“Minister Murr: positiveness will be seen following vote of confidence...”"We are certain he is more than up to the responsibility and are sure of his success. At the same time, we know that in order to succeed, one person cannot do it alone. In this context., the Phalange Party and the president constitute a main pillar of support for the government and its head, as well as for Lebanon. This party has been playing a key role since Lebanon’s independence and has offered martyrs from each house and from all of Lebanon. Therefore, the sacrifice offered by the party lately, is a drop in the sea of sacrifices made by the Phalange Party, the youths of the party and the Gemayel family in particular... I am certain that the upcoming stage will witness a completely different picture than the one seen in regard to the size and representational rights of the Phalange, and I hope that in the next few weeks and after the government earns the vote of confidence, there will be many things to talk about and will result in a positive outcome.”
Q: “There is talk about logistic problems hindering the arrival of the MIG Aircrafts to the Lebanese army, namely problems related to the airports. Is that true?
A: “There are no technical obstructions. The Russian team arrived yesterday and is touring the airports to check their equipment and the locations where the aircrafts will be placed. They are checking the airports in Beirut and in Koleiaat and will provide us with a report detailing the improvements that should be made. As for the Lebanese officers, they have started undergoing training sessions in Lebanon to study the techniques. They are all pilots and it is known that in aviation, the technical part is more important than the flying part... On the practical level, we have come a long way and are waiting for the Russian delegation to provide us with the technical details. As I understood so far, there will not be anything major at the level of equipping the airports, including the Koleiaat airport which is only missing lighting and a few minor apparatuses. With God’s will, we will receive the aircrafts this year as was officially stated by the Russians in the media today. Moreover, the Emirates offered us ten PUMA aircraft which should start arriving during the upcoming weeks, following the visit where I accompanied the President to the Emirates... I thus believe that in 2010, the air force of the Lebanese army will be a respectable one that is fit for the army and the country.
Q: “The divergence currently affecting the drafting of the ministerial statement is revolving around the defense strategy and Hezbollah’s arms. As Defense Minister, how do you perceive this point?
A: “I believe that the inclination within the drafting committee headed by Prime Minister Al-Hariri is to put this strategic issue forward on the dialogue table in which all the parties, political forces and political entities are represented. What is important is for this committee to complete its task as soon as possible and for the government to ratify this statement so that it is sent to parliament and so that the government earns the vote of confidence on its basis, in order to be able to start our work. This is why, any talk about this issue right now is outside of the context of what is expected from the people to ensure the revival of the country and the economy.
"The people have had enough of quarrels and insults. You have not heard my voice in months because I do not like quarrels. The people are tired and just want to see the country standing on its own two feet, the official institutions working, the politicians reconciling instead of fighting and the army defending the country, fighting terrorism, protecting its border and confronting Israel. All I can say at the level of the Defense Ministry is that we have a vision for the defense strategy and that the army is working on it. At the same time, we have prepared a project during the last few years and started implementing it with President General Michel Suleiman. Today, we will proceed with it alongside General Kahwaji because at the end of the day, the authority is about continuity. Our project is to enhance and equip the Lebanese army...
Q: “Will there be spare parts for the MIG aircraft and will their planes not need an arsenal?
A: “There are two sides that do not want the army in Lebanon to acquire fighter aircraft, and I am not only talking about the MIG. The first side is Israel of course. It has fought the Lebanese army and the Lebanese state for years to prevent this issue. This position is known to all... As for the second time, it includes several teams which are unfortunately active on the domestic arena. They ask, why him not me? Why is so-and-so seeking it not me? Yes, this is unfortunately the prevailing idea in Lebanon and not only at the level of the Defense Ministry... I heard criticisms saying: Where will they get the money for the maintenance of these aircraft and to provide them with fuel? Where will they get spare parts? But I never heard anyone in Lebanon saying that the army will have aircraft to defend the country.
"At least if I fought in the air and lost a plane, I would have flown with honor and put up a fight. I have a terrorist camp like Nahr al-Barid and I no longer have to lose 200 martyrs from the Lebanese army because I do not have aircraft. If we had aircraft, we would not have lost one martyr from the army. Therefore, I would like to reassure you that we will not bring anything in without a five-year guarantee to get spare parts included in the donation, and fuel for 400 hours of flying time for each aircraft and for five years as well in order to conduct training and military maneuvers without digging into the state treasury which should be directed to social issues among others. I did not want to talk about that during the government formation period, because I did not want it to appear as though we were promoting ourselves. Now however the government was formed and I can talk... You may ask about the price of all that. The price is work, effort and international contacts and relations. More importantly, I could not have done it had the army not lost 200 martyrs and assumed losses in the face of Israel. I was therefore not speaking on my own behalf, but rather on behalf of those who raised Lebanon’s name and appointed me to speak in their name.” - Lebanese News Agency, Lebanon
