Lebanon's new PM says only the state can have weapons
Beirut (AsiaNews/Agencies) - "The only weapons that should be in the country in my opinion are the legitimate weapons held by the state," Lebanon's new prime minister, Tammam Salam, told Saudi news channel al-Arabiya. "The state should decide on national issues, public matters, disputes and everything that has to do with security. Any other weapon lacks legitimacy and is against the state," he added. Although no one was formally mentioned, the new premier appears to be pointing the finger at the militas of Hizbollah, the pro-Iranian Shia party, accused for years of having its own state within a state and faciliting foreign intervention in Lebanon.
Appointed a few days ago, Salam is backed by a number of Lebanese political parties, including Hizbollah. His election comes after weeks of tension between various political factions that began with the resignation of the Najib Mikati government at the end of March.
A prominent Sunni politician, Salam will lead the country until elections set for next June. In his first speech to parliament, he said his priority was "to overcome Lebanon's political divisions, and prevent the Syria conflict from spilling over the border."
For months, outgoing Prime Minister Mikati struggled unsuccessfully to contain sectarianism, violence and economic problems due to the conflict in Syria.
According to analysts, Salam faces an uphill battle. Since war broke out in Syria two years ago, the violence has spilled over into neighbouring Lebanon with thousands of displaced people crossing the border every day. According to United Nations estimates, more than 400,000 Syrians have sought refuge in the country.
To avoid the creation of rebel or pro-Assad bases, the Lebanese government has put off the construction of refugee camps for months. However, this has not prevented clashes between various groups. Should the latter spread, Lebanon's already fragile stability could be jeopardised.
Since last year, the northern city of Tripoli and other cities on the Syrian border have been the theatre of shootings, beatings and unrest between Lebanon's own Alawi minority, which supports President Bashar al-Assad, and Sunni Muslims, who back the rebels of the Free Syrian Army.
These tensions mirror cleavages that have divided the country for decades, including the confrontation between Hizbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, and Sunni Islamists, who have the support of Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia.
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