Lebanese PM shrugs off Hezbollah's criticism

Visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora said Thursday that his government would remain in office as long as it has the support of parliament, shrugging off Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah's criticism.

Earlier this week, Hezbollah lashed out at Seniora's government for receiving British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Beirut and failing to protect Lebanon in face of Israel's aggression.

"Criticism is normal, (because) our country is a democratic country," said Seniora, adding that he was proud of those who demonstrated against Blair's visit as part of Lebanon's democratic practices.

This fact showed clearly in demonstrations and sit-ins staged by protesters against Blair's visit, Seniora told reporters after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.

Seniora and Mubarak discussed regional political developments, especially the situation in Lebanon and Egypt's efforts on Lebanon 's reconstruction in the wake of the Israeli aggression, according to Egypt's official MENA news agency.

Seniora, who arrived in Cairo for a one-day visit, also called for the Israeli withdrawal from the Lebanese territories, the release of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails and handing over maps of landmines planted by the Israeli troops.

The latest Israeli aggression, starting on July 12 after Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army post on Israel-Lebanon border and seized two Israeli soldiers, was the seventh in Lebanon in 30 years, Seniora said, adding that the 34-day Hezbollah-Israel conflict had left Lebanon devastated.

However, Seniora expressed his confidence in reconstruction, saying that "the Lebanese people succeeded in rebuilding their country in previous cases and are willing to do the same this time. "

Commenting on the deployment of the Lebanese army in south Lebanon, Seniora said that the Lebanese army has succeeded in realizing its presence in the area south of the Litani River.

"We want the area (south Lebanon) to be under the army's control as well as under the country's control," he said, stressing that the Lebanese army would confiscate all weapons found.

Lebanese troops started to deploy in the south on Aug. 17 under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Israel- Hezbollah conflict on Aug. 14.

The resolution, unanimously adopted by the Security Council, authorizes an increase of an existing UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon as Israel withdraws in parallel.

After visiting Egypt, Seniora was heading for Jordan to continue his regional tour for rallying support for Lebanon, in particular for its reconstruction.

Source: Xinhua