LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 15/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 15:9-17. As the Father loves
me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments,
you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and
remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and
your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I
love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for
one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call
you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have
called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my
Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go
and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name
he may give you. This I command you: love one another.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Christian confusion is Lebanon's loss.
By
Michael Young 14/05/09
Will Sulaiman complete his term?By Joseph
A. Kechichcian/GulfNews 13/05/09
March 8 plan to bring back the
tutelage era to Lebanon/Future News 14/05/09
Aoun attacks the President and
Hizbullah launches a regime change battle/Future News 14.05.09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
14/09
Gemayel: The Slogan of the Third Republic Is a Coup d'Etat-Naharnet
Geagea: No crisis With Independent Candidates and No Veto on Boueiz-Naharnet
Votes Up For Grabs in 'Anything Goes' Lebanon-Naharnet
Administrative
Appointments Face Obstacle as Opposition Clings to Full Basket-Naharnet
US Treasury targets Syria-based Al-Qaeda
supporter-AFP
Pope leads mass in Nazareth, urges
reconciliation-AFP
Elias
Abu Assi: no for toppling state-Future
News
Syrian minister: We support Iran
and Hizbullah-Future
News
Sleiman hopes budget and
appointments in 10 days-Future
News
Administrative
Appointments Face Obstacle as Opposition Clings to Full Basket-Naharnet
Israel Fears Hizbullah Control, Says No Decision on Ghajar Pullout until Polls-Naharnet
Political Crisis in Guatemala:
President Accused of Murdering Lebanese Businessman and his Lawyer-Naharnet
Poll-Related Security Incidents in Lebanese Regions-Naharnet
Army Arrests 2 Alleged
Spies, 2 Others Disappear-Naharnet
March 14 Alliance Meets
Next Thursday-Naharnet
Lebanese Army Experts
Studying Cluster Bomb Maps-Naharnet
Court Charges Six Lebanese
with Spying for Israel-Naharnet
Suleiman: The Opposition
Will Be Stronger in Raising Votes-Naharnet
Lavrov in Beirut on May 25
to Issue Invitation to Moscow Peace Conference-Naharnet
MP Kanaan Paternal Home
Burned in Maameltein-Naharnet
Dalloul Announces Failure
of Negotiations with Hariri-Naharnet
March 14: Raising the
Slogan of Third Republic Is a Dangerous Development-Naharnet
Hizbullah Launches
Electoral Campaign in Batroun-Naharnet
MI5 linked to arrest of Britons in Syria-guardian.co.uk
Israel
hands over maps of cluster-bomb strike sites-Daily
Star
Cabinet
fails to approve key administrative appointments-Daily
Star
Sleiman
sees close outcome in polls-Daily
Star
Gul
urges regional goodwill to boost peace prospects-Daily
Star
Israel
suspends Ghajar talks until after Lebanon vote-Daily
Star
Lebanese
wary of impact of US-Syria deal-Daily
Star
Najjar
says Doha deal 'temporary-Daily
Star
Khalil
denies rift with Sleiman-Daily
Star
Prosecutor charges six with spying-(AFP)
Lebanese-born Swede convicted of plot to train Al-Qaeda recruits-Daily
Star
Candidates urged to stand up for human rights-Daily
Star
Low
wages driving highly educated Lebanese abroad-Daily
Star
New book
offers environment solutions-Daily
Star
Protestors demand right to know fate of missing relatives-Daily
Star
New AUB
program aims to improve energy policy-Daily
Star
Pope
celebrates mass in Nazareth
NAZARETH, Israel (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI Thursday urged faiths sharing the
Holy Land to reject hatred and live in peace as he celebrated the largest mass
of his pilgrimage outside Nazareth, hometown of Jesus. "Sadly... Nazareth has
experienced tensions in recent years which have harmed relations between its
Christian and Muslim communities," Benedict told tens of thousands of pilgrims
gathered at an open-air amphitheatre. "I urge people of goodwill in both
communities to repair the damage that has been done, and... to work to build
bridges and find the way to a peaceful coexistence," he said. "Let everyone
reject the destructive power of hatred and prejudice," the pope said on Mt
Precipice, where Christians believe Jesus vanished as a crowd angered by his
teachings tried to shove him off a cliff.
The 82-year-old pontiff celebrated mass in front of some 40,000 faithful, the
largest one of his eight-day Holy Land pilgrimage that ends on Friday.
"This is like a dream to see our pope," said Moses Denorio, a Filipino who has
been living in Israel for the past 25 years and had come with three busloads of
compatriots.
"It is so special to see him," he said. "It is a blessing for us and a blessing
for Nazareth... We're praying for peace in Israel and for the Palestinians. We
pray and we don't lose hope. There is always hope."
The pontiff is due to meet later in the day with Israel's hawkish Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in the Franciscan convent adjacent to the Basilica of the
Annunciation.
Ahead of the encounter, an Israeli official said that the Jewish state had
refused a Vatican request to issue multi-entry visas to some 500 priests from
Arab countries, in what could become another bone of discord during the
pontiff's trip.
The German-born pope sparked criticism in the Jewish state shortly after
arriving on Monday, with many saying that during his visit to Yad Vashem
Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem he did not show enough empathy and had failed to
apologise for the Nazi genocide.
On Wednesday, he called for a sovereign Palestinian homeland and lamented
Israel's "tragic" wall as he visited the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West
Bank where he held talks with president Mahmud Abbas. The leader of the world's
1.1 billion Catholics during mass in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of
Jesus, also urged Christians "to consolidate your presence and to offer new
possibilities to those tempted to leave." Encouraging the Holy Land's dwindling
Christian community to stay has been one of the main aims of the pontiff's trip
to the land revered by the world's three main monotheistic faiths. An estimated
130,000 of Israel's 7.4 million residents are Christian, while in the
Palestinian territories the ratio is 50,000 of a total population of 3.8
million. In the basilica Benedict will pray at the Grotto of the Annunciation,
which Christians believe marks the spot where the Archangel Gabriel told the
Virgin Mary she would conceive the son of God.
The pontiff will hold a service in the upper level of the basilica, which was
built in 1969 on the site of earlier Crusader and Byzantine churches and is
topped by a 55-metre-high (182-foot) dome, whose shape is based on the Madonna
lily, symbol of the Virgin Mary. His visit has received a mixed welcome from the
Muslim community in Nazareth, a predominantly Arab city where 30 percent of the
66,300 population is Christian. A small but vocal group still simmering after
the pope in 2006 quoted a medieval Christian emperor who criticised some
teachings of the Prophet Mohammed as "evil and inhuman" has protested his visit
to the city.
The group also objects to the pope's meeting with Netanyahu on the eve of the
Naqba -- catastrophe -- as Palestinians call the creation of the state of
Israel, which led to 700,000 Palestinians being driven out or fleeing their
homes. Benedict's five-day visit to Israel and the West Bank also stirred
controversy within the Jewish community, coming after months of uproar over the
Vatican's decision to lift the excommunication of Holocaust-denying bishop,
Richard Williamson of Britain.
Report:
CIA chief in secret Israel talks on Iran
Public radio says top officials, including Netanyahu, Barak assured Leon Panetta
that 'Israel does not intend to surprise the US on Iran'
Ron Ben-Yishai, AFP
Published: 05.14.09, 10:53 / Israel News
CIA chief Leon Panetta has held secret talks in Israel with top officials who
assured him the Jewish state would not launch a surprise strike on Iran, a
report said.
According to the public radio report, Panetta arrived in Israel two weeks ago
for a round of talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister
Ehud Barak , Mossad chief Meir Dagan and other top officials. The talks focused
on Iran's nuclear program, which the United States and Israel suspect is aimed
at developing an atomic bomb, a claim denied by Tehran. The Israeli leaders
assured Panetta that "Israel does not intend to surprise the US on Iran" or
undermine the Obama Administration's efforts to launch negotiations with Tehran
on its nuclear program. The officials also discussed issues related to Syria and
Iran's efforts to increase its influence in the Middle East.
President Barack Obama's decision to engage Tehran in direct talks in an effort
to end the nuclear standoff have raised concern in Israel which called on the
negotiations to be limited in time and accompanied by tough sanctions. Israel
nevertheless refuses to remove the option of taking military action against the
Islamic republic.
Netanyahu has said that Iran's nuclear ambitions posed an "existential threat"
to the Jewish state.
Abu Assi:
no for toppling state
Date: May 14th, 2009 Source: ANB
Secretary General of the National Liberal Party Elias Abu Assi declared on
Thursday his party opposes any course “that topples institutions and drives
Lebanon into dodgy turns”.
Abu Assi said in a televised interview “we do not believe in violence as a way
to settle disputes and our only refuge is the army and the state”. Abu Assi said
the Taef agreement, which ended the 1975-1990 Civil War, “is mostly appropriate
for Lebanon, except for some gaps that can be tackled through practice”. He
pointed that Lebanon “must be governed through equal sharing between Muslims and
Christians regardless of numbers.” Abu Assi smeared the Doha agreement saying
“it was imposed by the power of arms displayed at the domestic arena” in May,
2008. He warned if Lebanon was governed by the Doha agreement, “weapon might be
used again at the domestic arena to settle disputes”. He rejected the proposal
of the “March 8’ opposition alliance of governing Lebanon through tripartite
sharing, “it reflects their desire to amend the constitution and reject the Taef
agreement”.
All for the Nation
Date: May 14th, 2009
Future News
Let us forget void squabbles and ridiculous political quarrels of March 8.
Let us forget how March 8 thanked Syria for spilling our blood.
Let us forget all the above and vote for:
A warm civil peace not a cold and fake one like the peace created by the
Lebanese-Syrian regime that keeps instigating Lebanese against each other.
Peaceful neighborhoods that were violated ruthlessly a year ago.
Freedom of the Press for which Jubran Tueini, Samir Kassir, Nassib Metni, Kamel
Mroue, Selim Lawze and May Shidiac spilled out their blood.
A unified strong army that protects our border from the Zionist regime, an army
immune from religious and political hatreds, whose role is far from basketball
and football courts.
Democracy that guarantees the development of our political system, a democracy
that denies, closing down the doors of the parliament, disrupt the work of the
government and paralyze its institutions.
Free movement on all Lebanese territories where security zones and sand blocks
are abolished.
Government institutions that embody development and advance and reject
segregation and seclusion.
Accepting one another on the basis of respecting each others’ differences away
from military intimidation, blood spilling and accusation of treason.
Stability that provides job vacancies and safe driving of fathers to or out of
their work.
Multi-faceting, as it is Lebanon’s force in the face of the Zionist entity.
Fair political division between Muslims and Christians regardless of which
religion outnumbers the other.
For openness that enables us to look to a brighter future on the basis of free
spirit and creativity, contrary to those bigoted religious ceremonies that
inspire venom and hatred in the heads of its attendees.
If you vote for all the above then you voted for your own benefit and the
benefit of Lebanon the Nation, Lebanon First notion and not for Syria or Iran.
By doing so, then you are really and clearly saying— We Are All For The Nation.
Aoun attacks the President and Hizbullah launches a regime
change battle
Date: May 14th, 2009
Future News
Pro-Syrian March 8’s project is now clear, as the past days showed the will of
this camp to block the Lebanese state and its institutions. While the Doha
accord stated that a calm atmosphere must be respected on the eve of the June 7
parliamentary elections, the Hizbullah-led team is accusing the majority of
treason. It is the effective beginning of the coup the opposition is trying to
establish using the Doha accord to attack the Taëf agreement the Presidency and
the coexistence formula under the slogan of “tripartite republic” or the
repartition of power the three demographically dominant communities.
It is clear now that the pro-Syrians refuse the state logic. So despite this
team’s verbal support to President Michel Sleiman, MP Michel Aoun is offending
frequently the presidency thinking that the support of his allies would make him
reach the first post in the country. This proves a statement pronounced by one
of them saying that the new Parliament will elect a new President.
And in spite of Aoun repeating that the Presidency should be supported, what
occurred yesterday in the Cabinet meeting unveiled his true intentions. This
meeting asserted that he does not care for the President nor for the Presidency,
his one concern is to reach the castle of Baabda. Yesterday March 8’s ministers
did not vote in favor of the suggested directors appointments because under the
pretext of consensus.
A declared coup
While the pro-Syrian team is preparing his coup, starting with the elimination
of the June 7 elections, using the lack in directors appointments especially
regarding the members of the Constitutional Council, Hizbullah’s candidate for
the district of Tyr Nawaf Mousawi said: “March 14 is fabricating political
titles to cover its political gaps,” and stresses in mean time on winning the
elections to change the regime. Mousawi, Hizbullah’s international affairs
official, considered facing the internal threats is more dangerous than a war on
the resistance which projects the intention of canceling these elections.
Sleiman and the Taëf spirit
Meanwhile, President Sleiman is responding to the campaign that targets him in a
way that preserves the Presidency, as he asserted that “the President must be
given executive powers to be able to preserve the Constitution. He also asked
how will problems between the executive power and the legislative be solve if
the President does not have a way?
As for campaigns targeting Taëf, Sleiman said: “The spirit of Taëf did not state
the tripartite principle so we have to preserve a consensual spirit,” he added
that “we have to compose a government of national unity as the constitution
states.” And answering a question regarding the President’s need for the veto
power in the post elections government, he said: “Maybe he’ll need more than
that to preserve a balance in the cabinet.”
Third republic’s threats
March 14’s general secretary considered “the third republic slogan constitutes a
dangerous development and a coup against coexistence and the Taëf agreement.”
This “threatens the official institutions starting with the Presidency, the
Judiciary and the constitution as the economy and security institutions in
addition to the Parliament and the government have already been targeted.
Furthermore some are using the Doha settlement for the veto power to be adopted
leading to the tripartite instead of bilateralism.”
The state project
On the other hand, MP Saad Hairri, leader of Almustaqbal Movement, 25 days ahead
of the parliamentary elections, pursued his electoral meetings in Koraitem where
he asserted that “the slogan of Lebanon first means the state project first, the
Lebanese citizen first, and the country first.” He added that others’ projects
are eluding, fabricated and is not related to the Lebanese citizen’s interests.
Hariri said that Almustaqbal Movement “faced sedition and refused armed
conflicts, as our project relies on preserving civil peace and coexistence,” “it
is the path we inherited from martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.”
March 8 plan to bring back the tutelage era
Date: May 14th, 2009 Source:
Future News
As the Lebanese parliamentary elections loom closer, the incessant Syrian
intervention in Lebanon’s affairs grows bigger. The Syrian intelligence
continuously tries to dominate and affect the Lebanese elections by either
holding electoral dinners in honor of its Lebanese allies, or intimidating
naturalized Syrians.
The electoral dinner held in Damascus for the West Bekaa-Rashaya March 8
opposition members was of no surprise. It reflected the extent of Syrian
intelligence intervention in the Lebanese parliamentary elections. The electoral
office of the Syrian intelligence organized and monitored the dinner where
members of the March 8 alliance reiterated in their speeches their sturdy
relation with the Syrian regime. The meeting did not find the approval of
politicians or the citizens of Bekaa, to the contrary, the lawyers in that area
prepared to file a complaint on the flagrant Syrian intervention in the
parliamentary elections. Political sources in West Bekaa-Rashaya area said
Syrian intelligence members are paying visits to neutralized Lebanese living in
Syria in an attempt to exert pressure on them and influence the results of the
elections. As one politician described it “the Syrian intelligence cannot give
up their favorite hobby of intimidation, particularly that they are no more able
to practice it in Lebanon, so they do that in Syria
The sources said that the Syrian plan aims at preparing the naturalized
individuals who would be transferred in buses on election day to vote in their
districts, a flagrant intervention in Lebanon’s affairs. They pointed that the
electoral meeting in Damascus is a conclusive proof that Syria and its
intelligence services are still the reference that March 8 resort to.
What makes things even worse are the speeches issued by March 8 in West Bekaa
praising and glorifying the Syrian role in Lebanon.
The Lebanese citizens residing in Syria complained of being blackmailed by
Syrian intelligence. The latter tend to call in the voters to their offices and
instruct them how to behave in the polls, from whom to take the ticket and how
they must put it in the envelope outside the curtain.
“Voting must be done under Syrian control or the voters would be prohibited from
returning to Syria,” as one citizen quoted one of the intelligence official as
telling him. He refused to be named for fear of repercussion. The sources
criticized the March 8 alliance electoral project, and wondered if the political
battle on Lebanese territory is limited to demanding political reforms or goes
beyond this claim to executing Iranian Syrian agendas? Is March 8 trying to
prove that Lebanon is not qualified to rule itself in order to ensure the return
of Syrian tutelage?
Sleiman hopes budget and appointments in 10 days
Date: May 14th, 2009 Source:
Future News
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman hoped pending issues like ratifying the 2009
budget and appointing members of the Constitutional Council will be ratified at
the Cabinet’s next session in the next 10 days. Sleiman’s comments, which were
carried by most newspapers Thursday, were made after he presided over a cabinet
session a night before that failed to vote on appointments of key civil servants
needed for the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Information Minister Tarek Mitri said after the Cabinet session which was held
at the presidential palace that “the Cabinet discussed the items on its agenda
along with the suggestion of Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to fill the vacancies
in the administrative posts. Yet, Baroud’s suggestions have not acquired the two
thirds of the votes required to carry out the appointments.
Minister of State Jean Ogassapian said in the aftermath of the Cabinet session
“the opposition bloc ministers refrained from voting for the candidates to fill
the vacant administrative posts which was the reason for failing to carry out
the appointments. He said “the appointment of the five remaining members of the
Constitutional Council was not presented before the Cabinet. President Sleiman
will present the issue at a later session.”Ministrial sources said that
President Sleiman told ministers during that session that he received U.S
assurances that there will not be any political deal with Syria at the expense
of Lebanon. Moreover, Sleiman confirmed that Syrian authorities promised to hand
over Lebanese convicts who killed five Lebanese soldiers last month after they
wrap up their interrogations. Sleiman also congratulated Internal Security
Forces (ISF) for uncovering and capturing the Israeli Spy networks saying “such
networks constitute a flagrant violation of UN resolution 1701.”On the Israeli
step of handing the UNIFIL Cluster bombs’ maps, Sleiman said “the step came
after long procrastination by the Jewish State.” Furthermore, Sleiman noted that
he asked the UNIFEL to supply the Lebanese army command with additional
information about the Israeli maneuvers intended to be carried out between May
31 and June 4.
Christian confusion is Lebanon's loss
By Michael Young /Daily Star staff
Thursday, May 14, 2009
It is a sign of the confusion in Lebanon's Christian community today,
particularly the Maronite community, that the outcome of the parliamentary
elections will probably not be determined until the very last minute, when
indecision is no longer an option. On a range of vital issues, the Christians
seem lost. They disagree over the meaning of what would constitute a Third
Republic; they cannot reach a consensus over relations with Lebanon's Muslim
communities; their leaders are fighting over who will be best placed to be the
interlocutor with regional powers; and as they contemplate their communal
decline, the reaction is either to quixotically seek to recover their past
power, or to imagine scenarios of renewal in schemes of self-isolation.
As a pro-Hariri Christian parliamentarian observed recently, the elections are
turning into a battle between the "two Michels" - Michel Sleiman and Michel Aoun.
However, their rivalry is likely to endure afterward, when it comes time to
discuss more fundamental matters related to Lebanon's future, particularly
political reform. Here's a prediction: Discussion of reform will go nowhere, in
part because such a conversation cannot conceivably progress while the
representatives of one community, the Shiites, hold the heavy guns; but reform
will also be derailed by Maronite infighting, further weakening Christians in
general and alienating them from the country they were so instrumental in
creating.
Take the matter of establishing a Third Republic. What does it mean, let's say,
for the Aounists? They insist that their ambition is to create a state embodying
change and reform. Perhaps, but you don't need a new republic for that. What
Aoun and his acolytes are getting across is that their republic will
constitutionally grant Christians more power ("Will return to Christians their
rights," as Aounist spokesman tirelessly tell us).
The notion is bizarre, even absurd. If there was one thing the Sunni and Shiite
communities agreed upon throughout our 15-year Civil War, it was that Christian,
particularly Maronite, power needed to be curtailed. This is why Aoun has
mentioned the idea of creating "thirds" in Parliament, so that Christians,
Sunnis and Shiites each get a third of representation. His assumption is that
once that happens, the Christians would be in a better position to leverage this
in exchange for enhancing the Maronite president's prerogatives, while using the
Shiites to compel the Sunnis to accept an amendment of the Taif Accord, which,
as Aoun (mistakenly) believes, handed executive power to the Sunni prime
minister.
What about Sleiman? The president has been more ambiguous. He has made
statements saying the president's prerogatives have to be increased, but always
framing his arguments in practical terms. The post-Taif system is inefficient,
he says, and one reason is that the presidency's powers are ill-defined.
However, Sleiman is sending a double message, trying to rally Christians to his
side and positioning himself as the main Maronite actor in any eventual
implementation or amendment of Taif.
Neither Aoun nor Sleiman has articulated how Christians might benefit from the
full implementation of Taif. The president has gone furthest in showing the
accord to be beneficial to Lebanon (in contrast to Aoun and an alarming number
of March 14 Christians, who see it as, quoting Nadim Gemayel, "a Christian
surrender"); however Sleiman is afraid of crossing a line that might cost him
communal backing. This continued discord over what is the foundation of
Lebanon's current social contract will prove to be the undoing of the Christians
unless they soon reverse the situation.
The Maronites are also proving incapable of taking a united position on Syria,
but also other regional states having influence in Lebanon, such as Iran and
Saudi Arabia. Aoun's visit to Syria several months ago brought him a margin of
maneuver in Damascus, and a free trip for the family, but it won't mean he will
replace Sleiman as the main contact with the Assad regime. The Syrians like
cacophony, and are more than delighted to use Aoun against Sleiman and Sleiman
against Aoun, even if they accept that it's important to keep Sleiman on their
side, as his approval will provide whatever they do in Lebanon with a sheen of
official legitimacy.
Where does that leave Aoun? The general's ties to Hizbullah have morphed into
some sort of relationship with Iran. Yet for Christian leaders to use their
foreign ties largely as a means of propping themselves up domestically, and
communally, cannot bring any benefit to Lebanon. Sleiman is justified in wanting
to be the main Christian intermediary with Syria, after all he is the president,
but only if his primary reason for doing so is to bolster Lebanese sovereignty,
or what remains of it. Instead, there is a risk that the president may be
tempted to use his Syrian ties to better contain the sway Aoun enjoys through
his alliance with Hizbullah, and therefore Iran. The Christians would, thus,
transform themselves, not for the first time, into a regional football, to the
national detriment.
By the same token, Aoun's continued broadsides against Saudi Arabia as a way of
attacking the Future Movement and the Sunnis, like his closeness to Qatar,
ensure that if the opposition wins the elections, Saudi funding to Lebanon will
dwindle. Aoun is not alone responsible for the country's fragmentation between
different regional patrons. However, he, like most other Christian leaders,
needs to be especially sensitive to how the regional balance of power affects
his community's fate, because no one in the Middle East is overly committed to
its political survival.
The most fundamental transformation the Christians must engage in is a
psychological one. Lebanon's Muslim communities, in contrast to the regimes of
the region, are very keen to avoid a Christian collapse. The imbalance this
would create in Sunni-Shiite relations, the negative way this would affect the
country's openness and diversity, the weight of perennially pessimistic
Christians trying to find an exit from Lebanon through emigration or voluntary
seclusion, are all things the Muslims fear, and rightly so. Yet they cannot seem
to find a credible, dominant Maronite partner, or partners, to help lay the
groundwork for a more durable contract between Christians and Muslims.
The problem is that the Christians, or a majority of them, need to reconcile
with Taif first. In their zeal to discredit the accord, they find themselves on
a high-wire without a net. The Muslims don't want the Christians to fall, but if
they do no one will pick them up again.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR
Poll-Related Security Incidents in Lebanese Regions
Naharnet/Several election-related security incidents were reported by the
Lebanese media on Thursday. Unidentified assailants fired gunshots Wednesday
night outside the Ocean Blue Resort in Jbeil where March 14 General Secretariat
Coordinator Fares Soaid was giving a speech, the National News Agency reported.
It said security forces deployed in the area and opened an investigation into
the incident. Also in Jbeil, assailants torched the car of Jaj resident Antoine
Amin Antoun. The fire burned a nearby poster of Soaid. At dawn Thursday,
assailants burned the vehicle of an Islamic Action Front supporter in the Haret
Tahta neighborhood in the town of Mazboud. The Chevrolet's owner, Fadi Koulagasi,
had parked the car near his house located next to the IAF office. The fire,
according to NNA, engulfed the vehicle and caused material damage to the house.
In the same town, the office of the Free Patriotic Movement in Zaaroura
neighborhood was torched. Only material damage was reported. Beirut, 14 May 09,
12:15
Will Sulaiman complete his term?
By Joseph A. Kechichcian,
Special to Gulf News
Published: May 14, 2009,
The Lebanese president faces a severe threat from Aoun, who many suspect plans a
coup d'état.
Former Lebanese foreign minister Fares Boueiz declared last week that he refused
to join Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) in contesting the upcoming
parliamentary elections because the latter aimed to instigate a coup d'état.
What were mere rumours six months ago thus gained some credibility. Under the
circumstances, will President Michel Sulaiman finish his six-year term in
office, or surrender to a 'Third Republic'?
Using colourful language in his indictment (he referred to FPM candidates as
chicks whose tongues would be cut), Boueiz accused Aoun of receiving large sums
of money to include several candidates on his lists - something the former
general denied. What cannot be simply dismissed, however, are Aoun's known
transgressions - especially with respect to the coveted post of president.
In fact, at the height of the 2006-2008 Lebanese crisis, when members of the
opposition shut down the heart of the city and froze their participation in the
Siniora government, Aoun was engaged in the only campaign that interested him:
seeking to manipulate parliamentarians into electing him to the highest office.
It may be worth recalling that before the Doha Conference, which finally filled
the vacancy created by outgoing president Emile Lahoud, Aoun insisted that the
next head of state should only be elected for a two-year term. In the event,
that was not to be, and Aoun reluctantly accepted Sulaiman, whom he perceives as
less than objective.
Lebanon's Aoun problem endured during the past year and though Sulaiman restored
the country's credibility by embarking on goodwill missions around the world,
his inherent desire for compromise threatened his tenure. Aoun never forgave
those who compromised, including Speaker Nabih Berri, who declared that he was
"not only committed to the Ta'if Accord 100 per cent, but a million per cent."
Aoun, of course, proposed to amend Ta'if after the June 7 elections, which, he
is convinced, will result in a landslide victory for his party.
Given historical animosities between Aoun and Berri, few should be surprised
that the speaker cannot rely on Aounists to support his re-election to the
highest legislative post, allocated to the Shiite community by the National
Charter. A hastily arranged meeting between Aoun, Berri and Hezbollah
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah allegedly settled differences, though the
politically sophisticated Berri remained cautious. He rejected claims that the
opposition called for the division of shares between Shiites, Sunnis and
Christians instead of the Ta'if-mandated equality between Christians and
Muslims, and condemned all discussions that wished to reduce the president's
term in office.
The Aoun comedy brought to mind the Sulwan al Muta` fi `Udwan al Atba`
(Consolation for the Ruler During the Hostility of Subjects), a treatise written
by Mohammad Ibn Zafar Al Siqilli in the 12th century. Like Machiavelli's prince,
Ibn Zafar produced an analysis of power and virtue that emphasised justice. He
advised the ruler to adopt five philosophical aims: to believe firmly in God and
renounce injustice; to be guided by courage to conquer evil; to patiently
persevere regardless of costs and consequences; to be content and submit to the
will of God against all hardships; and to consider the burden of rule with
cheerfulness.
It may be argued that while Aoun does not share these values, Sulaiman practised
them, even if the affable president sometimes seems too refined.
For Ibn Zafar, as for most political philosophers, rulers must govern without
making fundamental mistakes, and though pitfalls abound, statesmen learn to
avoid them. Given the opposition's plans, what can Sulaiman do to complete his
term in office, and govern effectively?
First, he must ensure that he has full knowledge of events, for that is the one
ingredient that shapes all of his other decisions.
Second, it would be useful if he perceived facts for what they were, because it
appears that the president harbours naive ideas about his opponents. Admittedly,
this is an arduous task, necessitating care in managing various opinions,
propositions and options - especially in a country like Lebanon, where freedom
of speech is practised with gusto.
Third, he had better be prepared for all eventualities, and when he determines
that his preparation is complete, he should prepare some more.
Fourth, a leader of his stature - a former commander of the army - must quickly
correct mistakes and learn not to repeat them (this is where his strong and
loyal advisors can play important roles, even if he may not always wish to
listen to their advice).
Fifth, Sulaiman must be careful not to commit the mistake of certainty (in
believing that the current majority will win the election), because the
consequences of a victory by the opposition will dramatically change Lebanon.
Sixth, he ought to watch out for false wisdom emanating from world capitals, and
only be guided by genuine patriotic objectives.
Finally, Sulaiman should not make the mistake of believing that his ability to
compromise will allow him to retain power - he should prepare for the worst.
If Sulaiman adopts Ibn Zafar's admonitions, he might well circumvent the
reported constitutional coup d'état that Aoun and his acolytes are preparing.
Otherwise, Aoun's 'Third Republic' will become a reality, and Lebanon as we know
it will come to an end.
**Dr Joseph A. Kechichian is a commentator and author of several books on Gulf
affairs.
Suleiman: The Opposition Will Be Stronger in Raising Votes
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said Wednesday he expected a close race on
June 7 with the opposition being in a stronger position to raise support and
also praised Lebanon's "solid" ties with Syria. His comments came in a
wide-ranging interview with the al-hawadith magazine and affiliating
publications La Revue du Liban, al-Bairaq and Monday Morning
On the elections, Suleiman said: "I cannot see why the elections will not be
held on time. I call on Lebanese leaving abroad to cast their ballots because
Lebanon needs them. "When we are facing a tight race, the loser will have a
stronger platform than that of the winner," he added. He expected the winners to
have a parliamentary majority by only two deputies. "This is why the opposing
side will have a stronger position to raise votes," he added. "My plan is to
place the right man in the right place," Suleiman said.
"Today we are trying to form a national consensus government which must be in
compliance with the constitution. We do not have the right to impose a sectarian
representation which is also non-political," he added. The president also
praised the government's performance in maintaining political stability and
security in the country. On the Constitutional Council, Suleiman stressed that
the elections "should not" take place before the remaining members of the body
were appointed. "The Council is not facing any hurdles to complete the
appointments. We are trying to select those who are qualified and at the same
time enjoy the support of two thirds of Cabinet members," he explained. On
Lebanese-Syrian ties, Suleiman said relations between the two countries were
"deeply rooted and exceed mere diplomacy." He said he was certain that Syria
would respond to Lebanon's request to extradite fugitives implicated in a deadly
ambush against Lebanese troops last month in the Bekaa. On the regional level,
Suleiman said Lebanon was prepared to hold negotiations with Israel for "a just
and comprehensive peace based on the provisions of the Madrid accord." He then
asked: "Do they (Israelis) want to negotiate over Shebaa, Ghajar or Lebanon's
water resources? Or do they want to negotiate over the espionage networks they
have planted in Lebanon? "Do they want to negotiate over the rights of
Palestinian refugees in Lebanese camps for the purpose of settling them (in
Lebanon)?
"Our opposition to the settlement of Palestinians is not only enshrined in the
Constitution, but also in the Taef accord which has been endorsed by the
Security Council and is now an international document," Suleiman said. He said
he noticed a shift in U.S. approach toward Iran and the Middle East peace
process, which is "a central matter for Arabs." The president also underlined
the necessity of the National Dialogue saying "no state can reach a (final)
strategy overnight. It is not an easy task."
Beirut, 13 May 09, 18:04
Army Arrests 2 Alleged Spies, 2 Others Disappear
Naharnet/The Lebanese army intelligence arrested two people, Jeryes F. and
Ghassan H., on suspicion of spying for Israel while two members of another
alleged spy network, Camille and Rizk A., were able to escape.The army is
currently searching for the men who live in the town of Ain Ibl. As Safir daily
said the army confiscated from the house of Jeryes F. in Alma al-Shaab documents
in Hebrew, 20 kilograms of explosives, some equipment and mobile phones. As for
Ghassan H. who hails from Aitaroun, the army confiscated five mobile phones from
his house. Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi told Hizbullah's
al-Manar TV that the ISF has until now arrested 13 people – 11 of them have
admitted to directly dealing with the Israeli Mossad through an officer based in
a European or a neighboring country. One of the accused used to infiltrate to
Israel through the southern Lebanese border, Rifi said.
In a related development, six Lebanese nationals were formally charged on
Wednesday with spying for Israel, including four suspects in custody, a judicial
source said. The charges range from traveling to Israel to supplying the Jewish
state with information on both people and places. U.N. Special Coordinator for
Lebanon Michael Williams described the Israel-linked spy cells a dangerous
issue. He told reporters after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh that
he has asked for information on the rings in order to mention them in the next
report on Security Council resolution 1701. Beirut, 14 May 09, 10:37
MI5 linked to arrest of Britons in Syria
Spy agency investigated woman accused by Damascus of sending UK money to
al-Qaida offshoot, says Labour peer Ian Cobain
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 May 2009
Further evidence has emerged to suggest that British intelligence officers have
been involved in an investigation in which two British citizens have been
detained by Syrian intelligence agents.
Relatives of Maryam Kallis and Yasser Ahmed say they have not been told the
reasons for their arrests two months ago and are concerned they may be suffering
severe mistreatment.
The Syrian embassy in London has alleged that Kallis received funds from an
individual "who resides in the UK" and conveyed them to "a terrorist network
related to al-Qaida". The assertion suggests that the individual would have been
investigated by MI5.
The embassy's statement came after Lord Ahmed, the Labour peer, said he had been
told by a senior Syrian diplomat in London that a British government agency –
but not the Foreign Office – had been involved in the detention of the two
Britons.
Although the Syrian authorities are now denying this, Ahmed said he had proof of
what had been said to him. "I was told that the Syrians were in contact with the
British authorities," he said. "When I asked if that meant the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office – which would be normal – they said no, but would not
identify who."
The Foreign Office refused to comment on Ahmed's claims. "We don't talk about
intelligence matters," a spokesman said. The FCO says its consular officials
have visited both detainees and that ministers have called on the Syrian
authorities to charge the pair or release them.
Kallis, 36, from west London, and Ahmed, 28, from Woking, Surrey, have both
lived in Damascus for a number of years, having travelled there after telling
friends and relatives that they wished to study Arabic. They were detained on
consecutive days, and for several weeks the FCO maintained it did not know why.
Syrian intelligence officers are known to have confiscated Kallis's passport and
those of her four children, aged between five and 12, who are now being cared
for in Damascus by her sister.
Neither of the two detainees has had access to a lawyer or a court, and the
statement issued by the embassy makes clear that the allegations against them
are based, at least in part, on what they have said under interrogation.
Relatives of Kallis say consular officials have told them she appeared frail and
tired and was very emotional during their visits, and Ahmed's family say they
were told that he appeared to be under strain. Gareth Peirce, the solicitor who
represents both detainees and their families, said: "The families are sure that
they are being ill-treated. There could be no possible suggestion that they have
been involved with al-Qaida. This is nonsense and it's dangerous nonsense. We
want to know what part our intelligence services played in this."
She said she suspected the British authorities had handed over information to
the Syrians that could be used during "coercive interrogations".
Abuses of human rights in Syrian detention centres have been well documented.
The FCO's annual report on human rights says: "The Syrian government's human
rights record continues to be a cause for concern. Reports have been published
about torture in prison, poor prison conditions, arbitrary arrests and
detentions, absence of rule of law and severely restricted civil liberties."
Despite this, the British government has been pressing for greater intelligence
sharing between London and Damascus. With the smuggling of terrorist fighters
into Iraq said to have been revived in recent months, the administration of
Barack Obama is reported to be attempting to forge close diplomatic ties.
Israel Fears Hizbullah Control, Says No Decision on Ghajar Pullout until Polls
Naharnet/Israel is suspending discussion of a possible withdrawal from the
Lebanese side of the divided border village of Ghajar, fearing Hizbullah will
take control, an Israeli official said Wednesday. The official said Israel will
wait until after Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections. Israel fears
Hizbullah could gain strength in the election and wants guarantees the Lebanese
government will control Ghajar's northern section if Israel withdraws. He said
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with his defense minister and military
chief, decided to put the matter on hold this week. He spoke on condition of
anonymity because the government's recent discussions of a possible Ghajar
pullback have not been made public.
An Israeli government spokesman would not confirm the decision. Ghajar sits on
the Israel-Lebanon frontier in an area where the boundaries between Syria,
Israel and Lebanon are in dispute. The village was captured by Israel from Syria
in 1967. In 2000, after Israel withdrew from south Lebanon, U.N. surveyors put
the Israel-Lebanon border in the middle of the village, leaving Israel in
control of the southern half. Israel reoccupied the northern part in its 2006
war with Hizbullah and has remained there after leaving other occupied areas,
citing security concerns. Following the war, Israel pledged to withdraw from the
northern part of Ghajar but gave no timeline for doing so. The villagers say
they do not want the town to be divided, and would like, for now, to remain
under Israeli control. They hope the village will eventually be returned to
Syria as part of a future peace deal. Ghajar's residents are members of the
Alawite sect and have Israeli nationality.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 13 May 09, 14:21
Administrative Appointments Face Obstacle as Opposition
Clings to Full Basket
Naharnet/Cabinet has failed to approve key administrative appointments as
President Michel Suleiman's first use of his constitutional right to call for
voting on the issue faced the two-thirds obstacle. None of the candidates for
first grade civil posts received two-thirds of votes on Wednesday during the
cabinet session held at Baabda Palace. An Nahar daily on Thursday quoted
informed ministerial sources as saying that the objection of opposition
ministers was not based on the names proposed for the posts but only on their
insistence to make the appointments on the basis of a single package. The
session was expected to see the appointment of the governors of Beirut and Mount
Lebanon, in addition to the political affairs director at the interior ministry.
When Suleiman asked the ministers to vote on the issue, Beirut governor
candidate Nicolas Habr received 15 votes, while Mount Lebanon's candidate Omar
Yassin received 16 votes and retired Brig. Hussein Laqqis, the candidate for the
interior ministry's directorate, received only three votes. Industry Minister
Ghazi Zoaiter walked out at the beginning of the session, saying he would have
preferred that the issue of the administrative appointments be discussed within
a full basket that would include the state budget and the constitutional
council. Beirut, 14 May 09, 09:57
March 14 Alliance Meets Next Thursday
Naharnet/The March 14 forces will hold a general meeting next Thursday at the
Bristol hotel after finalizing the coalition's lists in all districts, sources
told Naharnet. Al-Liwaa newspaper on Thursday quoted informed sources as saying
there is a settlement to solve the issue of the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut
1. The sources added that a formula will be adopted on Saturday or Sunday to
agree on a single candidate. The March 14 coalition's candidate is Serge Tor
Sarkissian while Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has proposed Richard
Kouyoumjian for the Armenian seat. As for the Shiite seat in Zahle, it has been
settled in favor of Uqab Saqr on the majority list after Mehsen Dalloul
announced that negotiations with MP Saad Hariri failed. In an interview with al-Manar
TV, Dalloul said that "dialogue with Hariri was over" and he intended to form a
third electoral list in Zahle. "I understood from Hariri that things are moving
toward a confrontation," he added. Beirut, 14 May 09, 11:10
Lebanese Army Experts Studying Cluster Bomb Maps
Naharnet/The Lebanese army's engineering unit received from UNIFIL three maps of
where cluster bombs were dropped by Israel during the 2006 war with Hizbullah, a
military source told As Safir newspaper. The source said that the unit is
studying the maps to locate the areas of where the bombs were dropped through
aerial bombardment and artillery shelling.
The Israeli army handed over the maps to UNIFIL on Tuesday. The Jewish state has
twice given U.N. peacekeepers maps on cluster bombs. However they were useless,
according to As Safir on Thursday. UNIFIL's deputy spokesperson Andrea Tenenti
told the daily that Israel handed over the maps and locations after years of
diplomatic efforts by several sides.
He stressed that it is still early to confirm if the maps are sufficient because
technical experts from UNIFIL have to assess the data received. Beirut, 14 May
09, 08:59
Court Charges Six Lebanese with Spying for Israel
Naharnet/Six Lebanese nationals were formally charged on Wednesday with spying
for Israel, including four suspects in custody, a judicial source said. Those
charged include a police officer and his wife and sister, the source told AFP on
condition of anonymity. He said the charges range from traveling to Israel to
supplying the Jewish state with information on both people and places. The
charges bring to 13 the number of people formally accused of spying for Israel.
Last month saw the arrest of former brigadier general Adib al-Alam, his wife
Hayat Saloumi and nephew Joseph Alam on suspicion of spying for the Jewish state
for more than 15 years. If convicted of espionage, the defendants face the death
penalty in Lebanon, which is technically in a state of war with Israel. A number
of other suspects, including the owner of a petrol station and a butcher, are in
custody but have yet to be charged as part of a crackdown on spy rings since the
start of 2009. A Hizbullah official from south Lebanon, from where most of the
suspected spies hail, on Monday said the party was cooperating with the
authorities on dismantling the spy networks. "Hezbollah has uncovered many
Israeli spy rings and is cooperating completely with all official security
services," Hizbullah's Nabil Qawouq told AFP. A number of those currently in
custody were first detained by Hizbullah which then handed them over to Lebanese
authorities.(AFP) Beirut, 13 May 09, 18:19
Lavrov in Beirut on May 25 to Issue Invitation to Moscow Peace Conference
Naharnet/Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to arrive to Beirut
on May 25 to issue an official invitation to Lebanon to attend the 'Moscow Peace
Conference'.
The daily An-Nahar reported on Thursday that Lavrov who would be arriving from
Damascus following a two day visit to the Syrian capital would issue Moscow's
invitation, with the consideration that the conference is another extension to
the Annapolis peace conference between the Palestinians and Israelis and based
on the concept of two states living side by side with eastern Jerusalem as
capital to a Palestinian state. Informed diplomatic sources in Beirut told the
daily that Moscow intended to hold this conference in June, however, the date
has been postponed indefinitely as Moscow is awaiting the outcome of the
upcoming meeting of U.S. President Barack Obama with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu [on |May 18], Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak [May26] and
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas [May 23]. Based on the results of
these talks President Obama is expected to announce his intention for sponsoring
an international peace conference that would include most of the Middle East's
leading heads of state, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the
European Union, sources said. Russia is working hard on making the Moscow
conference a success, sources added, explaining that the Russian strategy is
partially based on working with the United States, the European Union and the
OIC. Beirut, 14 May 09, 09:13
MP Kanaan Paternal Home Burned in Maameltein
Naharnet/The paternal home of Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Ibrahim Kanaan
was burned Wednesday. Fire was ignited in one part of the house at the
Maameltein neighborhood of Jouneh before spreading. No one was in the house at
the time of the fire. Kanaan said preliminary investigations showed that the
cause of fire was arson. He pointed to an ongoing trend recently of targeting
FPM centers and posters. The MP earlier received a phone call from Interior
Minister Ziad Baroud who informed him that the house was on fire.
Investigations are underway by security forces and the arsonists remain unknown.
Beirut, 14 May 09, 09:42
Hizbullah Launches Electoral Campaign in Batroun
Naharnet/Hizbullah on Wednesday launched its electoral campaign in Batroun at a
public rally attended by minority candidates in the district, Telecoms Minister
Gebran Bassil and Amal Movement representative in the north Samir Salameh. "This
is not the first time we meet with you, nor will it be the last because we
belong to the same area. We supported each other during the most difficult times
and so it will not be difficult to support each other in the elections," Bassil
said. He added that the minority's agenda is to "regain (Lebanon's) dignity,
which is not for sale. The resistance … has paid its dues and no one can touch
it."For his part candidate Fayeq Younis said the "resistance came into existence
to protect this land and its honor."
Beirut, 13 May 09, 18:37
Political Crisis in Guatemala: President Accused of Murdering Lebanese
Businessman and his Lawyer
Naharnet/A slain lawyer's videotaped and posthumously broadcast accusation that
the president ordered his murder along with the killing of a Lebanese
businessman and his daughter has thrown Guatemala into an uproar. President
Alvaro Colom vehemently denied the allegations made in a videotape left by
lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg, who was shot to death by unidentified assailants while
riding his bicycle Sunday. But opposition lawmakers called for the president to
step aside while the killing is investigated.
"If you are watching this message, it is because I was assassinated by President
Alvaro Colom with help from Gustavo Alejos," the president's secretary, and
Colom's wife, Rosenberg said in the video distributed at his funeral Monday. The
Guatemala City newspaper Prensa Libre said the recording "has created the
greatest political crisis for this democracy, because never before has a
democratically elected president been accused of murder." Television stations
repeatedly aired the video and so many people watched it on Guatemalan Internet
sites that some temporarily collapsed. More than 5,300 people joined a Facebook
group called "Guatemalans for the dismissal of Alvaro Colom."
On the video, Rosenberg says officials might want to kill him because he
represented Lebanese businessman Khalil Musa, who was slain in a hail of bullets
in April 15 along with his daughter. The lawyer says 74-year-old Musa, who had
been named to the board of the Guatemala's Rural Development Bank, was killed
for refusing to get involved in purported illicit transactions at the bank.
The Guatemalan government is the majority shareholder in the bank. The lawyer
also said that after the killing of Musa and his daughter, he announced that the
president was responsible for the murder. "After uncovering the operation I knew
that I will be the next victim." Rosenberg said the alleged illicit transactions
"range from money laundering to the embezzlement of public funds and nonexistent
programs operated by first lady Sandra de Colom, as well as the financing of
front companies used by drug traffickers."
The video was shot in the office of journalist Mario David Garcia, who told The
Associated Press that Rosenberg approached him to ask his help in making the
video and broadcasting it on his program "Hablando Claro" or "Straight Talk" in
case something happened to him.
"I tried to persuade him to first denounce what he knew, rather than thinking
about being killed. We left it at that we would interview him on my program on
Monday and he was going to bring me the evidence," said Garcia, adding that
Rosenberg also said he would go this week to the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights.
Colom, a center-left politician who took office in January, went on national
television to dismiss the accusations and demand an outside investigation.
"First of all, I am not a murderer. Second, I am not a drug trafficker, and
everything he says there is totally senseless," Colom said of Rosenberg's video.
He said his government asked the International Commission against Impunity in
Guatemala to investigate "to clear up this matter." The U.N. panel was created
in 2007 to clean up corruption in Guatemala. Colom said he also talked to U.S.
Ambassador Stephen McFarland to ask the FBI to probe Rosenberg's slaying.
In a statement released by the embassy, McFarland said the "the embassy is
trying to work with the FBI to see what they can do."
Otto Perez, secretary-general of the leading opposition faction, the Patriot
Party, called on Colom to step aside during the investigation.
Angry crowds marched in downtown Guatemala City Wednesday, some demanding the
resignation of President Alvaro Colom and others defending him against
accusations of murdering the lawyer. Some 1,500 people marched to the
Constitution Plaza demanding Colom's resignation.(AP-AFP-Naharnet) (Outside AP
photo shows lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg while inside photo is of a protestor
holding a sign with a picture of Guatemala's President Alvaro Colom and his wife
Sandra that reads in Spanish 'Assassins, we demand jail')
Beirut, 14 May 09, 08:12