassem, the committee's reply only demonstrated to the public the level of intellect and the language the committee uses to monopolize a viewpoint.

Qassem stressed that "if one statement [by Hizbullah] is capable of deterring the participants, then this showed: either that the statement is convincing enough to stop the concerned officials who represent the people ... or that the committee is incapable of making its idea a success and consequently tries to pin accusations on others to justify its failure."

Qassem suggested the committee not draw the country into a second collaboration with Israel, as this had previously brought catastrophe to the country.

"We are proud of the resistance and the Lebanese people that embraced it," Qassem said, pledging to exert necessary efforts for the sake of Lebanon's unity, children, freedom and independence.

Meanwhile, the International Lebanese Committee for Resolution 1559 released a list of recommendations following its meeting at the Capitol building in the U.S. Congress Wednesday.

About 100 U.S., European, Lebanese-U.S. and Lebanese top level officials were on hand.

Participants at the meeting decided to fully support the implementation of Resolution 1559 and to follow up on its implementation with the Security Council; strive for the release of Lebanese political prisoners in Syria and Lebanon; and support the Lebanese Army's deployment to all Lebanese territories.

The participants also stressed the importance of the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon; the demarcation and protection of the Lebanese-Syrian border; supporting the Lebanese community by all means; and protecting democracy in Lebanon.