| In 1969, under
the authority of the then president, Charles Helou, the
following document was signed by Emile Bustani. Before the
signing of this agreement we must remind the people that
the government headed then by prime minister Rashid Karami
and backed by most of the Muslim leaders and PLO chairman
Yasser Arafat refused to gather for meetings for 7 months
which put the country's economic and political situation
in a state that was not acceptable anymore not to forget
that the government also refused to resign, all of this
forced the president to accept the Cairo Agreement. We are
not defending the president or his actions, we do not need
to remind anyone that we spilt blood because of this
agreement in particular. |
The Cairo Agreement (1969)
On Monday, 3rd November 1969, the
Lebanese delegation headed by Army Commander General Emile al-Bustani,
and the Palestine Liberation Organization delegation, headed by
Mr. Yasir 'Arafat, chairman of the organization, met in Cairo in
the presence of the United Arab Republic Minister of Foreign
Affairs Mahmud Riyad, and the War Minister, General Muhammad Fawzi.
In consonance with the bonds of
brotherhood and common destiny, relations between Lebanon and the
Palestinian revolution must always be conducted on the bases of
confidence, frankness, and positive cooperation for the benefit of
Lebanon and the Palestinian revolution and within the framework of
Lebanon's sovereignty and security. The two delegations agreed on
the following principles and measures:
The Palestinian Presence
It was agreed to reorganize the
Palestinian presence in Lebanon on the following bases:
1. The right to work, residence,
and movement for Palestinians currently residing in Lebanon;
2. The formation of local
committees composed of Palestinians in the camps to care for the
interests of Palestinians residing in these camps in cooperation
with the local Lebanese authorities within the framework of
Lebanese sovereignty;
3. The establishment of posts of
the Palestinian Armed Struggle [PASC] inside the camps for the
purpose of cooperation with the local committees to ensure good
relations with the Lebanese authorities. These posts shall
undertake the task of regulating and determining the presence of
arms in the camps within the framework of Lebanese security and
the interests of the Palestinian revolution;
4. Palestinians resident in
Lebanon are to be permitted to participate in the Palestinian
revolution through the Armed Struggle and in accordance with the
principles of the sovereignty and security of Lebanon.
Commando Activity
It was agreed to facilitate
commando activity by means of:
1. Facilitating the passage of
commandos and specifying points of passage and reconnaissance in
the border areas;
2. Safeguarding the road to the 'Arqub
region;
3. The Armed Struggle shall
undertake to control the conduct of all the members of its
organizations and [to ensure] their non-interference in Lebanese
affairs;
4. Establishing a joint command
control of the Armed Struggle and the Lebanese Army;
5. Ending the propaganda
campaigns by both sides;
6. Conducting a census of Armed
Struggle personnel in Lebanon by their command.
7. Appointing Armed Struggle
representatives at Lebanese Army headquarters to participate in
the resolution of all emergency matters;
8. Studying the distribution of
all suitable points of concentration in border areas which will be
agreed with the Lebanese Army command;
9. Regulating the entry, exit,
and circulation of Armed Struggle personnel;
10. Removal of the Jiyrun base.
11. The Lebanese Army shall
facilitate the operation of medical, evacuation, and supply
centers for commando activity;
12. Releasing detained personnel
and confiscated arms;
13. It is understood that the
Lebanese authorities, both civil and military, shall continue to
exercise all their prerogatives and responsibilities in all areas
of Lebanon in all circumstances;
14. The two delegations affirm
that the Palestinian armed struggle is in the interest of Lebanon
as well as in that of the Palestinian revolution and all Arabs;
15. This agreement shall remain
Top Secret and for the eyes of the commands only.
Head of Lebanese delegation
Emile Bustani
Head of Palestinian delegation
Yasir 'Arafat
Resolution adopted by the Lebanese
Chamber of Deputies, 21 May 1987
1. Abrogation of the law issued
by the Chamber of Deputies on 14 June 1983, authorizing the
Government to ratify the agreement signed by the Government of the
Lebanese Republic and the Government of the State of Israel on 17
May 1983.
2. The agreement signed on 3
November 1969 between the head of the Lebanese delegation General
Emile Bustani and the Chairman of the PLO and which is known as
the "Cairo Agreement" is hereby null and void as if it
had never existed. Further, all annexes and measures related to
the Cairo Agreement are hereby null and void as if they had never
existed.
3. This law will become effective
upon its publication in the Official Gazette.
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