LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March 20/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Saint Mark 5,21-43. When Jesus had crossed again (in the boat) to the other
side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of
the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his
feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of
death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live."He
went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There
was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered
greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was
not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him
in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I
shall be cured."Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body
that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone
out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my
clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon
you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had
done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and
trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to
her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your
affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's
house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any
longer?"Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue
official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to
accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When
they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a
commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."And they
ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and
mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He
took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little
girl, I say to you, arise!"The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and
walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that
no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters &
Special Reports
Soaring Tension between
Berry and Aoun/By Sami Farid
19/03/09
Jailing democracy activists is not a wise course for Damascus-The
Daily Star 19/03/09
Forget Iran's president, the power is Ayatollah Khamenei's.By
Mehdi Khalaji 19/03/09
The Hezbollah State-By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq
Alawsat 19/03/09
A Christian path to assisted suicide.By Michael
Young 19/03/09
Lebanon's hopes for democracy/Los
Angeles Times
19/03/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for March
19/09
Parliament Votes on Draft Law to Lower Voting Age to 18-Naharnet
UNIFIL Celebrates its 31st Birthday-Naharnet
Suleiman: Patriotism, Resistance
for All … No Mideast Peace Deal at Lebanon's Expense-Naharnet
300-Member Security Team to Protect Tribunal Judges, Names Remain Withheld-Naharnet
Resistance Bloc Stresses Need for Appeasing Speech-Naharnet
Aoun: Hariri's
Non-Participation in Government is a Burden We Can Live Without-Naharnet
Lebanese Among U.S.
Researchers who Found New Drug that May Prevent Brain Damage-Naharnet
Accused Canadian-Lebanese
Paris Synagogue Bomber Gets 2nd Bail Hearing-Naharnet
March 14 Forces Shower
Suleiman with Praise over France Visit-Naharnet
Tensions Between March 14
and Hizbullah Jesuit Students-Naharnet
Assad Calls for Dialogue
with Hizbullah-Naharnet
Lawmakers Headed toward
Showdown over Election-Related Issues ... Likely to Be Fruitless Anyhow-Naharnet
U.S. Worried About
Iranian-Hizbullah Influence in Latin America-Naharnet
US - Syria Relations-Voice
of America
Syria Offers to Mediate With Iran-Voice
of America
Lebanon rules out talks with Israel-Jerusalem
Post
Europeans queue to meet Hamas-Monsters and
Critics.com
Lahoud and Murr lock horns over
Metn elections/Future News
Sleiman: elections on the 7th of
June in a one-day procedure/Future News
Lebanese Parliament to discuss plan to lower voting age-Daily
Star
Sleiman rules out direct peace talks with Jewish state-Daily
Star
Tueni seen as having upper hand in Beirut race-Daily
Star
UNIFIL confirms Israel flooded Lebanese farms-Daily
Star
Russia ready to offers security, military assistance-Daily
Star
Manila in talks with Lebanese officials to lift deployment ban-Daily
Star
Lebanese Finance Ministry's 8th progress report on the Paris III donors
conference-Daily
Star
Beirut CAREER forum kicks off in shadow of global economic-crisis-Daily
Star
Lebanese government aims to reduce
'public-debt-to-GDP ratio-Daily
Star
Phalange-Hizbullah brawl erupts at
university-Daily
Star
Experts examine ways to enforce
environment laws-Daily
Star
Policy of using reconstruction aid
as weapon has failed-Daily
Star
Arab cartoonists say society
forcing them to censor their own work-Daily
Star
Kyoto Protocol's clean development
mechanism requires 'radical reform'-Inter
Press Service
Suleiman:
Patriotism, Resistance for All … No Mideast Peace Deal at Lebanon's Expense
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said at the end of his visit to Paris that
patriotism is for all, stressing that there would be no Middle East peace deals
at "Lebanon's expense." "Enough accusations. We all know that patriotism in
Lebanon is not an exclusive thing. It is not confined to one particular group,"
Suleiman told a packed news conference late Wednesday at the end of a three-day
official visit to France where he met with President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime
Minister Francois Fillon.
"Loyalty, integrity and resistance also exist among the Lebanese people," he
added.
Suleiman said he opposed French calls for Lebanese-Israeli "bilateral and direct
talks."
"France called on Lebanon to engage in bilateral and direct negotiations with
Israel. But we said we do not agree on bilateral talks," Suleiman stressed.
"Our position has not changed regarding both direct and indirect negotiations.
We support a comprehensive and just peace based on the provisions of the Madrid
conference," he explained.
Suleiman said Lebanon was willing to take part in "any international conference
for comprehensive and just peace provided it is based on international
resolutions, the Madrid conference and the unconditional implementation of the
Arab (peace) initiative."
"I stressed (during talks with French leaders) that there would be no Middle
East peace deal at Lebanon's expense or that contradict with the interests of
the Arab nations," Suleiman said.
He was unwavering on Lebanon's position regarding the occupied Shebaa Farms,
saying that Security Council Resolution 425 "clearly calls for an unconditional
withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories."
In his wide-ranging news conference, Suleiman vehemently dismissed insinuations
that France had imposed conditions on Lebanon in return for arming the military.
In a question-answer session, a reporter pointed out that the French government
had deferred a months-long request to provide Lebanon with French-made weapons.
Asked whether the delay was linked to disarming Hizbullah, Suleiman strongly
denied being subject to pressure in return for military aid.
"Let it be clear to all, no country in the world has imposed conditions to arm
the Lebanese military… not even in the middle of the Lebanese crisis," Suleiman
said.
"Lebanon is not talking about disarming the resistance rather (these weapons)
will become part of a national defense strategy, currently being debated…" he
added.
"France has helped the Lebanese Army with what it can. Yesterday, the prime
minister promised to fulfill requests related to ground-to-air missiles of
Gazelle warplanes," the Lebanese leader said without elaborating.
On the upcoming legislative polls, the Lebanese leader said the polls will "take
place during a single day as scheduled on June 7."
In his usual optimistic tone, Suleiman designated June 8 as "the beginning of a
journey to reform" and took a pledge to commit to reforms and to "safeguard the
Constitution."
"It will be a good day for Lebanon and the Lebanese will know for sure they
enjoy a unique system of democracy in the Middle East," he said.
France said it was willing to dispatch a delegation to monitor the elections,
Suleiman said.
In his talks with Sarkozy, Suleiman said he pointed out to Israel's "repeated
violations of Lebanon's airspace and reneging on promises to hand over maps of
landmines and cluster bombs in Lebanon."
He asked Sarkozy to help "ensure the full implementation of (Security Council)
Resolution 1701, which Israel has so far failed to observe." He accused Israel
of waging an "economic war" on Lebanon by "its flagrant breaches" of the
resolution.
Sarkozy has also accepted an invitation to visit Lebanon on an official trip
along with the first French lady, Suleiman added.
On regional developments, Suleiman said a future resolution to the Middle East
conflict "must not come at the expense of Lebanon or harm Arab interests."
He also called on Sarkozy to adopt "a comprehensive approach to the Arab-Israeli
conflict and to host an international peace conference based on international
resolutions."
For his part, Sarkozy pledged France's support for the reconciliation process
and for "efforts to consolidate the independence and unity of Lebanon," Suleiman
said
Suleiman's trip coincided with the inauguration Monday of the first Lebanese
Embassy in Damascus.
He said he assured Sarkozy that Lebanese-Syrian bilateral ties "were progressing
on the right track for both countries." Beirut, 19 Mar 09, 08:28
300-Member Security Team to Protect Tribunal Judges, Names Remain Withheld
Lebanese security forces have assembled a special 300-member team to protect the
four Lebanese judges in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon but the release of
their names has been delayed for "security concerns." According to Asharq al-Awsat
daily newspaper in an article published on Thursday, U.N. Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon, who has the final decision on the matter, has not yet agreed to release
the names of the judges due to security concerns.
For its part, Lebanon has assembled a special team of 300 security forces to
protect the judges. A Lebanese security official told Asharq al-Awsat that its
members have been "subjected to very specialized training" and, upon learning
the names of the judges, will "carry out [the judges'] protection, the
protection of their houses, and the protection of their families."
This team is said to resemble "Fuhoud," the group which handles the security of
visiting foreign delegations and high-level officials and handled the security
of the international tribunal's prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, who was head of the
U.N. commission investigating ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination.
The group only awaits "information from the U.N. to begin its work," Lebanese
security official told Asharq al-Awsat. Even were the names of the judges to be
released, security authorities have assured that measures have been taken to
ensure the safety of the judges and their kin.
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq told the newspaper that the organization has "trust in
Lebanese security authorities." However, despite this trust and the preparedness
that Lebanese security officials have purported, the names remain a secret.
Beirut, 19 Mar 09, 11:18
Resistance Bloc Stresses Need for Appeasing Speech
Naharnet/Parliament's Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc said Wednesday it remains
committed to a draft law setting the minimum voting age at 18 and called on
politicians to use "conciliatory" tones in the buildup to the polls. On the eve
of a parliamentary session, the bloc held its regular meeting headed by MP
Mohammed Raad.
"We hope parliamentary blocs will turn into action their (vocal) support of an
amendment to Article 21 of the Constitution to lower the voting age," the bloc
said in a statement. A move to change the voting age already enjoys "wide public
support and represents a significant step toward electoral law reform," the
statement added.
While describing as "healthy" political campaigning ahead of the June 7 polls,
the bloc stressed the need for all parties to "maintain a conciliatory speech."
It also said any new administrative appointments must "begin with posts related
to the polls' due date." The statement then called on the government to
"respond, as soon as possible, to the legitimate demands by (public sector)
teachers."On regional developments, the bloc expressed relief over recent signs
of reconciliation among Arabs and warned against "the dangers of underestimating
Zionist practices in Jerusalem and the West Bank," including
settlement-expansion. Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 17:45
Aoun: Hariri's Non-Participation in Government is a Burden
We Can Live Without
Naharnet/Change and Reform Parliamentary Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun accused
March 14 Forces of "desiring to govern alone" if they win a majority at the next
Legislative elections. He added that if so: "a burden we can live without."
Aoun was referring to al-Mustaqbal movement leader MP Saad Hariri who earlier
said that if March 8 Forces win the parliamentary elections he would not
participate in government with them. In an interview with the Arabic version of
the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC on Wednesday, Aoun denied any
differences with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri saying there are some that
continue to circulate news of this sort.
"Candidates aspirations differ from those that nominate them. Differences might
occur. However, there are no intrinsic differences among the opposition
members," Aoun said. He reiterated his stance that March 8 Forces are to run
under a united electoral list in the June 7 legislative elections. However, the
lists might differ from one region to the other. Aoun described the election
battle at the northern Matn region as "the mother of all battles" adding "if so
then we have already won."
He alluded to MP Michel Murr, saying "he was never an added value to my
(political) strength in 2005, and he won't affect me in 2009."
He affirmed that he is in full political alliance and coordination with the
Tashnag despite statements made by others to the contrary. Aoun explained that
the Baabda district would be the only district in which he and Hizbullah would
share common electoral lists. He alluded to electoral bribes paid in terms of
school tuition, patient's bills and convict bond payments. Aoun commented on his
relationship with the Maronite Chuch saying: "Our lines with Bkirki were never
cut, we have political differences but no enmity and we have praised the
Maronite patriarch's recent stance that stood against political money."
Regarding the relationship with Syria Aoun wondered: "what is the reason for war
today with Syria? Who used to rule when Syria was in Lebanon? Who used to say
that Syria's presence in Lebanon is necessary, temporary and legal." Beirut, 18
Mar 09, 22:33
Lebanese Among U.S. Researchers who Found New Drug that May
Prevent Brain Damage
Naharnet/A new class of Alzheimer's disease drugs may prevent long-term damage
from traumatic brain injury, according to a study by Georgetown University
Medical Center researchers, including a doctor of Lebanese origin. The drugs --
gamma-secretase inhibitors -- are designed to target amyloid plaque that
accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. "No one knows why
it occurs, but abnormal amounts of amyloid plaque have been found during an
autopsy in about a third of brain injury victims, some of whom were children who
would ordinarily never have had these deposits," Mark Burns, a neuroscientist
and assistant professor at Georgetown and the study's lead author, said in a
university news release. "Remarkably, these deposits occur in less than one day
after injury." It's also known that people who've suffered a brain injury have a
400 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to the
researchers. "In this study, we show that the same pathways activated
chronically in Alzheimer's disease are activated acutely in traumatic brain
injury and that they appear to play a very important role in secondary injury,"
Burns said.
He and his colleagues, including Lebanese researcher Charbel al-Hajj Moussa,
first conducted tests that showed that brain injury in mice resulted in
substantially more amyloid peptide than normal. They then found that amyloid
peptide production after brain injury was reduced in mice that received an
experimental agent called DAPT, one of the first gamma secretase inhibitors
developed and the basis for some Alzheimer's disease drugs now in clinical
trials.
The researchers said that their findings, which are published online in Nature
Medicine, suggest that this class of drugs could do something no other drug has
been able to do -- prevent the long-term and continuing damage that often
follows serious brain injury. Georgetown University Medical Center is an
internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of
research, teaching and patient care. The center includes the School of Medicine
and the School of Nursing and Health Studies.Beirut, 19 Mar 09, 09:24
Accused Canadian-Lebanese Paris Synagogue Bomber Gets 2nd Bail Hearing
Naharnet/A Canadian-Lebanese national arrested for his alleged role in a 1980
Paris synagogue bombing that killed four appeared in court Wednesday for a
second bail hearing. Hassan Diab, 55, was arrested in November in a suburb of
Canada's capital at the request of French authorities who want him extradited to
stand trial for murder, attempted murder and the destruction of property for his
alleged role in the bombing.
A judge in December denied him bail pending an extradition hearing, but the
decision was quashed by an appeals court because Diab, who does not understand
French, could not read prosecution documents from France entered as evidence.
At the new hearing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police terrorism expert Corporal
Robert Tran testified Diab had been under sporadic surveillance since January
2008.
At his first court appearance, Diab noted he had twice complained to local
police that he was being stalked.
Tran also said he obtained documents from the Royal Bank of Canada that showed
Diab had opened several joint accounts with his ex-wife Nawal Copty, after his
divorce in 1993. According to the bank, the estranged couple transferred funds
into these accounts from their own personal accounts. One of them in Copty's
name held 63,000 Canadian dollars (37,500 euro, 50,500 US), Tran said.
According to French case files, Copty was a member of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine's special operations team believed to have orchestrated
the Copernic Street bombing. Diab was also identified by French authorities as
belonging to the group.
In court, his defense lawyer Don Bayne lamented the charges were based on
untested intelligence reports. "Intelligence is not evidence," he said. "Much of
this French case is not evidence." In October 1980, a bomb planted in a
motorcycle saddlebag outside the Copernic Street synagogue in Paris' 16th
arrondissement killed three Frenchmen and a young Israeli woman, and injured
dozens.
It was the first fatal attack against the French Jewish community since the Nazi
occupation of World War II.
French authorities issued a warrant in November 2007 for Diab's arrest,
following a lead from German intelligence, believing he was involved. But Diab
has insisted they made a mistake and denied links to extremist groups. mHis
lawyers said it was a case of mistaken identity and repeatedly insisted Diab was
not in Paris at the time of the bombing. Tran acknowledged Diab he did not
attempt to flee the country or conceal his identity while under surveillance.
"He could have safely run away to Lebanon," Bayne commented. Before his arrest,
Diab worked as a part-time professor at Canada's Carleton and Ottawa
universities. He faces possible life in prison for murder, attempted murder and
willful destruction of property, if convicted in a French court.(AFP) Beirut, 19
Mar 09, 07:44
Assad Calls for Dialogue with Hizbullah
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad has encouraged all parties who
acknowledge Hizbullah's significant role in the region to engage in dialogue
with the Shiite group. "We need pragmatism and realism," Assad told the Italian
newspaper "La Repubblica" in remarks published on Wednesday, adding that "it is
not important whether the West considers Hizbullah a terrorist organization or a
'state within a state.' The important thing is that Hizbullah has weight in the
region."
He pointed to the recent moves by Britain to announce publicly its desire to
enter into dialogue with the group's political wing.
The Syrian leader added that he has been encouraged by U.S. President Barack
Obama's initial willingness to engage in dialogue with political elements that
the previous administration had refused to deal with and offered to be a
mediator between the U.S. and Iran. Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 13:09
Tensions Between March 14 and Hizbullah Jesuit Students
Naharnet/Jesuit students supporting to March 14 Forces and others for Hizbullah
had some tense moments on Wednesday as both sides differed at the Ashrafiyeh
campus. The Phalange web site said: "a number of Hizbullah supporters threatened
a Phalange supporter for his political stance, asking him not to speak badly of
Hizbullah …the dispute developed when 50 Hizbullah supporters arrived outside
the university." Internal Security Forces arrived and worked on diffusing the
incident.
Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 21:43
March 14 Forces Shower Suleiman with Praise over France
Visit
Naharnet/March 14 Forces praised Wednesday the Lebanese president's "historic"
trip to France and renewed its commitment to "struggle" to achieve the
"transition to the state." The group's general secretariat, after its weekly
meeting, said Michel Suleiman's three-day trip was part of the Lebanese
president's "policy of openness and establishing Lebanon's role in the
international arena." The Forces also praised the president for "stressing the
need to implement the Taef accord as the national and constitutional reference
which governs political life in Lebanon." During the meeting, the group
criticized the security services to "slacking over investigating the tragedy of
Joseph Sader," an MEA engineer who was kidnapped last month by unknown
assailants. Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 16:31
U.S. Worried About Iranian-Hizbullah Influence in Latin
America
Naharnet/The commander of U.S. forces in Latin America expressed concern over
increasing Iranian and Hizbullah activities throughout the region and said the
Shiite group was involved in drug trafficking in Colombia. "We have seen... an
increase in a wide level of activity by the Iranian government in this region,"
including the opening of six new embassies in Latin America during the last five
years, Navy Admiral James Stavridis told the Senate Armed Services Committee on
Tuesday.
"That is a concern principally because of the connections between the government
of Iran, which is a state sponsor of terrorism, and Hizbullah," Stavridis, who
oversees U.S. military interests in the region as head of U.S. Southern Command,
said.
The admiral's comment came in response to a question from a senator seeking more
information about concerns first raised by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates
before the same committee in January. The secretary accused Iran of engaging in
what he called "subversive" activity in several places in Latin America. He
called newly-opened Iranian offices in Central and South America "fronts" for
interfering in local affairs.
Stavridis said Hizbullah activities in South America have been concentrated
particularly in the border region between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, but
also in Colombia. "We see a great deal of Hizbullah activity throughout South
America, in particular. (The) tri-border of Brazil is a particular concern, as
in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, as well as (other) parts of Brazil and in the
Caribbean Basin," he said. "We have been seeing in Colombia a direct connection
between Hizbullah activity and narco trafficking activity," the commander added,
without providing specifics. Stavridis said the U.S. has good cooperation with
the tri-border countries and that it receives what he called a "reasonable
level" of information about what goes on there. Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 08:05
Murr: Nassib Lahoud Cannot Make Up Election Ticket
Naharnet/MP Michel Murr criticized State Minister Nassib Lahoud, saying he
cannot make up a ticket in the 2009 election.
In the Metn region, "there is a higher authority, higher than Lahoud," Murr said
in an interview with the daily Asharq al-Awsat. "Not anybody who joins an
(electoral) ticket takes part in making it," Murrr said in reference to Lahoud.
"Since when did Lahoud join winning tickets?" Murr asked, sarcastically. He
recalled that Lahoud lost the 2005 elections, while he won the previous vote
when he ran as a candidate in a single-seat constituency. Murr said Lahoud's
views are not in harmony with the ruling March 14 coalition nor with Mustaqbal
Movement leader Saad Hariri "who knows Murr's value." He believed Lahoud "made a
problem out of nothing."Yet, Murr denied there was an "atmosphere of
unfriendliness" between Lahoud and himself. He also announced there would be no
return to the alliance with Gen. Michel Aoun. Beirut, 18 Mar 09, 11:25
Soaring
Tension between Berry and Aoun
By: Sami Farid
Date: March 19th, 2009
As the Lebanese parliamentary elections loom closer, the different political
parties work on their electoral tickets to be ready for June 7 the date set for
these elections.
A week ago, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah- a
key part of the opposition March 8 alliance- asked his delegate Hussein Khalil,
who usually manages the dialogues of the party behind the scenes, to organize
for a meeting that would include him and House Speaker Nabih Berry, leader of
the Shiite Amal movement, Sleiman Franjieh leader of the Marada party, and
Michel Aoun leader of the Free Patriotic Movement.
The meeting is intended to finalize the opposition’s electoral tickets, and
solve the differences that arose lately between Berry and Aoun.
The differences between the two men erupted when Aoun insisted on naming the
five Christian candidates in the South region, or at least four of them, while
Berry maintained his alleged right as a Shiite tycoon, to select the candidates
there.
Khalil got back Aoun’s answer who asked for a period of one week before setting
the date of the meeting, which provoked concern and surprise among the Hezbollah
leadership.
It was later revealed that General Aoun avoids meeting with his allies in the
opposition, as he does not intend to give up on his demands or succumb to Berry,
concerning the five Christian seats in the South.
Al-Akhbar daily, an opposition backed paper by Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic
Movement, published a brief news that the pillars of the opposition agreed on
all their electoral tickets except for Beirut second circumscription and Aley
region, which Aoun says is not true.
Aoun denounced the published news believing that Berry was responsible for
leaking it in order to pressure him, and prepare the atmospheres to speed up the
meeting between the opposition polls in order to resolve the outstanding
electoral issues.
Leader of the Free Patriotic Movement demanded that Al-Akhbar daily publish a
statement denying the previous allegations saying that it was a deliberate
action to pressure him.
The media relations of the Hezbollah party downplayed the news published in Al-Akhbar
paper, thus bringing the situation back to starting point where Amal and
Hezbollah party wait for Aoun’s approval to hold the requested meeting to
finalize the electoral tickets.
Waiting for the meeting to be concluded, the hidden battles between Aoun and
Berry continue, but Hezbollah seeks to put them to an end.
Berry’s sources focus on four major issues that Aoun has wasted the opportunity
to participate in the consultations to form the Judicial Council, a post that
remained vacant for three years.
While the consultations were taking place to conclude this essential issue, and
the nominations were decided and revealed later on, Aoun denounced the act
saying that Berry betrayed him and did not ask his opinion on the matter,
knowing that Aoun’s attitude is what brought him to this point.
Aoun has always believed that “people must come to him and ask him what he
wants, he goes to no one” sources said.
In addition, Aoun wants to gain a Christian majority by naming the five
Christian candidates in the south or four of them at least. Berry wonders why
Aoun insists that the candidates be Aounists when he is part of March 8
alliance?
Berry wonders “how the Shiites influence would be in the parliament if Aoun
named the five Christian MPs, in case any difference erupted between me and
him?”
Moreover, Berry said categorically “I am keen to sustain diversity in my bloc. I
want my bloc to include Shiites, Christians and Druze and I will never let Aoun
deprive me of this diversity.”
Furthermore, Berry notes “on the personal level, there is no chemistry between
me and Aoun. I sent him a message confirming: you would better know your limits.
Your electoral region is the Mount, Keserwan and Jbeil and you are never allowed
to come near the south.”
Aoun received the message and commented “Berry hadn’t forgotten my stance
against electing him as House Speaker in 2005; I congratulate myself for taking
such a position…”
Berry’s sources confirm that Aoun’s recent Attack on Druze leader MP Walid
Jumblatt accusing him of corruption and feudalism, was indirectly aiming at
Berry.
Aoun keeps on reiterating before his visitors “Berry refuses to give me an
acceptable share of seats in Jezzine under the pretext that there are 7000
Shiite voters in the circumscription; I say to Berry, there are 12000 Christian
voters in Bint- Jbeil circumscription and I claim my share in this area!”
Berry said “Aoun resolved his difference with the Syrian Socialist Nationalist
Party by moving his candidate Issam Abou Jamra from Marjayoun to Ashrafieh
circumscription in Beirut. I think that Aoun wanted to get rid of Abou Jamra
because he knows that the people of Ashrafieh will not vote for him!”
Berry concluded that Aoun is not after naming Aouni candidates in the south, but
after naming rich candidates; otherwise, he would have insisted to name Abou
Jamra, and Jean Aziz the Aouni southerners.
In short, Berry’s source confirm that Aoun’s problem with Berry is personal and
not political, because if Aoun believes in the righteousness of his cause, he
would have maintained that all of March 8 MP’s are piece and parcel of the
opposition whether on his ticket or on Berry’s.
The Hezbollah State
18/03/2009
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat,
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=16109
Lebanese MP Mohammed Raad, head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, made some
important comments in which he outlined the features of the Lebanese state
according to the view of the opposition, i.e. Hezbollah, if it were to achieve a
victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Raad also expressed Hezbollah’s opinion of Syria’s negotiations with Israel to
regain the occupied Golan Heights. The importance of Raad’s comments lies in the
fact that they come at a time when the British government claims that there is a
military Hezbollah on one hand and a political Hezbollah on the other!
Raad said that the state of opposition is the state of “resistance” and that
“[given the choice] out of the project of surrendering, which comes under the
name of peace, and the project of resistance that maintains dignity, we choose
the project of resistance.” He added that there needs to be an internal
political resolution to protect the resistance. Moreover, he called for the
government to protect the resistance and “understand Lebanon’s need for this
option,” and stated that Hezbollah or the opposition, requires “a brave
government that can comprehend that the main threat towards Lebanon is the
Zionist threat.”
This is what Raad said about Lebanon. As for the peace option, Raad said that
Hezbollah rejects a government that “rallies behind those who have been defeated
in the Arab region who strive for peace with Israel.” The obvious question here
is who is he talking about?
Raad’s comments indicate that the specifications of the Lebanese state that
Hezbollah wants is a state that is dependent, takes risks and gambles, for which
the Arabs will rush to cover its costs. Nevertheless, how can we interpret the
quarrels over Saudi money, especially in light of what Nabih Berri said and what
the media of the opposition announced despite bragging about pure money?
If Raad is proud that he has reassessed the security situation saying, “We dealt
with it [the security situation] and it is now at its best,” then what about the
civilians who were injured in the 2006 war? Who will give them back their homes
and business projects? Does the Arab world, the Gulf in particular, have to pay
the price for the adventures of the divine party?
This is absurd. In the midst of the financial crisis that is taking the world by
storm, Raad comes out to present us with a recipe for new wars that require
funding; in reality, we are in need of a recipe for improving education,
creativity, jobs and healthcare. This is the truth that those who are reckless
with other people’s money must hear.
Moreover, Raad’s statement completely contradicts what Hezbollah’s partner
Michel Aoun said as he attacked the majority [government] saying, “We are
suffering from the financial crisis because of their policies that burdened us
with debt.” So what do we need now, an effective economy or new wars? What debt
is Michel Aoun talking about when the country came out of a war only to
experience a coup because of his divine partners? Raad and Aoun’s statements
completely contradict one another!
As for Raad’s statement that Lebanon must not rally behind the Arabs who have
been defeated, this is clearly an attack on Damascus. Is restoring the Golan
Heights an issue of defeatism? Logic states that restoring occupied territories
is a right by any means available including negotiation.
We have the right here to question whether Raad’s comments represent Hezbollah’s
position on Arab reconciliation, in particular the Riyadh summit that brought
together Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Kuwait or whether Hezbollah figures fear
that if Syria regains the Golan Heights they will be weakened and taught a
lesson.
I believe that reconciliation and negotiations have sounded the alarm for
Hezbollah and its leadership.
Lebanon's hopes for democracy
More and more, pro-democracy forces look to the West for backing.
By Max Boot
/Los Angeles Times
19/03/09
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-boot19-2009mar19,0,4620994.story
Writing From Beirut -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says: "We need
to focus on the three Ds-defense, diplomacy and development." No mention of
another "D" word: democracy.
This new approach has garnered widespread applause across the United States,
Europe and the Middle East. Not in Lebanon. At least not among members of the
March 14 coalition, as the pro-democracy forces are known. The name is a
reference to the date in 2005 when more than 1 million people gathered in
downtown Beirut to protest the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a
massive car-bomb blast widely believed to have been arranged by Syrian agents.
Those protests, which came to be called the Cedar Revolution, garnered strong
support from France and the United States and forced Syria to end its long
occupation of Lebanon.
But in the four years since, Syria and its Hezbollah proxies have tried to stage
a comeback described by former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel as "creeping
annexation." Although the Syrian regime has opened an embassy in Lebanon for the
first time, it has still not sent an ambassador to a country that it has long
viewed as a wayward Syrian province.
It's believed that Syria continues to ship arms to Hezbollah in violation of
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, passed in August 2006 to end the war
between Hezbollah and Israel. The Syrian-backed campaign of intimidation
culminated in a May 2008 rampage by Hezbollah gunmen through Beirut, which
forced a power-sharing arrangement that gave Hezbollah veto power over the
Lebanese government.
The coming parliamentary elections on June 7, assuming they are held as
scheduled, will be the latest test of strength between the forces of March 14
and those of March 8 (the date in 2005 of a less-attended pro-Syria rally). But
even if the March 14 coalition candidates win, they will face a difficult
struggle to maintain their country's fragile independence.
The Lebanese army lacks the capacity or the will to take on Hezbollah, while the
Christian militias, active in the civil war from 1975 to 1990, have been
disbanded. That leaves Lebanese democrats almost entirely dependent on outside
support. They are cheered that the U.N. tribunal set up to investigate and
prosecute those responsible for the Hariri assassination has now convened in The
Hague, but they still fear they will be sold out by Western powers intent on
doing a deal with Syria or Iran.
"Stop legitimizing Hezbollah by opening official channels with them as the
British government is doing," Ali Makdad, a Shiite political activist, pleaded
with a group of U.S. visitors organized by the New Opinion Group, a
pro-democracy nongovernmental organization. The British are claiming they will
only talk to the "political wing" of Hezbollah, but Makdad and others point out
that is a distinction without a difference: All of Hezbollah is dedicated to
taking over Lebanon.
If American talks with Syria were aimed at curbing its meddling in Lebanese
affairs, the March 14 activists told us, they would be acceptable. But more
likely, they say, Syrian dictator Bashar Assad will simply stretch out the
negotiations while he continues to try to undermine Lebanese democracy. They
especially fear a relaxation of U.S. sanctions. "Any release of pressure on
Syria and Iran would have serious repercussion on the Lebanese domestic scene,"
said Fares Souaid, secretary-general of the March 14 coalition.
For the time being, Lebanon is flourishing. A plethora of newspapers and
television stations air a variety of viewpoints. Political candidates vigorously
debate the issues, including the possibility of normalizing ties with Israel.
Beirut, a war zone not so long ago, once again feels like the Paris of the
Middle East. Fashionably dressed young people party late into the night at bars
and clubs where the booze flows freely. There are more burkas visible in London
than in Beirut.
Yet everywhere there are reminders of how fragile the Lebanese achievement is.
Just a few miles from secular Beirut neighborhoods, you can drive into
Hezbollah-dominated Shiite strongholds where posters of "martyrs" such as
terrorist mastermind Imad Mugniyeh are rife and where an Iranian-style theocracy
is taking root.
If President Obama proves willing to compromise on Lebanese independence to
reach a deal with Syria or Iran, he'll not only be undermining one of President
Bush's signal achievements, he'll be consigning the people of Lebanon to a
hellish existence.
**Max Boot is a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a contributing
editor to Opinion and the author of "War Made New: Technology, Warfare, and the
Course of History."
U.S. - Syria Relations
18 March 2009
Voice of America
President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have
stated their desire to use engagement with all countries in the Middle East to
address issues of mutual concern. As President Obama said in his February 27
speech at Camp Lejeune, the United States intends to pursue principled and
sustained engagement with all countries in the region, including Syria. U.S.
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and
Daniel Shapiro, Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa on the
National Security Council, met in Damascus, March 7th, with Syria's Foreign
Minister Walid Mualem, presidential adviser Bouthania Chaban and Deputy Foreign
Minister Faisal Mekdad. The talks were wide-ranging. Among the issues discussed
was Arab-Israeli peace. "Comprehensive peace includes peace between Israel and
all of its neighbors," said Ambassador Feltman. Regarding Iraq, Ambassador
Feltman noted that both the United States and Syria want a stable, secure,
unified Iraq. This is an area where U.S. and Syrian interests coincide. There
are differences too, including Syria's support for terrorist organizations,
including Hamas and Hezbollah. These and other differences between the United
States and Syria need to be addressed frankly. The purpose of the talks, said
Ambassador Feltman, was not to engage in finger pointing, but "to give the
Syrians an opportunity to explain to us their concerns about us, to give the
Syrians an opportunity to tell us their vision for the bilateral relationship,
just as we were able to give the Syrians our view of what a constructive
bilateral relationship would be."
The talks were constructive. In the weeks and months ahead, Syria's choices will
help determine the pace and scope of further engagement.