President
Lahoud has reportedly snuffed out any hope for the release
of jailed Lebanese Forces commander Samir Geagea on
parole over the next three remaining years of the general's
term in office.
The president also assured his visitors that Hizbullah
was in no immediate danger from the U.S.-led global
war on terrorism and stressed he would not curb the
party's guerrilla war to liberate the Shebaa farms from
Israeli occupation.
"The
president has emphasized to his visitors that he would
not sign any special pardon for any one during his
constitutional term in office," wrote An Nahar's
columnist Nicholas Nassif on Saturday.
The
writer noted that the decision to release senior LF
aides Salman Smaha and Ellie Keyrouz on bail Friday
had created an impression that Geagea and his jailed
political advisor Toufic Hindi would be possibly paroled
by presidential decrees.
"Instead,
the president has put a final end to these speculations
for both men," Nassif concluded.
As
for Hizbullah, Lahoud was quoted as saying "the
Party of God is in no danger from the current war
on terrorism. It is a 100 percent Lebanese party and
maintains a position in the local equation similar
to any other political grouping."
The
president also asserted that Lebanon, within an understanding
with Syria, would not extend any assurances that resistance
attacks would be stopped before a comprehensive settlement
with Israel.
"The
attacks would not stop unless Israel withdraws from
the Shebaa farms and the Golan Heights and before
a decision to grant the Palestinians in diaspora the
right to return to their home," Lahoud said,
according to Nassif's narration.
"Until
this settlement is reached, Lebanon remains in a state
of war with Israel and the political decision of resistance
will remain in force," the president said. "The
attacks, however, will be governed by the field situation.
Attack is possible any time."
The
president contended that the United States was not
pressuring Lebanon over Hizbullah's status despite
the party's inclusion on the third U.S. list of terrorist
organizations with global reach.
Lahoud
noted that U.S. ambassador Vincent Battle, who conveyed
the list to the Beirut authorities, made no immediate
demand that Hizbullah's bank assets be frozen.
