Joining me from beirut this week is the countrys foreign minister. As level negotiates urgently for assistance what guarantees can he get that his government is any better than the previous ones. Welcome to the conflict zone thank you 2 weeks ago your Prime Minister mr d r brought an article in the u. S. Paper pleading for International Assistance and blaming lebanons dire situation on a combination of political mismanagement and corruption why do you think that the rest of the world with its economy in tatters from the coronavirus should simply hand you huge sums of money and let you do the same thing all over again. Well 1st and foremost because were not going to do what happened before from day one when we started working in this government our plan is clear is to fight corruption to go for structural reform and drive structural reform its not mine the reforms its basically forms and if you also feel of the economy not only in the Financial Sector but the economy which is the basic matter to address to go more to go away from out and into your economy as much as we can and go into some productive sectors of the economy i can culturally economy the little industrial thing and new technology while maintaining of course our Service Sector which is very important and liberal economic model will be very. Committed to transparency. With Great Respect last and these are these are these are just words and intentions without without a clear plan to deal with your patronage written publicly said i love me if you allow me to continue yeah but you know you cant judge of course its for you to judge the way you like to see it of course and i have to see it as a way of saying that we starting on this matter we started with has been 100 days now of course were taken by the. Problem which is not an excuse but its a problem weighing heavily on us but what im suggesting were committed to that matter this is why the world must try us but im not saying to give us a blank check what we have been saying at what we have been doing is the following were reaching out to all countries members of the International Support group for levanon to all International Regional organizations with which were dealing with cooperating on one hand as well as open to the Civil Society representatives of different. Here so here you have the crowd here your intentions are here intentions your Public Sector has been looted for decades by the same sectarian powers that still dominate this is what were trying to interview now not allow me to finish the phrase so im listening to you now you go tell me what i have to finish perhaps you can profit from you havent finished the question you think these warlords and power brokers like you have never letting me finish the answer youve been giving me ok for a couple of minutes and you think do you think these warlords and power brokers who control so much in lebanon will just sit around while you shine a light on all their dirty dealings and then theyll just say sorry and hand back all the billions that theyve stolen you really think thats going to happen. We are not going to think so thanks for putting this question we know its an uphill struggle we know its a key challenge and you have to stand up to the challenge or fail i know the difficulties i fully agree with you about the seriousness of the challenges about how heavy they are weighing on us since years but we have to come out with an answer otherwise you will not be taken the road that you promised to take thats a very important matter i fully agree about the challenges the nature of the challenges and the magnitude of the challenges but you have to come out with an on sort of these challenges and create a sort of rapture with the past and get a start on a new foot your your countrys record doesnt inspire confidence does it since the civil war lebanon has promised 4 times to reform in return for for a t. V. Show you enjoy something about the party im telling you about the future if you want to go into the past youre going to have a lesson in history now that you have why should anyone trying to tell you we know the stories we learned the lessons we are trying with telling the International Community look at look at us and lets see if we succeed were. Planning to succeed were committed to success because we have to save our country again i agree with you about your description of the situation which i already know we all know and again im saying its a major challenge lets see for you if you can succeed in facing up to it and this is the challenge that you are taking on us is to succeed this matter with the cooperation its our primary sponsor ability as weve been his government its not an easy matter i fully agree with you its a very difficult matter because of this well established well International System that you rightly described and with which i fully agree with you but this is the only road that you have to take to create an option with the past the challenges are very important very deep but we have to take this is the only to get out of this messy situation yes i understand what youre saying but it doesnt help when the team. That you sent to talk to the i. M. F. Figures from the presidency the finance Ministry Central bank Prime Ministers office they present conflicting views about what needs to be done your own officials dont even agree on what should be done hardly surprising when they come from different sectarian factions so if this represents the way you grew. To a station feel like you know drew we telling you were coming out of a very difficult situation we are developing a common policy again we admit its not an easy matter but we are progressing on this matter and engaging into this or that you have to take the negotiations or the math i understand the problems very well of political secularism 11 on the impact of it on the system all the problems that it has created for 4 decades now but you have to try to move out gradually as much as we can out of the system and focus on creating and consolidating state the situations misnamed i think its an easy task but im saying this is the only way in order to salvage the country mr hed see the fact is that youre drowning in disunity as you have done for decades and the people know its you just look at the very public fight between your Prime Minister and the governor of the central bank these are arguably the 2 most important people in lebanon at the moment and theyre slugging it out in public as the countrys economy goes into meltdown and your currency falls through the floor what does that tell the rest of the world this very public fight between these 2 extremely important figures well there were some differences of course but now were working out and how many developing a position represented by the government by the Prime Minister and the government on trying to project you know different steps and a strategy of negotiations with d the i. M. F. You talk about harmony even aware of the past problems. Im sure you. Are very much aware of you talk about harmony but even the bank writing to agree on your rescue package do they and theyre at the heart of your saying trying to. Working on developing and consolidating a policy on that matter very much of the Banking Association position what the government of the central bank has said but you are developing a position different assessment to reach. Developed a position of position which is a position of the government to negotiate. To be the basis of the negotiations and never suggested nobody would suggest that its an easy matter were coming out of a very messy situation the situation is still difficult economically with the social and other implications of the country but this is a road to which you are committed which has to be to go into a real change real reforms and lets wait and see for you you know concern observers if you succeed if you dont succeed we draw the lessons of the past that you rightly described and you have to get out of you know of that situation that existing that existed in the past and that had very dramatic effects on the economy and the polity and generally not only politics mr he it might have been a good idea if you consulted the banks on the rescue package hardly a brilliant move not even took a consulting not to interrupt you we have thank you for the advice but we do have consultations we all engage in consultations to strengthen the official policy of the country for negotiations and for the planning of tomorrow. You tried cross party talks with other political factions at least 5 parliamentary blocs boycotted your talks saying they didnt want to be made scapegoats for the governments past failings again that hardly inspires confidence of the National Community does it see that lebanon is fractured we. Are open for discussion. Sure we are open for let me give you an example of the last Meeting House that by the Prime Minister. With the Member States and organizations of the said to the group we invited as the bunnys government 4 different n. G. O. S very qualified n. G. O. S among them Research Centers and groups to prevent their views and they consider this is a very important because theyre presented if you or views that are not the official government views just to inject more ideas and more you know creative thinking in order to develop more or a stronger policy in terms of the salvation of the country so were open up to that as i started telling you were open up internally to different factions we look we extend our arms anywhere you would like to discuss we ask people to come and discuss different political sensibilities different 14 groups are welcomed to suggest what they have to suggest we want to have a National Dialogue all competent and all compromise of National Dialogue with representatives of different sectors of the economy of the societies of the Civil Society on one hand i am on the other hand with countries which are supportive of lebannon what you are saying were not saying we have a we have a plan with a capital b. Take it or leave it why are you going to stand with the main ideas men out. Youve had fresh violence youve had fresh violence in the streets in may and its clear that you are not to the Government People wanted you talk about consulting Civil Society the beirut maginot Civil Society group described your cap and i never know that you are speaking for the people i accept this is can i can i can a time if you want the people say listen you have a government that the people want. Yes yes im saying man to man seems a little Society Group described your cabinet as an insult a provocation of the people im going to stay in for their dignity thats a far cry a far cry from the salvation ok i got i got your message i got your message i got your message if you give me one second i respect all views those who are against us from point one before the government was formed and when the government is formed and we are extending our arms to all of those to come and discuss and present their views and ideas we need a National Dialogue in order to constructive National Dialogue so those who criticize us we respect that convinces them and we are asking them to come and discuss with us and say how could we develop and National Salvation plan. You lets talk about the elephant in the room has bella you may not be a hezbollah government youve said youre not a hezbollah government but they were certainly the midwife that assisted at the birth of this government lets also be clear that has. Many midwives and the birth of this government with all due respect to your view im telling you have many midwives im using the center and we want to have as a as representative as possible a government we have and this matter may i just finish my question. I was unity if you allow me i just finish my question has to take im listening hezbollah has also taken part in previous lebanese governments that have so catastrophic actually mismanaged the country in years gone by im asking how does that qualify hezbollah to become part of the solution now. Well hezbollah whether you like it or dislike it the represents a large component of a society its a Main Political Party a political actor and lebanon and everybody is welcome to join and help us and this whether theyre actually being involved directly or supportive or not supportive of the government lets see for the observers turner observers and external observers like you say if you succeed you say this and i hear what you say why should the west lift a finger to help a government thats effectively been constructed by hizbullah which is why do we viewed around the way i am not as. Good as what youre saying is a point of view so its not absolute reality and not only to a sovereign country because you want what you think is a point of view you are yes you have the right to express your and i was answering im going to say telling can i answer that would you give me a 2nd to. Thank you i am saying i am which terrorist organization hezbollah is widely seen around the world as a terrorist cell and as an opposition it is not seen around the word its considered by some but it is not what this some i dont agree with this view you may disagree either logically politically strategically with a lebanese Political Party libyas National Resistance movement thats your right to do so but its a major represent a major component of the of any Society Social component and political component what im saying take us to task as a government telling our western countries with which we are committed to develop the best out of relations culturally politically socially economically strategically with the western countries are very close to most of those countries who have very good relations which want to develop to deepen strengthen and a lot of these western countries take us to test about what we are doing what we are planning to do not about what is said here or there or about any ideological sloganeering or at the logical. Well lets just look at some of the specifics that hezbollah are accused of britain says that the organization continues to amass an arsenal of weapons in lebanon in direct contravention of Un Security Council resolution 711559 putting the security of the region at risk they also support terrorism in iraq and the palestinian territories do you approve of those actions. What you call terrorism and palestine as National Liberation Movement Israel is a federal state and israeli policies are terrorist policies of patient of wanting to you know just destroy the National Identity of people of wanting to Serve International law of human rights of certain nation principles thats a terrorist policy conducted publicly about officially by israel. So we have committed to peace we are committed to our Peace Initiative and the arab word allow me to finish were committed to out of the arab Peace Initiative thats based entirely on you and Security Council resolutions voted by the 1st and foremost by the foot 5 permanent members and supported by the International Community so lets see who is conducting terrorist policies here and there with all due respect to you could have a difference and that is fact the difference that you have with any Political Parties and lebanon or anybody is Foreign Policy but what you are saying here to rest on a friend france take us to test help us engage us in a dialogue in a comprehensive dialogue about how we are planning to move forward to just get lebanon out of this messy situation the instability of lebanon at dressing the instability and creating a societal stability in lebanon is 1st and foremost the responsibility of the iranian people but its also in the interest of the region and its and interest of the image of any region and of the International Community we are open to all ideas political ideas comprehensive ideas about that particular point or other things to discuss with us we are very much open to dialogue reaching out to everybody we accept the criticism we welcome criticism want to discuss and try to get out of the situation with respect if you dont address the accusations that are made by western governments against hezbollah youre never going to inspire confidence in the western accusations resolution now to give you my got your point. Out of not the realities with all due respect to everybody to come from pretty highly respected governments absolutely and with we have very good relations and we want to develop these relations with the west western europe with you as we have committed to develop and to discuss up early and to find Common Ground with these governments and of these countries we are very much we had we always had good relations and we want to develop further more of these relations and when hezbollah of terrorism you turn around and simply accuse israel of terrorism how helpful do you think that is to your call of course. Well this is not to my cause. Is a Resistance Movement fighting other than is it was fighting on the base territories you might disagree or agree with its policies im talking about the iranian government not about the policy of one particular party but when you are imagining israel Israeli Occupying arab land palestinian lands syrian lands and live on these lands. Is trying to destroy entirely the palestinian National Identity at the moment to one who are committed and tirelessly to a Peace Process based on you and Security Council resolutions and on principle and rules of International Law so tell me who is conducting terrorist policy in the arab Peace Initiative dr since 2002 weve called for a comprehensive peace that addresses all tracks and all dimensions of the conflict to turn the page and create a peaceful middle east in which israel could exist within 67. 00 borders based on the u. N. Security Council Resolutions that were adopted by the International Community not by lebanon and the arab countries thats our commitment and comment on so anyone who would like to address terrorism or to fight the radical islam in the region must address the basic roots of radicalism and terrorism in the region whatever you call terrorism respecting International Law respecting you and Security Council resolution this is where the issue must start and this is one condition to establish a new middle east based on cooperation and leading to prosperity. Are you prepared to subject to the kind of scrutiny that might show where their funds and weapons have been coming from and where theyre going are you prepared to challenge has to be transparent transparent government as i mentioned in the state of allow me to finish the state of lebanon decides what would happen on its own territories we have a sovereign decision i respect that you disagree with us but we said the rules in our country we set the criteria and we are willing to. With anybody anything of common interest we are very much up and to our western france i keep telling you we have the best of relations we might have differences of certain government at the one point of time we need to address the these differences and find Common Ground to Work Together well the record doesnt inspire confidence does it because look how hezbollah behaved in 2008 when they didnt like the government actions against them and when the government attempted to remove hezbollah telling you about it was a question is are things that are foreign what im saying is im right and their challenge but yes we are discussing we could i finish the question i respect your views though i might this is why you wont finish the you mentioned understaffed of lebanon. Youve got a special question yeah my point is that yes im listening to you but when you look at the way hezbollah behaved in 2008 when they didnt like government actions then the attempt to remove their corrupt officials and close down their illegal communications they seized parts of beirut by force and brought them to a virtual standstill thats what happens when you challenge has bella who says that isnt going to happen again while you wait and see we are in a different situation you presented a political assessment of a Political Security conflict and that time i respect your views there are different views on that matter i might agree or disagree with you this is beside the point but we are looking to the future looking today for the future so lets see how things will develop as a government with very much committed im not telling you we dont have many challenges internally and externally were very much committed to get lebanon out of the situation because this will serve the stability of the country 1st and foremost but also it will serve the interests of all those who would like to see stability in the region when are you going to stop cracking down on people who are exercising their right to free speech Human Rights Watch said in march that we are not a cracking down on people. We always certain misuse or excessive use of force sometimes industry we are committed to the right of each and every injury each and every one is to demonstrate and the street and to engage in dialogue an open dialogue and discussion thats not borne out by reality and it was initially ground than any act of violence we can than any act of violence of course and we said that many times committed against peaceful demonstrators who are expressing very legitimate demands and request for change human rights. Minister Human Rights Watch said in march theres been a spate of prosecutions against activists and journalists whove criticized Government Policies is that how you meet the peoples aspirations by cracking down on them prosecuting and i really i really dont understand your generalization and you are making statements as if there are with all due respect and the absolute reality is you are presenting a point of view based on a fact that could be interpreted and misinterpreted there is no Perfect Society and no Perfect Institution in each every country in the word so basically if certain acts which are unacceptable were committed and acceptable according to our laws we condemn these acts and we did it many times nobody is saying that there is a perfect situation but we are committed to that and every time that we see something happening like you what you would describe we try to correct that matter we are committed to do that and we welcome criticism of that matter how long do you expect people to wait for these rights that you are promising these reforms that youre promising the end to corruption and. Back our looted money give us back looted money this is what they say when one of the people of lebanon going to get back i know very much we are very much aware and committed to that its not the government that looted. The money before its not business government that created the situation that was before but however we are committed to do all what we can without friends again saying inside and outside reaching to everybody in order to get out of this vicious destructive circle that lebanon found itself in i understand the very legitimate frustration as well as the very legitimate demands of the iranians population of which im a man but i mean any citizen before being a lebanese official we understand these problems we have to get together and try to get out of this very difficult situation at least we have the commitment and the clarity that we need to get out of this difficult situation now so if you keith thanks very much for being on conflict thank you. Thank you very much so its a pleasure thank you have a good day. Good bye. Now lol. Big changes are underway in the Food Industry most. Companies changing to meet. The lets make some really smart. Join us as we explore meet in germany. Made in germany. In 30 minutes on d w. Time on middle im good welcome to the 2nd season of only. Its about the environment still about society its still about us with all the planets on the brink we spoke to several leading experts in the field about our own people trying. To get just a little full of a sense of. Deep sea org 5 keys to safer food. Clean to prevent contamination looks. Great draw and cook foods to avoid cross contamination. Cook thoroughly to kill microorganisms. Keep food safe temperatures. To prevent bacterial growth. Use safe water and safe Raw Materials to avoid content. Producers are the ones primarily responsible for the safety of the food. But you can protect yourself and your family from diseases and all by plying the 5 keepers to sea for food use them you also have a role to play. This is d. W. News live from berlin mourning the dead in hong kong huge crowds to fire back on gatherings to hold vigils for the thousands killed by chinese troops on gentlemens square 31 years ago today the rallies comments beijing opposes measures that could erode the turks for its freedoms. Also coming up Europe Central Bank promises an extra 600000000000 euros to help the content of voice to economic collapse well get the latest from frankfurt. And coming back from cope with germanys governing coalition approves the largest economic stimulus plan
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