by arabnews.com -- Najia Houssari -- BEIRUT: Josep Borrell, the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, has criticized Lebanese officials and conveyed a “severe” message for “not forming the government after nine months of the resignation of Hassan Diab’s government and nomination of Saad Hariri as prime minister-designate.” Borrell, who is also vice president of the European Commission, said that “the Lebanese crisis is not related to surrounding conditions, nor to war in Syria, but to the political class, which bears responsibility.” The European official’s statement came after his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Saturday at the Presidential Palace. It was the first of a set of meetings that will include the speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Before Borrell’s arrival to Beirut, news spread that the EU intends to impose sanctions on Lebanese officials responsible for obstructing the formation of the government. The news was based on a proposal by France, which launched an initiative last September to quickly form a rescue government to stop financial collapse in the country. However, the initiative faced significant obstacles.

Borrell stressed that the “crisis in Lebanon is locally made, and its impact is huge on the Lebanese people, for unemployment rose to 40 percent, and more than 50 percent of the Lebanese live below the poverty line. These are dramatic figures, and the Lebanese presidents and leaders should bear responsibility and form the government without delay, in addition to implementing the necessary reforms.” The European official said that “only an immediate agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will save Lebanon from a financial collapse, and there is no time to waste.” He addressed politicians, saying: “You are on the verge of a full financial collapse.”

  الاتحاد الاوروبي يطالب لبنان مشكوراً باجراء اصلاحات، الاصلاح الاول والرئيس هو حصر السلاح بيد الجيش وتحييد لبنان … والبقية تتبع

breakingdefense.com -- CHYRINE MEZHER -- BEIRUT: The United States, Russia, China, Gulf countries, EU member states and UN representatives took part yesterday in a French-sponsored conference aimed at supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) hit hard by unprecedented financial and economic pressures. LAF commander Gen. Joseph Aoun described his situation simply: “It is extremely hard for a military commander to seek support from foreign countries when his own state is not capable of acting and is even cutting budget.” How bad is it? “The situation is critical. If unmitigated, the economic and financial crises will inevitably lead to the collapse of all state institutions including the LAF,” he added. “The LAF, yet overstretched, remains a crucial pillar of the Lebanese State,” the French Armed Forces Ministry said in a statement after the conference. “Their cohesiveness and professionalism remain key to preserving the country’s stability from more risks.” The goal of the conference was not to provide the LAF with additional military equipment and materiel, or to finance military pay and pensions. The wide participation, Lebanese military officials say, clearly highlights that the Lebanese army is “the main pillar of the country’s stability and security, and the only legitimate power in the presence of armed groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah.”

Lebanon faces one of the worst economic downturns in its history, exacerbated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the huge explosion in the port of Beirut. On top of those factors, the country hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, with approximately 2 million Palestinian and Syrian refugees calling Lebanon home. The LAF seeks two types of help. “The first relates to sustaining its operational capabilities, which ultimately ensures the provision of the needed spare parts, fuel, medical support and food supplies,” Aoun said. “The second relates to directly supporting the soldier as an individual to assist him in any way to overcome the economic hardship and to prevent his delinquency.” Well-informed Lebanese defense sources told Breaking Defense that the LAF presented a $100 million wish list, with $40 million for medical supplies and $60 million for food supplies and salaries. Pledges to provide the latter were offered by several participating countries, without adding further information.

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ليس من الضروريِّ أن يُعلَنَ حيادُ دولةٍ أثناءَ حربٍ أو بَعدَها. فجزيرةُ مالطا اعتمدَت الحِيادَ في ظروفٍ سلميّةٍ تامّة. وكان الاتّحادُ السوفياتيُّ طليعةَ الدولِ التي أيّدت خطّيًا حِيادَها في 08 تشرين الأول 1981.

اعتمادُ نظامِ الحيادِ اللبنانيّ لا يَرتَبِطُ بواقعٍ معيَّنٍ فقط، وإلّا لاتَّـــبَــعْنا سياسةَ النأيِ بالنفسِ مرحليًّا، إنّما يَرتبطُ بطبيعةِ الوجودِ اللبنانيِّ تاريخيًّا وجُغرافيًّا وديمغرافيًّا. لا يَضمَنُ استمرارَ هذا المزيجِ اللبنانيِّ سوى الحِياد. هذه حقيقةٌ تاريخيّة. وأصلًا، ما كانت الأزَماتُ اللبنانيّةُ نَشأت لو لم تَشرُدْ مكوِّناتٌ لبنانيّةٌ عن طبيعةِ لبنان. الحِيادُ هو أحدُ الركائزِ التأسيسيّةِ لكيانِ لبنان ودولتِه. بدونِه لا لبنانَ مستقلًّا. وبالتالي أيًّا تَكن صيغةُ لبنانَ الدستوريّةُ مركزيّةً أو لامركزيّةً، فدراليّةً أو تقسيميّةً، يُلازِمُها الِحيادُ فيُعطيها مناعةَ الاستقرار. الحيادُ هو اللَقاحُ العجائبيُّ لِدَرءِ الأزَماتِ والصراعات.

نَرفضُ سياسةَ النأي بالنفسِ، لا لأنّها سيئةٌ، بل لأنّها غيرُ كافية. فالشرقُ الأوسطُ لا يُفرِزُ حربًا كلَّ مئةِ سنة، فحروبُه وصراعاتُه لا تَنقَطِعُ وتَرتَدُّ على اللبنانيّين. لذا يَحتاجُ لبنانُ نظامَ نأيٍ بالنفسِ ثابتًا، اسمُه نظامُ الحيادِ الدائم. فلا يُمكنُ للّبنانيّين أن يكونوا مَوادَّ حروبِ المنطقةِ كلّما حصل انقلابٌ في دولةٍ عربيّةٍ، أو بَرزَ في الشرقِ الأوسطِ زعيمٌ، أو رجلُ دينٍ، أو مشروعٌ توسعيٌّ، أو نزعةٌ قوميّةٌ، أو حالةٌ تكفيريّةٌ وجِهاديّة. دَفعنا غاليًّا ثمنَ هذه التجلّياتِ من الخَمسينات إلى الآن؛ فشكرًا.