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COUNCIL OF LEBANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS

2077 National Press Building Washington, DC 20045 Tel: (202) 686-4844

July 16, 1997

The Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman, Chairman
Committee on International Relations

The House of Representatives

2170 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-6128

Dear Chairman Gilman:

During my testimony at the Lebanon Hearing on June 25, 1997, I submitted to be included in the record three pictures of An-Nahar reporter Pierre Atallah showing how he was severely beaten by unknown individuals working for the Syrian-controlled authorities in Beirut. My remarks at the Hearing relied on initial sketchy reports which later, following news conferences held on 3 July simultaneously in Beirut and Paris, received extra bolstering details. The news conference in Beirut was held by An-Nahar editor and Mr. Atallah's boss, Mr. Gibran Tueini, and Atallah's attorney, Mr. Butros Harb. Representatives of Western embassies, including that of the United States, were present at the news conference. In Paris Mr. Atallah, currently in exile in France, personally testified in the news conference which was held at the headquarters of the French organization "Reporters Without Frontiers."

Although what I said at the Hearing constituted groundbreaking news at the time, I wish here, in light of subsequent revelations, to supply additional information to what I said. The physical attack against Mr. Atallah's person occurred in the vicinity of his residence not far from the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Syrian-occupied Beirut. As Mr. Atallah was driving back home from a meeting with his lawyer, Mr. Harb, a car suddenly pulled up and blocked his way. Three men believed to be working for the Syrian-affiliated intelligence apparatus of the Beirut authorities descended from the car and began to hit Mr. Atallah repeatedly on the head, neck, back, and arms with large

clubs and butts of handguns. They did not stop until he lay flat on the ground bleeding profusely.

Mr. Atallah's examining physician in Paris prescribed sixweek period of rest and recuperation for the injured victim of this barbaric atrocity against a fellow human being whose only crime was the exercise of his right to free speech.

I kindly request, Mr. Chairman, that this letter be appended to my testimony at the Hearing and included in the record for posterity.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Nass of

Daniel Nassif

Washington Representative

STATEMENT OF AMIN GEMAYEL

FORMER PRESIDENT OF LEBANON

BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS

June 25, 1997

Good Morning Mr.

Chairman. I am pleased to appear before your Committee today to convey to you my perspectives on the current situation in Lebanon, which was proud to serve as

president from 1982 to 1988.

I come here today, Mr. Chairman, to deliver a message to the Congress and the American people on behalf of the people of Lebanon. This message is that, if we are left alone to govern ourselves, we have the ability and the will to build a harmonious, united society based on shared values and 6,000 years of history. We have the determination to create a modern country--at peace with itself and its neighbors -- whose foundations are democracy, liberty and a belief in market economics.

Lebanon is a country under occupation. In the South, the Israelis continue their zone of occupation. Most of the rest of the country is occupied by the Syrians and the central Government is controlled by them. As a result, our sovereignty is violated and our security is threatened by outsiders sponsoring, funding, arming, condoning and encouraging a proliferation of Lebanese-proxy and foreign-terrorist groups who further destabilize our country and the region.

Continued Israeli occupation is not only offensive to Our national sovereignty and our people's security, it also serves as an excuse for others, especially Syria, who undermine Lebanese sovereignty. I personally believe peace between Lebanon and all its neighbors is in the interests of the Arabs and Israelis as well as the Lebanese. Our role should be viewed as a buffer to ease tensions not a fuse to ignite them.

As president I took substantial risks for peace. Among my most important initiatives were

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The May 17, 1983 agreement between Israel and Lebanon; and,

The 1987 abrogation of the 1969 Cairo Accord, which had

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granted the Palestinians the right to operate in Southern Lebanon.

These decisions had the unanimous support in Parliament and demonstrated national consensus toward my policies, but did not produce the results I wanted because outsiders with a vested interest in the status quo thwarted my efforts.

With the same commitment, I urge the Israelis to withdraw from Lebanon now. Israel has repeatedly stated it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon and is only concerned with the security of its northern border. Their presence in Lebanon does not and will not preserve Israeli lives or foster regional peace. Continued Israeli occupation merely serves as cause around which the opponents of peace can rally.

The Lebanese will never be able to reassert their own sovereignty so long as Israel continues to occupy southern Lebanon.

The Syrian role in Lebanon is most pernicious. The Syrians are widely praised for ending the Lebanese war. This is like praising an arsonist for putting out a fire he set.

While many of the problems of Lebanon have been caused by our own shortcomings, Syrian activities exploited and expanded our differences. I truly believe that without Syrian interference and intervention, we Lebanese would have resolved our own problems.

First of all, Lebanese nationalists, Muslims and Christians, have been intimidated, exiled and murdered:

Among those murdered were Muslim religious leader Hassan
Khalid and political leader Rashid Karami, Druze leader
Kamal Junblatt, my own brother, President-elect Bashir
Gemayel, and others.

Other nationalists such as myself and General Aoun, who regrets he cannot be here today, and others have been exiled from Lebanon and not allowed to return and participate in the Lebanese political process.

Lebanese attempts at reconciliation have been blocked by
Syrian action. I include for the record the minutes of
a 1988 meeting between my former foreign minister and the
American ambassador describing Syrian intervention to

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