NNA - Lebanon shall never exact the price of democratic pursuits by others, president of the Republic Michel Sleiman told Lebanese expats at the Lebanese embassy reception in Abidjan yesterday.



Commenting on the likes of the so-called Greek-Orthodox electoral law, the president warned against any such religious-sectarian law but favoured what he termed "making use of Hezbollah's fighting potential up to a point when military regulars could fully assume national defensive tasks by themselves."



The president aspired for establishing a high-ranking ad-hoc body with the aim of tackling expatriate problems with him presiding over its work.



As a means for averting getting sucked into disturbances all around us, the president prescribed not sending over to Syria or, receiving from there any gunman. He advised adhering to strict neutrality in the ongoing conflict. The president disclosed that henceforth the army would not hesitate to arrest potential fighters belonging to this or that side if and when found in a belligerent posture.



Sleiman quoted the Ivorian president as describing Lebanese expats as being tantamount to God-sent messengers to the Ivory Coast.


============G.G./R.K.