Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea slammed calls by Lebanese political parties to normalize relations with the Assad regime, saying that “all they care about today is to find a way to weave ties with the Assad regime under the pretext of returning the refugees back to Syria.”
Speaking during a Lebanese Forces festival held in Sydney, Australia on Thursday, Geagea said: “It is a pity how some Lebanese today forgot that the Assad regime had bombed Ashrafiyeh, Zahle, Qannat, Tripoli, Sidon and killed Bashir Gemayel, Kamal Jumblatt and Rafik Hariri.”
Geagea reaffirmed rejection of the return of the Assad regime’s influence in Lebanon, stressing that “the only way for the return the Syrian refugees to their country is to stay away from politicizing this issue, especially by moving away from Assad and cooperating with the countries that will be the corridor for the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.”
“The regime of Hafez al-Assad have exiled Michel Aoun, disbanded the Lebanese Forces party, arrested Samir Geagea and his comrades and persecuted many including my wife,” Geagea added.
Luke Foley, leader of the Australian opposition in the parliament of New South Wales, said during the festival that the fate of Lebanon must be determined by the Lebanese people, not by the Assad regime or Tehran.
Speaking after a mass ceremony for the Maronite youth in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon in Sydney, Australia on Monday, Geagea said: “”If we really want to guarantee the return of Syrian refugees to their country, we should not talk with Bashar Al-Assad. We should rather talk with the United nations and the concerned countries to find the best ways for the refugees to return.” (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Al-Hayat Newspaper)
