Lebanon is a country deeply rooted in the principles of democracy, human rights, and free enterprise. The Constitution of Lebanon guarantees democratic and economic liberty for the Lebanese people. We are committed to national unity and an effective government, combining security and prosperity. The Lebanese people are living testimony to the fact that there can be no military solution to conflicts. Today, after the events of last April, this testimony has become obvious to all concerned. The solution can only be political, and one that the international community can support - and later on, reconstruction and modernization efforts. The Lebanese are committed to the peace process based on the principles of the Madrid Conference. We have every interest that a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace takes hold in the Middle East. Seventeen years of war and turmoil have had a major impact on the Lebanese economy and society. The impact on social conditions and human resources was equally grave. However, Lebanon throughout her history, and even during her darkest days, never wavered from her long tradition of a democratic political system and open exchange and trade regime.
Lebanon's investment policies and a market-oriented economic system have always represented the country's competitive advantage and have in their store her economic potential. Looking for work, we will continue to rely on these policies to underpin our reconstruction and modernization traditions. To look back to 1992, we must share multimillion, multidimensional programs, starting in the following broad areas: trade; achieving economic prosperity while maintaining financial and monetary stability; rehabilitating and expanding the physical infrastructure; protecting the social infrastructure and spending on social stability; and organizing and expanding our defense and security forces.Today, the results are very encouraging in all areas. Lebanon is a big construction site. The Lebanese bond has stabilized and is growing stronger on a continuous basis. Inflation has declined from 120 percent to less than 10 percent a year. Economic growth has averaged about 7 percent. Employment has increased by about 10 percent, and as a result, the middle class has started to reemerge.
In addition, the physical and social infrastructure has expanded substantially. Indeed, the provisions for electricity, telephone communications, water, road networks, the airport, ports, and sewer collection have improved considerably. Also, around 1,200 schools have been regulated. Medical care has been expanded. Displaced people are returning to their homes. On the other hand, the private sector is encouraged to participate actively in the development of the physical and social infrastructure, including the provisions for housing and public transportation. Finally, the defense and security forces are being strengthened to ensure the ability of the Lebanese government to expand the full control of the south of the country when the comprehensive peace agreement has been reached and Israel withdraws from Lebanon.
We have attempted to maintain the promise of social stability while embarking on the reconstruction problem. The results of the program, so far, are very encouraging due to the commitment, active participation, and confidence of the Lebanese people in their country. These encouraging signs renew the confidence of the outside world in Lebanon. This is clearly evident in the optimism of the private sector, which in 1996 invested more than $300 million, approximately 3 percent of the GDP.
Security and economic prosperity in Lebanon mark a necessary condition for stability in the region. Indeed, the support of Lebanon during this critical period, by her strength, will help the Lebanese eliminate the effects of racial instability.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: How does the Lebanese government plan to improve and increase the minimum wage in Lebanon and control the cost of living?
A: We do not want to see a large inflation rate again. We want to see that lower class people, when we increase their salary, will not lose but instead improve their life. We are increasing salaries and taking into consideration finances and the cost of living.
Q: Do you see any contradiction in President Clinton's encouraging investment in Lebanon but banning travel to Lebanon?
A: I hope that this problem will be solved as soon as possible. The dark days of Lebanon are over, and the war in Lebanon is over. The security in Lebanon is now assured. When the travel ban occurred long before President Clinton's term, it was justified for the American people by many political administrations. Now, things are changed in Lebanon. The security is well assured. Hundreds of thousands of non-Lebanese come over every year from Europe and the United States. Thousands of people from the United States visit Lebanon and nothing happens to them. I am always repeating that we cannot judge the situation now as it was years ago. That period is finished, over. There is security and stability. There is a government looking after the future of the country and the Lebanese people. I hope that soon President Clinton's administration will take off the travel ban and the cooperation between Lebanon and the American businessman will be greater, and we will benefit. Surely, we are a small country, but the Lebanese are effective in every way.
Q: Mr. Prime Minister, the reconstruction of Lebanon has been translated into the reconstruction of Beirut. How and when will the rest of Lebanon get help?
A: This is a question from someone who is not from Beirut. In fact, the reconstruction is all over. We can see more results in Beirut because there was more destruction. The concentration of population in Beirut was greater. But all over the country you see buildings rising, roads under construction, and telephone communication restoration or installation. No doubt, there are regions in the country that need more attention, but this costs money.
Q: We have several questions regarding the relationship between Lebanon and Israel and Lebanon and Syria. I will read just one, but perhaps you can expand beyond this. Do you believe Syria will leave your land, and do you believe the Israelis will leave if the Hezbollah no longer gets weapons from Iran and stops shelling northern Israel?
A: Lebanon is in a dilemma now and has lived in one for years. We have an Israeli occupation in the south, and we had a resistance before the occupation. I came to the government four years ago, and this was the situation. We have an occupation from one hand, and we have a resistance from the other hand. So, what shall we do? Many leaders from many countries call and ask, "Why don't you disarm Hezbollah?" If we disarm Hezbollah and the Israeli occupied part of the country, it means we are helping Israel to remain in our territory. But is it a normal situation? It is not. It is not normal that part of the country is occupied at the beginning of the twenty-first century. A civilized, democratic, free, Lebanon is occupied. We don't want to see anyone in Lebanon with arms. I don't believe in military solutions; I believe in political solutions. I believe in discussion and exchanging ideas among people, civilizations, and religions. We are asked to love each other, to live together, to coexist together. We have to accept and respect each other. This dilemma has to be ended. We cannot end it by arguing while people are killed every day. We have to respect international law, the United Nations resolutions. We are a strong country. We believe in international law and the United Nations. We are ready to accept all the United Nations resolutions. We are ready to implement them. We are ready to take our share of assuring the security of everybody. I hope that the Israeli leadership will decide to live in Israel and find peace. This means Israel has to withdraw from Lebanon, the Golan Heights, and they have to solve the problem with the Palestinians. This is the way we can all live, work, and assure a better future for our children and grandchildren. The other part of the question relates to the Syrian army existing in Lebanon. The Syrians have been there for about twenty years, and they are playing a positive role helping us to assure security. If we looked five or six years ago to the issue of security in Lebanon, we would see that we did not have at that time a real and unified army or interior security force. In 1996, we have a trained army we are proud of; we have interior security forces who are well trained, and we are proud of. The security of the country is well assured. The Syrians are helping us. We will not move anything now before we see the Israeli occupation in this house is finished, and then we will reassess the situation and see what to do. Before that, I don't see that Lebanon has any interest in jeopardizing that security. If Israel were in trouble tomorrow, we would have to send a big part of our army to the south to assure the security there. This is a very big responsibility because if Israel were in jeopardy, the whole world would ask us to ensure the security of Israel. How would we ensure the security? By our own army. Accordingly, we would assess the situation to see what to do between Lebanon and Syria.
Q: There are several questions regarding social problems in Lebanon. Could you please speak to the problems of access to health care, security for senior citizens, housing, and public education?
A: Since I came to the government four years ago, the budget for health care has more than doubled. We are giving health care to most of the Lebanese people through similar ways - directly through national health or social security. The Lebanese have a special budget for health care. We are spending a lot of money on health care. Health care means a lot of money. We are trying our best for our people.