LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 03/09
Bible Reading of the day
Luke: 16:1-13/ He also said to his
disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was
made to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 16:2 He called him, and
said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your
management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 16:3 “The manager said within
himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management
position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg. 16:4 I know
what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me
into their houses.’ 16:5 Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said
to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ 16:6 He said, ‘A hundred batos
of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
16:7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors of
wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 16:8 “His lord
commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of
this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
16:9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so
that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. 16:10 He who is
faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a
very little is also dishonest in much. 16:11 If therefore you have not been
faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true
riches? 16:12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will
give you that which is your own? 16:13 No servant can serve two masters, for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one,
and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and mammon.”
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Michel Sleiman/Now
Lebanon/September 2, 2009
It's
not a government that matters - it's what it will do for the people-
The Daily Star
September 02/09
What happens if Lebanon’s
“caretaker” government is forced to act? By: Matt Nash, , September 2, 2009
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 02/09
Q&A - What is holding up the formation of
Lebanon's government?Reuters
Maronite Church Warns Officials
That They Will Be 'Eradicated' Unless Cabinet is Formed
-Naharnet
Hariri-Bassil Meeting Wednesday to Discuss Delays in Cabinet Formation
-Naharnet
Opposition Rules Out Cabinet Formation by End of September
-Naharnet
Barbed Wire Aimed at Keeping Israeli Cows Away
-Naharnet
Gunmen Kidnap Man outside
his Shop in Southern Suburbs
-Naharnet
Miqati Declares Himself a
Centrist 'Just Like Jumblat'
-Naharnet
GCC for Speedy Formation
of New Government
-Naharnet
Suleiman Urges Cabinet
Formation Prior to UN General Assembly Meeting
-Naharnet
Judiciary Calls for
Separating Judicial System from Politics
-Naharnet
Hariri optimistic about forming gov't despite
difficulties-Middle
East North Africa Financial Network
Solana hopes for new regional peace initiative this
month-Daily Star
Sleiman calls for speedy government formation-Daily
Star
Syria 'keen on seeing internal dialogue in Lebanon-Daily
Star
Lebanese, Israeli, UNIFIL forces to meet in Naqoura-Daily
Star
Israeli violations in Kfar Shuba ongoing after
removal of outpost-Daily Star
Criticism of judiciary can have 'negative' impact on
state-Daily Star
Lebanon to start receiving Egyptian gas mid-September-Daily
Star
ealth Ministry reports 792 cases of swine flu in
country-Daily Star
Ministers aim to boost votes for grotto Wonder-Daily
Star
New UNICEF envoy hands credentials to foreign
minister-Daily Star
Series of Baabda workshops aim to rein in spate of
forest fires-Daily Star
Press Club takes excursion to Cedars, Gebran museum-Daily
Star
NGO kicks off campaign for electoral-law reform-Daily
Star
Iran says ready for nuclear talks with world powers-Daily
Star
Jumblatt: We share Sayyed
Fadlallah’s political views, positions on regional issues-now
Lebanon
NNA: UNIFIL sets up fence
around Baathaiil Lake to stop cattle from Israel-Now
Lebanon
Hout: governmental vacuity
jeopardizes the security situation-Future News
Iranian-Syrian concurrence to
destabilize Iraq-Future News
Hobeish: Majority remains a
majority-Future News
Solana hopes for new regional peace initiative this
month
By Patrick Galey /-Daily Star staff -Future News
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: European Union foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana said on
Tuesday he hoped a regional peace initiative would be ready before the UN
General Assembly meets at the end of the month. Speaking to journalists at the
Rafik Hariri International Airport before flying for more meetings in Cairo,
Solana said: “I still have hope and we are working very hard to get an
initiative in time for the General Assembly that can create new and dynamic
peace in the region.” He reiterated the important role Lebanon had to play in
bringing lasting peace to the Middle East. “You are an important country in the
region and therefore we would like very much for you to play the Following a day
of meetings with senior Lebanese politicians, including President Michel Sleiman,
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Premier-designate Saad Hariri and Progressive
Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, Solana expressed his disappointment that
Lebanon was still without a cabinet, nearly three months after its elections.
“I would have liked to have seen Lebanon with a government in place,” he said.
“Unfortunately I have not seen that but I hope efforts will continue in order to
have a government which [can] face the problems not only of the country but also
to participate actively in regional issues. “I would like to make an appeal for
the sake of the country’s future to have a government in place soon.” The UN
General Assembly is due to meet on September 22 and speculation abounds as to
who will represent Lebanon with cabinet negotiations bearing little fruit.
Solana held talks this week with officials in Cairo, Damacus, Ramallah and
occupied Jerusalem in a visit designed to maintain the momentum toward peace
revived by US President Barack Obama’s administration.
He stressed the importance of regional dialogue and insisted that a robust peace
initiative hinged on Middle Eastern countries engaging fully in talks.
“Of course there are [international] actors but the real solution is within the
region. If the actors in the region take the responsibility which is needed, no
doubt it will be easier,” Solana said.
The international community has a role to play and the EU will continue to play
it. I am working very hard with [all parties] to see if we can get something
that may create the reality that this can be resolved.” When asked about what
evidence he had for viewing peace negotiations with optimism, Solana replied:
“The most important evidence is my engagement. I have listened and talked to
many people and their sentiment after this dialogue is that it is possible. I am
not sure it will be realized but it is possible. “It is my responsibility, with
others, to make that possibility real,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Solana met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh,
who called on the EU to support the US’ stance that lasting regional peace
hinged on Israel ceasing its settlement building in occupied territories. “It
was an occasion in which we asked the European side to intensify efforts of the
Obama’s administration to provide proper circumstances for the revival of the
Middle East peace process,” the National News Agency quoted him as saying. “The
initiative calls on Israel to withdraw from occupied Arab lands and end the
construction of settlements in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.” Salloukh
also asked Solana “to give the issue of Palestinian refugees utmost importance.”
Solana stated his confidence that the security situation in Lebanon would not be
undermined by the current cabinet wrangling. “I don’t think that the security of
Lebanon is in danger. The manner in which the population has moved and the way
the elections have been handled show the responsibility of the people,” he said.
He praised the hospitality of the leaders who received him, in particular
President Michel Sleiman, whom Solana said was “playing his role in a very
efficient and constructive manner.” Solana also expressed his relief that the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had resumed normal duties
following recent security breaches and added that the peacekeeping force still
had a major role to play in Lebanon.
Sleiman calls for speedy government formation
President keen to tackle reforms, economic concerns
By Elias Sakr and Nafez Qawas
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman urged on Tuesday for a quick formation of a
national-unity cabinet in order to kick off a series of constitutional reforms
and tackle the social and economic concerns of the Lebanese. Sleiman called on
Lebanese political leaders “to relinquish personal interests and instead favor
national ones.” Speaking during an iftar banquet at the Baabda presidential
palace, Sleiman called on political leaders to seize the favorable positive
circumstances to speed up the formation process given the ongoing Israeli
threats.
“Political leaders should reach an agreement on the next cabinet prior to the UN
General Assembly’s reunion in September in order to boost the country’s role on
the international arena particularly since Lebanon is to become an [impermanentinternational
arena particularly since Lebanon is to become an [impermanent] member of the UN
Security Council,” Sleiman said.
The president also called on the Lebanese to refrain from provocative political
rhetoric and resort to direct dialogue as to facilitate an accord on the
government which benefits the country’s interests and preserved its stability.
Tackling constitutional reforms, Sleiman said that gaps obstructing the work of
constitutional institutions including the presidency “should be dealt with based
on a spirit of consensus.”
Sleiman stressed the need to implement the Taif Accord and pursue national
dialogue sessions “to guarantee coexistence among Lebanese factions.”
The iftar was attended by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri, caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,
representatives of various parliamentary blocs, as well as an array of
political, religious, diplomatic, and social figures.
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Phalange Party head Amin
Gemayel did not attend because they were travelling abroad.
In related news, MP Michel Murr said on Tuesday that the next government would
not see the light of day before the month of October.
Speaking following a meeting with US Ambassador Michele Sison at his office in
Amaret Chalhoub, Murr told reporters he remains “an independent MP who backs the
parliamentary majority.”
“I do not attend the Future Movement bloc meetings but take part in the
parliamentary majority MPs reunion,” he said. Murr attended on Monday a meeting
of 67 parliamentary majority MPs at Hariri’s residence in Qoreitem, after which
the lawmakers voiced support for the premier-designate’s task to form a cabinet
in accordance with constitutional norms.
The Metn MP stressed that he awaited positive circumstances to visit Syria,
adding that his decision was not related to the government’s formation or
Hariri’s visit to Damascus.
Commenting on the meeting gathering Hariri and Aoun at the Baabda Palace on
Monday, Murr said the talks were necessary to revive hope among the Lebanese
people. He added that he wished the former general would refrain from tying the
government’s formation to a set of conditions.
Following talks on Monday, both Hariri and Aoun stressed that difficulties still
faced the formation process, adding that further deliberations were needed to
conclude the process.
Meanwhile, the Future Movement reiterated on Tuesday its commitment to the Taif
Accord, and voiced support for the United Nations backed Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL), in charge with investigating the assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri Following its weekly meeting in Qoreitem headed by Siniora,
the Future Movement bloc stressed that the parliamentary majority would continue
to reach out to opposition groups in order to form a national-unity cabinet.
“However, this will be done in accordance with the outcome of the June 7 polls,
the Constitution, and democratic principles,” the Future Movement statement
added.
The bloc urged politicians to refrain from implicating the STL in political
bickering, and pledged support to the tribunal, adding that the STL would reach
“a just end.”
The Future Movement also called for the swift formation of the government in
order to address pressing issues on the economic and social levels.
“Developmental projects and economic growth necessitate political stability,”
the statement added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Future Movement press office denied media reports that
Hariri had suggested forming a cabinet of political leaders.
Pro-opposition newspapers As-Safir and Al-Akhbar reported on Tuesday that Hariri
had proposed during talks with Aoun which were mediated by Sleiman to abolish
ministries of state and reduce the size of the cabinet to include only the
leaders of major groups.
The parliamentary majority and opposition groups had agreed on a 15-10-5 cabinet
formula which grants the parliamentary majority 15 ministers, the opposition 10
and Sleiman 5 seats, guaranteeing the president the tipping vote. The agreement
was backed by various factions since it guarantees the opposition real
partnership in decision making but denies both March 14 and the opposition
respectively an absolute majority or veto power. The reports also claimed that
Hariri suggested splitting each of the Energy and Water, the Interior and
Municipalities as well as the Education and Higher Education ministries into two
separate portfolios in order to make up for the state ministries. “Such claims
are baseless,” the Future Movement said.
Maronite Church Warns Officials
That They Will Be 'Eradicated' Unless Cabinet is Formed
Naharnet/The Maronite church on Wednesday warned greedy Lebanese leaders that
they will be "eradicated" unless they form a new government. "If the conflict
within the regime continued, then you will all be eradicated," threatened a
statement issued by the Council of Maronite Bishops in its 10th appeal. "Love
for the homeland requires an understanding among the Lebanese to face the
dangers," said the statement read by Monsignor Youssef Tawq following the
meeting headed by Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Diman. "They (officials) have to
make up their minds and form a Cabinet that would deal with Lebanese affairs
first," the statement added. As he came across a year-in-review, Tawq recalled
that among the positive accomplishments was the organization of general
elections in a single day "although two fronts have emerged" from those polls.
"This does not mean there is hatred between them. They should meet for the
country's sake and not their personal interest," said the bishops. They urged
the various political parties to back President Michel Suleiman and "rebuild the
state on strong foundations." Beirut, 02 Sep 09, 12:22
Jumblatt: We share Sayyed Fadlallah’s political views, positions on regional
issues
September 2, 2009 /Now Lebanon/Following his meeting with Prominent Shia cleric
Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah on Wednesday, Progressive Socialist Party
leader MP Walid Jumblatt said that he shares the same political views as
Fadlallah on regional issues. Jumblatt said both men would cooperate to face
countrywide strife, to unite the Islamic and national front and to confront the
American-Israeli conspiracy.
What happens if Lebanon’s “caretaker” government is forced to act?
Matt Nash, , September 2, 2009
Now Lebanon /Outgoing PM Fouad Siniora and his cabinet are legally powerless,
begging the question what would happen if Lebanon faced a crisis that demanded
government action. A new government, it seems, will not be appointed
before the end of Ramadan, leaving Lebanon in a state of limbo. The current
cabinet, according to the constitution, is considered resigned and has no legal
authority to act aside from managing day-to-day affairs.
What, then, would happen if Lebanon faced an urgent challenge that required a
government response?
Aside from immediately appointing a new cabinet and calling on parliament to
give it a vote of confidence right away, the answer is unclear.
Constitutionally, the current government can do nothing. Lebanon’s supreme legal
document is written in a way that assumes new governments follow their
successors relatively quickly. After parliamentary elections, the constitution
says, the new chamber of deputies meets to elect a speaker (which it did in late
June, and then consults with the president to name a prime minister (which it
also did in late June. Following the first session of parliament, Article 69 of
the constitution says the cabinet is considered resigned. Article 64 says that a
resigned cabinet “does not exercise its powers […] except in the narrow sense of
managing [day-to-day] affairs.”
That article also says the new prime minister then “conducts consultations
involved in forming a cabinet. He signs, with the president, the decree forming
the cabinet.” The constitution sets no timeframe on these consultations, and the
lack of time constraints on the PM is no accident.
“In Taif, they discussed [a timeframe],” says Antoine Saad, an expert on
Lebanon’s constitution. “They didn’t want to put pressure on the prime minister.
If they put a timeframe into the constitution, it would have weakened the prime
minister because he’d be obliged to form a cabinet by a certain date. Without [a
timeframe], he’s free to form the cabinet as he wants.”
The constitution also fails to stipulate what happens if the country spends
months with a powerless cabinet and faces a serious crisis. The various
ministries are filled with career bureaucrats who continue working regardless.
Now the bureaucrats are following the policy of the outgoing government and will
do so until a new cabinet releases its new policy objectives. Ministers only
make the most important decisions, otherwise power lies with one or more of the
ministries’ general directors.
However, if a crisis emerged (for example a public health emergency, a natural
disaster or an attack by a foreign power or internal non-state actors),
ministers would have to act, but the constitution provides no clear legal means
for them to do so.
Tradition, on the other hand, suggests the resigned ministers can still meet and
conduct official business, Saad said. In 1969, 1975 and 1979, resigned cabinets
convened, made important decisions and then stepped aside until their
replacements arrived, he explained. True, these meetings violated the
constitution, but this will likely be the solution again should Lebanon face a
crisis before the new government takes the reins. That said, unlike in the past,
today’s constitutionally powerless government includes an opposition with veto
power.
Should a crisis force the cabinet into an extra-constitutional session,
decision-making could still be hampered by political bickering. Considering all
this, now might be the perfect time for ambitious lawmakers to draft amendments
that would give clear constitutional guidance on how the country handles an
emergency in the period between governments.
NNA: UNIFIL sets up fence around Baathaiil Lake to stop cattle from Israel
September 2, 2009 /Now Lebanon/The National News Agency (NNA) reported on
Wednesday that as per the agreement between UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)
and the Kfar Shouba municipality, UNIFIL’s Spanish troops began to set up a
fence around the Baathaiil Lake in Kfar Shouba in South Lebanon to prevent
access to water of cattle coming from Israel.
Michel Sleiman
September 2, 2009
Now Lebanon/On September 1, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the speech
delivered by President Michel Sleiman during the Iftar he hosted yesterday at
the presidential palace: “...Honorable guests, during the days and nights of
this holy month, the hearts of the Lebanese are praying for the one who founded
life on the basis of joy, cooperation, solidarity and generosity. I am certain
that our meeting around the table of spiritual and national partnership between
Muslims and Christians embodies the qualities of the holy Month of Ramadan and
Lebanon’s inheritance in terms of plurality and the unity of the hearts, fate
and vision.
"Last year, and on this very occasion, we were feeling our way to political and
security stability, thus turning the page of the roaming incidents between
Tripoli and Akkar, Saadnayel and Taalabaya, the South, Ain al-Hilweh and other
places. We also announced from this very location the launching of the national
dialogue table which addressed the defense strategy and the efforts exerted by
the constitutional authorities and the national institutions to overcome the
major crises and events which surrounded us... Today, the holy Month of Ramadan
has come again as we have regained civil peace, and the trust of the world and
the Lebanese people, whether those living in Lebanon or abroad, in us. The
economic and developmental wheel has thus started to turn, heralding a promising
future which should in no way witness what happened in the past.
“Honorable guests, we owe it to the people to move forward with development and
reform and we have no right to misuse the assignment they have given us or
undermine their security and livelihood. So are we incapable of forming a
national unity government, three months after democratic and transparent
parliamentary elections were held?
“Are the international developments and the concerns and social and economic
status of the people not worthy of sacrifices and cooperation to secure a
governmental formation that would tend to the affairs of the country? Yes, the
developments are catching up with us and we should be prepared to face them, to
alleviate the damage which might be entailed by them and benefit from the
prevailing climate openness and dialogue.
"The time has come for each of us to relinquish some of the interests of his
team to enhance Lebanon’s strength, unity, pride and stability... Moreover, our
national and patriotic duty forces us to form a government that would pursue our
efforts on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly session which will be
held mid September so we can claim our rights and position, especially as we are
getting ready to join the UN Security Council for 2010-2011, with all that this
participation carries in terms of preventing any settlements at Lebanon’s
expense or at the expense of its national interests. So, how can we be invited
to play an efficient role in finding solutions to the problems threatening world
security and peace, while we have so far been unable to form a national unity
government that is awaited by the citizens?
“The casting of accusations of obstruction and stalling in the prevailing
climate of tensions will not do any good and will increase the acuteness of the
division without serving any side. Gentlemen, while the constitution by which we
abide and which we defend is the limit of our prerogatives, there is no limit
for the will of national unity which forces us to make sacrifices and
participate, and not monopolize power or uphold narrow interests. The
constitution ordered the president of the republic to protect it and play a
guaranteeing role in democratic life. It is also corroborated that the people
were the source of all authorities and that deputies represented the entire
nation, without overlooking the necessity for the prime minister-designate and
the deputies to consult and the necessity to see cooperation with the president
of the republic to form a government.
“Therefore, based on my constitutional responsibilities to protect the unity of
the country, I call on you to adopt constructive and calm initiatives, far away
from tense speeches and through direct dialogue to facilitate the formation of a
government that would serve public interests... Let us work on the
implementation of the Taif Accord to uphold and strengthen the national
coexistence pact through the national dialogue table which should be formed once
again in parallel to these developments, to complete the role for which it was
launched in the first place. Gentlemen, Imam Ali said that whoever is blessed by
God with many things, people will need him. If he does not use his blessings as
he should, they will disappear and vanish.
“Therefore, we should not waste our national role to the point where the people
would no longer need us and where the spirit of tribalism would start to
prevail, for this will divide us into conflicting emirates far away from the
spirit of democracy and the logic of the civil state. The Lebanese people will
not allow that and will not forgive us for it. In the end, I would like to
welcome you to this gathering and congratulate you on the arrival of this holy
month.”
Iranian-Syrian concurrence to destabilize Iraq
Date: September 2nd, 2009
Source: Future News/By the editor of Foreign Affairs:
Within the obvious absence of any Arab role, each of Turkey and Iran have been
trying to act as mediators in a bid to contain the tensions between Baghdad and
Damascus, amidst apprehension that the dispute would take a dramatic turn and
affect the countries of the Middle East, after Iraqi Prime Minister declared
that 90% of terrorists have been entering Iraq through Syria. The race between
Ankara and Tehran is to forge calm solutions, as Islamic sources say the
mediation aims at controlling the situation before it gets more complicated,
especially within Iraq’s calls for an international tribunal to chastise those
accused with terrorist acts against the Iraqi people.
The sources say Baghdad and Washington have deployed serious efforts with
Damascus throughout the past few months urging it to control its borders to
disallow Arab fighters into Iraq. The most recent initiative came two weeks ago
through the political-military US delegation visiting Damascus which had called
Syrian officials to hand Baghdad a list including the names of those involved in
the terrorist attacks in Iraq and who are located in Syria. During the summit
between Iraqi PM Nuri el Maliki and Syrian President Bashar el Assad, Maliki
reminded the Syrian leader of the US’s demand, however Syria responded to the
request with another series of terrorist attacks against Ministries and
governmental headquarters in Baghdad.
The sources say that Damascus has refused to submit to the US demand saying the
Syrian command made goodwill initiatives toward Washington in Palestine, Lebanon
and Iraq since US president Barack Obama took office but was not offered
anything in return except further demands to facilitate the US’s bid to settle
the issues of the Middle East.
Damascus stressed Washington to send back its ambassador in return for its
services, or at least for the US to lift part of the economic sanctions imposed
on Syria, as it had vowed.
According to the sources Syria has been implicating, during the last few months
that it is distinguished from Iran in many cases, especially in Lebanon and
Palestine, but Washington believed Syria’s efforts were not serious. The sources
stress that when Syria failed to urge Washington to adjust its positions it
decided to re-join the Iranian approach aiming at hampering the US’s projects,
especially after Damascus’s fruitless sacrifices. The tension in US-Syrian
relations stirred the insurgence that struck Baghdad, which indicates that the
inter-Arab tensions have returned threatening to immerse the region, from Iraq
to Palestine across Lebanon all the way to Yemen, in further crises.
According to the same sources, Israel and the terrorist organizations are the
only beneficiaries from the Arab division. Israel perceives the division as an
opportunity to alleviate the American pressure regarding the Palestinian cause,
while the terrorist organizations find the division a chance to spread its units
across the region.
The sources expected Iran to stir its groups in Iraq and Afghanistan against the
US forces and the Atlantic alliance, which is the Tehran-style to urge
Washington to ease its outlook regarding its nuclear drive.Meanwhile, Syria
would move through AL Qaeda groups and the cells of the Baath party in Iraq to
instigate insurgence that would take Iraq back to the period following the
US-led invasion of 2003, which concerns the US after it has decided to
completely pull out its troops from the country by 2011 according to its
agreement with Maliki’s government.
Information affirms that the terrorist operations, especially the bloody attacks
carried out last Wednesday in Baghdad paved the way for sectary groups to regain
control over the country.
Hariri-Bassil Meeting Wednesday to Discuss Delays in Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will meet Telecommunications
Minister Jebran Bassil on Wednesday to discuss obstacles facing a Cabinet
lineup. Bassil was assigned by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to
talks with Hariri during his absence abroad. Hariri and Aoun met at Baabda
Palace on Monday in the first direct meeting between the two sides and both men
pledged to continue talks despite the "many difficulties." Both leaders emerged
from the 80-minute meeting saying talks will continue despite the many
difficulties.
The daily As-Safir said Wednesday's talks will focus on two proposals for a new
government – sovereign ministers and a Cabinet of political leaders.
Hariri's office on Tuesday, however, denied reports published by As-Safir and
Al-Akhbar that the premier-designate had made new offers to Free Patriotic
Movement leader Michel Aoun.
Both dailies said Tuesday that Hariri had proposed during talks with Aoun to
remove ministries of state and decrease the size of the Cabinet to include only
leaders of major political parties.
The parliamentary majority and the Opposition had agreed on a 15-10-5 Cabinet
makeup which grants the majority 15 ministers, the Opposition 10 and President
Michel Suleiman 5, guaranteeing the president the tipping vote. As-Safir said
Wednesday Hariri is expected to share his views with Bassil regarding the new
proposals for a Cabinet lineup.
Al-Liwaa newspaper, for its part, said Bassil's visit to Qoreitem is a to follow
up on ideas for a Cabinet makeup discussed by Hariri and Aoun is Baabda. Beirut,
02 Sep 09, 08:21
Opposition Rules Out Cabinet Formation by End of September
Naharnet/The Opposition has ruled out formation of a new government by end of
September, saying no progress has been made in talks between PM-designate Saad
Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to resolve the Cabinet
issue. "The Cabinet crisis is still at a standstill," an Opposition ministerial
source told the daily Al-Liwaa in remarks published Wednesday. He said there was
no breakthrough in Hariri-Aoun talks at the presidential palace "that we can say
we are closer to finding the key to the birth of the future government."."
The source said it is likely that Lebanon will remain without a Cabinet at least
until the end of September. Beirut, 02 Sep 09, 09:47
Miqati Declares Himself a Centrist 'Just Like Jumblat'
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Najib Miqati declared himself a "centrist" after
pulling out from the majority March 14 coalition. Miqati, nevertheless, stressed
his full support for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri. "I am commitment to
the same fundamental principles as PM-designate Saad Hariri," Miqati said in
remarks published Wednesday by the daily As-Safir. Miqati said he shares the
same way of thinking as Druze leader Walid Jumblat about "centrism." Beirut, 02
Sep 09, 10:51
Gunmen Kidnap Man outside his Shop in Southern Suburbs
Naharnet/Unknown gunmen kidnapped a Lebanese citizen outside his shop in
Beirut's southern suburbs, and no group has claimed responsibility for the
abduction. The daily An-Nahar, citing security sources, said the assailants in a
beige Envoy jeep without a license plate seized Ali Mohammed al-Sayyed, 39, as
he stood outside his shop in Borj al-Barajneh around 5:20pm on Tuesday.
Investigation is underway to determine Sayyed's whereabouts and the identity of
the kidnappers, the sources said. Al-Liwaa newspaper, meanwhile, said Sayyed's
wife, Samah Walid Hazimeh, informed police about her husband's kidnapping. It
said investigation was launched to determine the circumstances of the incident
and motives behind the kidnapping. Beirut, 02 Sep 09, 08:09
GCC for Speedy Formation of New Government
Naharnet/Lebanon was discussed at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries (GCC) which kicked off in Jeddah on Tuesday.
Oman Foreign Minister Yousuf Alawi Abdullah, the current rotating chairman the
GCC, congratulated Lebanon for successfully holding general elections in June.
He also welcomed the appointment of Saad Hariri as premier-designate. Abdullah
said that the meeting touched on important issues, adding that Palestinian unity
is essential for the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its
capital. The Omani FM also recommended the convening of the sixth Fatah Movement
meeting in Palestine. Beirut, 02 Sep 09, 10:03
Syria 'keen on seeing internal dialogue in Lebanon'
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: Syria’s ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali hoped following a
visit to former Prime Minister Salim Hoss on Tuesday that warming inter-Arab
ties would have positive repercussions on Lebanon. “Syria is keen on seeing
internal dialogue in Lebanon reach solutions. Formation of the national cabinet
fortifies the country and works on solving all issues. This reflects positively
on the situation in Lebanon and consequently Syria,” he said following talks
with Hoss at latter’s office in the Beirut neighborhood of Aisha Bakkar. The
ambassador welcomed a decision by some officials to refrain from making
statements on the cabinet during the month of Ramadan but hoped this stage
“would not last long and would be in Lebanon’s interest and stability.” – The
Daily Star
Lebanese, Israeli, UNIFIL forces to meet in Naqoura
By Mohammed Zaatari /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
SIDON: A Lebanese-Israeli military meeting is to be held on Wednesday at the
southern border town of Naqoura under the care of the United Nations Interim
Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. at a UNIFIL
military location and will aim at discussing controversial issues related to the
enforcement of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which put an end to the
summer 2006 war with Israel. The issues to be tackled during the meeting are
those mentioned in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1884, which
extends the mandate of UNIFIL for one year until August 31, 2010. Meanwhile,
UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army will hold joint maneuvers on Thursday.
Israeli violations in Kfar Shuba ongoing after removal of outpost
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: The Israeli violations in the southern region of Kfar Shuba continue
despite the removal of the unmanned observation post on August 17, said the
Hasbaya correspondent for the state-run National News Agency (NNA) on Tuesday.
The observation post that spiked conflicts earlier this summer was removed but
the sandbags were left on the site. According to the NNA report, Israeli
soldiers were still stationed behind the sandbags ignoring the request of the
United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to leave. Israelis also
installed surveillance cameras and wiretapping inside their military locations,
“in order to spy of the Kfar Shuba and Arqoub regions.” “The Israeli soldiers’
excuse is that the site falls within a disputed zone,” the NNA said. The report
added that the Israeli armies were still building traps close to the barbed
wires on the border. – The Daily Star
Criticism of judiciary can have 'negative' impact on state
Sayyed remarks draw response from Higher Judicial Council
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: Responding to accusations voiced over the weekend by the former head of
General Security Jamil al-Sayyed, the Higher Judicial Council stressed on
Tuesday that any criticism of the judiciary would negatively impact the state.
The council added that the judiciary should be distanced from political
controversies. Following a meeting headed by Judge Ghaleb Ghanem, the council
issued a statement condemning attacks against members of the judicial body,
adding that such attacks “aim to destabilize the society’s trust in the
judiciary.”“We condemn such attacks against the judiciary particularly since its
duty is to protect the legal rights, freedoms and dignity of its members as well
as all of the constituents of the society,” the statement added.
Speaking during a conference at the Coral Beach Hotel on Sunday, Sayyed accused
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri along with some judges and officers of
falsifying evidence in the assassination case of his father former Premier Rafik
Hariri. Sayyed said the premier-designate has “no right to claim justice” from
the UN backed-Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), “when he approved of people
making baseless accusations and falsifying facts for four consecutive years.”
Sayyed was among four top generals who were released in April after four years
in custody in connection with Hariri’s assassination without ever being formally
charged. He called on Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to imprison State
Prosecutor Saeed Mirza for “crimes against the state,” as they oversaw the probe
into Hariri’s murder, questioned witnesses and ordered the arrest of the four
generals.
The council underlined the need to “imperatively and entirely” dissociate
between judiciary matters and political issues, adding that the stances taken by
the judiciary “only reflect its members’ professional convictions.”
“The council will focus its efforts on bolstering the independence of the
judiciary as well as building mutual trust between the judiciary and society,”
the council’s statement said. The council also urged state officials and the
general public to preserve the judiciary’s “grandeur, in order to guarantee and
preserve its independence and effective role.”
“The council stresses the need to resolve all problematic issues through the
state’s legal institutions,” the statement said, adding that “the judiciary has
its own legal approach to evaluate matters in accordance with established
judicial standards.” Also on Tuesday, Future Movement MP Nuhad al-Mashnouq
slammed Sayyed’s weekend remarks, and described the former security chief as a
“peacock,” who had mistreated the Lebanese when he was at the head of General
Security. Mashnouq said Sayyed’s news conference “came 10 days after he visited
Syria.”Mashnouq added that Sayyed’s news conference might have been “Syria’s
way of delivering a message to Prime Minister Saad Hariri.”
“Sayyed expressed Syria’s wish that Hariri relinquish his post as
premier-designate,” the Beirut MP said.
Lebanon to start receiving Egyptian gas mid-September
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
BEIRUT: Lebanon will finally receive the long-awaited Egyptian gas to run the
gas-fired Beddawi plant in the middle of this month, said the energy ministers
of Lebanon and Egypt. Visiting Egyptian Oil Minister Sameh Fahmi, who was
speaking at a press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Alain Tabourian,
said that gas will cross Jordan and Syria before reaching Lebanon. The minister
attributed delays in delivering the gas to technical problems but said the
problems had been solved. Egypt will conduct a test on September 8 to ensure
that everything is in order. Neither Lebanon nor Egypt disclosed the actual cost
of gas to Beddawi. In principle, Egypt will supply Lebanon with 30 million cubic
feet of gas and this amount will operate two turbines at Beddawi plant. The
plant was originally built in 1996 to run on gas but officials at the Energy
Ministry failed to build proper networks and pipelines between the plant and
neighboring countries. Tabourian told reporters that the Egyptian gas will not
boost production but would instead reduce the cost of energy bill. Experts say
natural gas is 30 percent cheaper than fuel oil and more environmentally
friendly. “We are running our plants at full capacity and we can’t provide
electricity to all of Lebanon at the same time. We need an additional 800 MW to
meet growing demand,” Tabourian said. He added that since the end of the Civil
War, Lebanon has spent $750 million on power plants and another $650 million on
the power lines and yet the country is still not able to produce sufficient
electricity. The minister said that he intended to have another meeting with
caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in one week to discuss possible ways to
boost the production of electricity. – The Daily Star
It's not a government that matters - it's what it will do for the people
By The Daily Star
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Editorial
We can safely say that the level of political rhetoric in Lebanon currently
matches the level of political action; both are stagnant, irrelevant, and deeply
disappointing. The Lebanese people really don’t care about why they don’t have a
government, more than two months after “historic” and “decisive” parliamentary
elections. People don’t find it charming when politicians tell them that “S and
S” [Syria and Saudi Arabia], are responsible. People don’t even care if it’s
really a third “S,” [the son-in-law], that should be blamed.
They’re bored to tears by long-winded explanations that highlight the “special
nature” of Lebanon’s political system, i.e. sectarian consensus, as if
everything is local. That’s because they might hear, in the next sentence, about
the “critical regional and international situation,” as if Lebanon’s domestic
realities and needs are largely irrelevant. We have politicians in the majority
who claim to be part of a majority, but independent from it. We have politicians
in the minority who declare that they won’t act as mediators, but who are
engaged in mediation all the time.
Some politicians might think themselves charming when they deliver “fiery”
comments at a news conferences, move the masses at an outdoor rally, or engage
in back-room dealings, behind closed doors. All politicians should have these
skills, but only if they do enough of the real work of politics first.
The prime minister-designate, Saad Hariri, has an opportunity to wash this bad
taste out of the collective mouth of the public. Hariri, simply put, faces a
true challenge: if he really wants to be an effective prime minister, then he
has to put something real on the table. Not to his partners in the political
class, but to the people who pay the bills. The people who leave the country
because it’s too disappointing. The people who take the time to vote when it’s
election day, behaving themselves considerably better than the members of our
ruling political club.
Back in February, on the anniversary of his father’s assassination, Hariri
pledged to re-orient himself toward meaningful goals: strengthening the Lebanese
state, enhancing the quality of health services, improving the educational
system, and overseeing reform. Speaker Nabih Berri championed the same
bread-and-butter agenda this week: electricity, the economy, health care, etc.
The kind of issues people really care about. Parliament is one place to see a
“revolutionary” type of governance in Lebanon, one that is oriented toward
people’s needs, and the Cabinet is the other. Hariri can accept this challenge,
and put together some real policies, backed by studies and figures, not slogans.