VATICAN MEETINGS - POINTS OF DISCUSSION

MAY 9, 1992

In light of your meeting with Vatican Officials, The National Alliance of Lebanese Americans (NALA) requests that you convey the below listed positions concerning the present Lebanese situation. Furthermore, NALA would greatly appreciate your efforts to convince the Papal Sea to adopt a stand regarding Lebanon in accordance with the proposals stated below.

Overview of The Present Lebanese Situation:

Recent developments on the Lebanese scene, have illustrated the depth of the people's resentment of the present status of the country and their strong opposition to the "Government's" policies and actions.

These events present the international community with a golden opportunity to effect the future of Lebanon and the Region. The resignation of "Prime Minister" Karami under popular pressure paves the way for major shift in momentum, from a gradual slide into the Syrian totalitarian orbit to the re-establishment of an independent and free Lebanon.

Failure of the international community to cease this opportunity and address the needs of the Lebanese populous would have disastrous consequences on Lebanon and the region. If Syria succeeds in appointing another surrogate Government, which would request Syrian Military assistance in quelling the public demonstrations, it would have succeeded in consolidating its control over Lebanese affairs and hence prolonged its occupation and enhanced its potential to systematically dismember and dissolve Lebanon.

Such a situation does not bare well on Lebanon, nor does it further the peace process so desperately needed in the region. A Syrian consolidation in Lebanon coupled with Iranian support and assistance would most certainly heighten Israeli fears to the point of initiating a pre-emptive strike designed to eliminate or reduce the perceived threat to its security.

The international community and specially the West must act quickly to prevent such an ominous potential for bloodshed and destruction. Particularly since such a military conflict carries the real potential of spiralling out of control to engulf the

region as whole and possibly beyond.

NALA, in its concern for the welfare of the Lebanese people and regional peace, proposes the following measures to be undertaken by the international community to prevent the regions slide into war.

1 - A serious effort must ensue to bring into place a Lebanese Government capable, with international support and assistance of:

a - Insisting on Syrian adherence to the Taif time-table of redeployment to the Bekaa no later than September 1992, as a first step in re-establishing Lebanese independence.

b - Respecting the Lebanese request for free elections after the Syrian redeployment which would include all military and secret service personnel.

2 - Syria must be held to the redeployment deadline with the same impunity that was afforded the Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait and the Libyan stand vis-a-vis the indicted terrorists.

3 - No elections be held prior to the Syrian redeployment out of Beirut and the Mountains.

4 - International Supervision and Monitoring be provided to assure free and fair elections.

5 - The expatriate Lebanese community must be afforded full participation in the upcoming elections, including the right to field candidates and vote by absentee ballot.

6 - International recognition of the forthcoming Lebanese Government must be conditional on all the above, and must be withheld upon the failure to meet any of the conditions.

Peace in the Middle East cannot be attained so long as Lebanon remains occupied and serving as a battle field for the regional antagonists and a breeding ground for international terrorism. Establishing Lebanon as a non-aligned buffer state would deprive the region of the low-intensity warfare option and force the warring parties into a compromise settlement. Since the only remaining option would be an all out war with devastating effects on the respective population.

To establish Lebanon as a buffer state, it must regain its full independence from the control and hegemony of either party. The permanence of such independence and its ability to endure the regional turbulence depends on Lebanon regaining its economic and demographic stability. Thus the sole guarantee for a successful solution is the return to Lebanon of the massive Lebanese human and material wealth, which has been forcefully displaced by the war or its resultant occupation.

The expatriate participation in the formation of the upcoming Lebanese Government through fielding candidates and voting, coupled with international guarantees and supervision and in the absence of Syrian presence in Beirut, would instill in the Lebanese the necessary confidence in the new political leadership to compel them to return and participate in the rebuilding of Lebanon.