Nassar said in an exclusive interview with ‘Sputnik’ radio: ‘Negotiating with Israel is necessary to assert Lebanese rights and to prevent positions that could negatively affect the Lebanese people.’ He added, ‘The best way to succeed in negotiations is for the state to be fully sovereign and to have complete sovereignty over its territory.’
Nassar explained that ‘Speaker of the House Nabih Berri supports the exclusivity of weapons because he is keen for the Lebanese state to have the necessary power to negotiate,’ adding, ‘We are currently in the process of building the state, and it cannot be built for one party or group; rather, it must be a guarantor for all Lebanese people. The exclusivity of weapons is not a service for the West and Israel, but a guarantee for the Lebanese people.’
He continued, ‘No one can marginalize a part of the Lebanese people, and thus there is nothing called the environment,’ questioning, ‘What about his community?’ He called on ‘everyone to go towards the state project and commit to it.’
Regarding direct negotiations and normalization with Israel, Nassar said, ‘I am not in favor of normalization unless those who suffered from Israeli aggression say they are ready for this step. Therefore, the final word on the issue of normalization is theirs.’ He emphasized that ‘the Lebanese community does not want to face the disasters it has previously experienced, and thus insisting on making the confrontation with Israel in the field we have decided suits Israel is a mistake.’
Responding to a question about the Israeli threats surrounding Lebanon, Nassar said, ‘We are convinced that we will face Israeli risks, but we are also convinced that weapons cannot deter these risks and cannot make the state strong enough to face Israel in diplomatic and international forums and negotiations and in its relations with the West and Arab countries.’
On the topic of parliamentary elections, Nassar clarified that ‘it is natural to have multiple opinions, and the government committee saw gaps in the current law. Granting non-residents the right to vote for 128 deputies does not target or isolate any sect, and any attempt to postpone the electoral entitlement is considered the problem, not the solution.’
Nassar revealed that ‘discussions with the Syrian side are positive, during which a judicial agreement was presented to transfer prisoners to Syria. The talks also fundamentally addressed all assassinations and whether the Syrian side has information about the actions of the previous regime, in addition to the issue of forcibly disappeared persons and Lebanese fugitives.’
Regarding the extradition of officers affiliated with the former regime, Nassar said, ‘There is a legal framework to be followed, and the delegation did not directly demand this issue.’
