I asked a Kuwaiti man I met in Geneva, "Are you going this summer to Lebanon, as usual?" He answered, "Why should I visit Lebanon, when there is no security, and things are expensive?" A man from another Gulf country who spends his vacation travelling around the most beautiful Swiss cities and mountainous areas, from Gstaad to Montreux to Lausanne, said, "This is what Lebanon should be like." A government minister from the Gulf has traditionally spent vacations with his family in Lebanon, since the days of his youth – he lamented the deteriorating security conditions and statements by Lebanese officials that "tourism is fine" in Lebanon, while this sector of the economy is in fact in a tragic situation. Innocent Gulf nationals have been harassed by security officials, at the instigation of the Syrian regime, and some Lebanese officials have been implicated in performing acts that serve the allied Syrian regime. Poor Lebanon, and its cities, mountains, hotels and festivals. Arab tourism has relocated, prior to the month of Ramadan, and the Arabs will also stay away during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, while the people of Gulf countries used to visit every year. Now, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry has announced a travel warning for its citizens out of fear for their safety due to the repercussions of the situation in Syria. This warning completes a cycle of huge losses for Lebanon, because some of the influential factions in the government have shown solidarity with the "fraternal" Arab regime in Syria. The policy of disassociating Lebanon from the situation is a myth. Despite the visit by President Michel Suleiman to Saudi Arabia and the attempts by him and Prime Minister Najib Mikati to reassure Gulf countries about the neutralization of Lebanon from what happening in Syria, officials in Gulf states - and especially Saudi Arabia - have been determined to protect the safety of their nationals. This is stronger than the reassurances by the president and prime minister of Lebanon, who certainly want to see their country prosperous. However, they are unable to guarantee this, because influence when it comes to security matters lies elsewhere. Patrols by official security bodies are forbidden in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Syrian Army violates Lebanon's borders on a daily basis, kidnapping Lebanese; the two leaders condemn this, but can do nothing. Nevertheless, it is said that Lebanon has disassociated itself from the Syrian crisis! When a Turkish Phantom jet entered Syrian air space for a few minutes before exiting, it was shot down by Syria's air defense (or Russian air defense on Syrian soil) on the pretext of defending Syria's sovereignty. What about Lebanon's sovereignty, as we witness violations of the borders every day by the Syrian Army? Who will stop these violations and have Syrian forces in Lebanon ever been subject to Lebanon's response of "disassociating itself"? Poor Lebanon. It has the luck of seeing some influential western countries, such as France, understand its situation, despite the tragic situation of Lebanon's government. France will pay attention as it welcomes Suleiman next week, when he visits the new president, Francois Hollande. A number of officials have said the visit is an important one, under the circumstances currently prevailing between France and the Syrian regime. France wants to encourage and bolster the situation of the Lebanese president under these circumstances. The telephone call between French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati was a part of this policy. France is keen to show its concern with Lebanon and its security, and that it is not linking its policy on the Syrian regime to its stance on the Lebanese government, which it wants to see independent. However, everyone in France is aware of the details of the situation in Lebanon, and Hollande and Fabius have also visited the country and learned of the details of the situation from diplomats and those around them. Ambassador Denis Pietton is the chief of staff for Fabius; Pietton moved to his post from his position as ambassador to Lebanon. The new director of the Middle East and North Africa Department, Jean Francois Girault, worked as adviser to the former Gaullist President Jacques Chirac, who was known for his concern for Lebanon. In the Elysee Palace, the person in charge of the diplomatic file is Emmanuel Bonne, a diplomat and an Orientalist who knows Lebanon. There is also the French ambassador to Lebanon, Patrice Paoli, who was the director of the Middle East Department in the Foreign Ministry and knows the details of Lebanon's regional situation. Despite the fragility of the situation in Lebanon and the weak position of its officials vis-à-vis the Syrian regime and its ally Hezbollah and other allies of the regime, there are those who want to help Lebanon out of its current situation. Despite this, the linkage of the Lebanese government to the Syrian regime is killing Arab tourism in Lebanon and plunging the economy into difficulties and crisis. All we hear from young Lebanese is that they want to emigrate. They cannot tolerate the entire political class and the crisis situation between officials and their divisions. Sane Lebanese have stopped following developments inside the government and among politicians; they have become bored by their disregard for the interests of the people, who are fed up with corruption and the lack of concern with their children's future. Lebanon is in urgent need of a true "spring," for the sake of its young people. All economic sectors have deteriorated, not just tourism. More importantly, education and the environment have suffered, along with everything that helps see the country progress. We see many Lebanese succeed and excel abroad, in countries that give them the opportunity to succeed while their country lacks this, unfortunately.
