Speaking in his first press interview from jail since his arrest 11 years ago, former Christian militia leader Samir Geagea called for a new beginning in Lebanon and an "independent, modern state" based on democracy.
Geagea, who is preparing to leave prison after being granted amnesty this week, told the London-based Al Hayat daily in an interview published yesterday that dialogue should be the only means to solving problems between the Lebanese.
"There is no going back to the past. Any rivalry in the future should take place using democratic means," said Geagea.
The newspaper said Geagea was interviewed from behind a glass partition.
Lebanon's newly elected Parliament approved an amnesty motion on Monday for Geagea's release in its first legislative session since last month's parliamentary elections in which the opposition alliance scored a majority of seats.
The parliament also endorsed another amnesty bill for the release of a group of suspected Muslim militants being tried on charges of endangering state security, many of whom allegedly have links to Al Qaida.
About 100 lawmakers of the 128-seat legislature, including Geagea's wife, Streda, voted for the release of the prisoners.
President Emile Lahoud signed the parliamentary motion on Tuesday and the amnesty bill was published in the official gazette yesterday, effectively making Geagea a free man.
His wife said yesterday he would be released in "a matter of days," adding that he would address the Lebanese public before heading to the airport to travel abroad for medical checkups.
Geagea, who led the powerful Christian Lebanese Forces militia during the 1975-90 civil war, called on Lebanese politicians to work on building "an independent, modern state within a democratic system that guarantees rights and freedoms."
"Dialogue should be the only language between the Lebanese for solving their political and economic problems," he was quoted as saying.
Geagea, who has spent most of the past 11 years in solitary confinement in an underground cell at the Defence Ministry, said he hasn't read a newspaper since his arrest and up until the amnesty was not allowed to watch television or listen to the radio.
Geagea is the only prominent former militia leader to be jailed for opposing Syrian dominance while other ex-militia leaders benefited from a 1991 general amnesty for crimes committed during the 1975-90 civil war.
He was arrested and his Lebanese Forces outlawed after a bombing at a church killed 10 people. He was acquitted of the bombing but convicted on other charges.
