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PART 12  (Translated freely: By Elias Bejjani) General Michel Aoun held several lengthy meetings with the Arab Committee representative, Mr. Akhtar Al-Ibrahimy, during which numerous solutions to the Lebanese crisis were explored. General Aoun conferred extensively for days with Lebanese leaders, officials and all those concerned and involved. He was able to reach an agreement on a proposed solution approved by Patriarch Sfier, the MP's and Dr. Samir Geaga. To show his good intentions towards the Arabs, and to negate the false claims that he is an obstacle to a solution, Aoun agreed on September 23/1989 to discuss the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon with Al - Ibrahimy and to put a time schedule in this regard. But he declined from committing himself or the country to any of the other Syrian proposals and requested they be changed to safeguard Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and integrity. With the fast pace of unfolding events, General Aoun met with dignitaries of the region under his government's control (Eastern Region), and conferred with them about all solutions proposed. These meetings were capped with a get-together of all the MP's residing in the Eastern Region at the Baabda Palace on September 23, 1989. It was friendly and quiet, and Director for the Palace, Judge Joseph Jraiesati, took the minutes. The participants discussed items on the agenda related to the coming Taef talks, and were unanimous on the following issues: 1- Concentrating on the withdrawal of the foreign troops. 2- Refusal for discussing any matter related to internal Lebanese affairs. 3- No presidential election outside Lebanon. 4- Whatever agreement is reached it has to be discussed and approved in Lebanon. The MP's added that discussing any topic or approving any project at the Taef would not be done without coming back to General Aoun for his approval. During the meeting General Aoun cautioned the MP's about backing off from their national convictions at the Taef when they see themselves forced to agree on projects they actually refuse, or do so out of embarrassment. Aoun added: If I go to Taef and King Fahed asked me to agree on a certain project for his own sake or because he guarantees it, I might feel overwhelmed and accept. MP, August Bagous responded angrily: General Aoun, do you think we are children to do so? The people In Lebanon were not in favor of allowing the MP's to go to Taef. Their gut feeling was the MP's would give up sovereignty and independence. A group of demonstrators met with General Aoun and conveyed to him the peoples' feelings and asked to discuss with him the issue of allowing the MP's to go to Taef, or not. Aoun said to them: It is not acceptable to declare a war against injustice, oppression, dictatorship and restrictions on freedom, and then do exactly the opposite. If I stop the MP's by force from going to Taef, and I am capable of doing so, some of you would have demonstrated against my practice and call me a dictator. On the 10th of October 1989, General Aoun appealed to the MP's to leave Taef and return to Lebanon. He repeated his appeal several times for nine successive days, but it fell on deaf ears. On the 20th of the same month he declared publicly his opposition to the Taef Accord project. On the 23rd he held a press conference and addressed the people of Lebanon by saying: you have two choices, the Taef is on one side and I am on the other, you have to choose. If you choose the Taef I will resign immediately and go back to my home, but if you refuse the Accord we can continue the struggle together. On October 22,1989, fifty-eight out of sixty three MP's agreed on the imposed Taef Accord (at the Taef City in Saudi Arabia). Mr. Al-Ibrahimy came to Lebanon to invite General Aoun to visit Al-Taef City. Previous meetings between Aoun and Al-Ibrahimy were friendly, but this one was tense. Al-Ibrahimy explained the Taef Accord project and tried to convince Aoun of its advantages. Aoun refused to give in, and asked Al-Ibrahimy: Do you personally accept what you are offering me? Al-Ibrahimy said: We support your point of view and understand your opposition, but we cannot change a comma in what has been already decided. After that a dialogue between the two men took place and focused on people's struggle and liberation of nations. General Aoun said to Al-Ibrahimy: My friend, frankly I can not understand how an Algerian fighter and a resistance figure as prominent as yourself, who fought courageously against the French for the independence of his country, could now take a stance against the Lebanese who are fighting for the liberation of their country by supporting the Syrian occupier? Al-Ibrahimy was unable to respond for few seconds and then started to praise Aoun's nationalism, courage, honesty and decency that all Arab leaders are aware of. Al-Ibrahimy felt so embarrassed and did not want to continue the conversation, he wanted his conscience to be at peace, so he said to Aoun: Let us go together to Taef, You will sit there on the right of King Fahed and return afterwards as president to Lebanon. Aoun smiled and said: If I agree with what you are proposing I would be a traitor to my people and my country, and most importantly I would not be Michel Aoun. To be continued next week. Long Live Free Lebanon |