LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 24/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 3,1-6. Again he entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us." Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Free Opinions, Releases & Special Reports
Lebanon: Under the Sword.By Patrick Seale. January 23/08
A failed Lebanon would impose heavy costs on Syria, too-The Daily Star- January 23/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for January 23/08
March 14 Warns 'Violence Will Only Bring Violence'-Naharnet
Opposition Waiting for Green Light to Start Street Actions after Moussa's Report-Naharnet
Alain Aoun for Anti-Government Protests, Opposes Blazing Tire 'Riots'-Naharnet
Majority: Protest is Message that Opposition Rejects Suleiman's Nomination-Naharnet
Russia Intervenes in Support of Arab Plan to End Lebanon Crisis-Naharnet
Opposition Accuses Majority of Conspiring to Assassinate Nasrallah-Naharnet
Lebanon Braces for Moussa's Report as Arab League will Not Back off on Interpretation-Naharnet
Web Users to Zawahri: Why Qaida Leadership Didn't Address Fatah al-Islam Issue?-Naharnet
Safadi Denies Reports of Syrian Food Blockade of Lebanon-Naharnet
Saniora Urges Opposition to Contain Unrest-Naharnet
Lebanon Braces for Moussa's Report as Arab League will Not Back ...Naharnet
Hizbullah presents soldiers' body parts online-Ynetnews
Cook: US Nervously Eyes Lebanese Political Standoff-Council on Foreign Relations
Syria Wants Arab Initiative to Strip all of Quorum at Cabinet-Naharnet
Opposition Street Protests to Avoid Destabilizing Christians-Naharnet
The Opposition Has a Ready Preemptive Strike Plan-Naharnet

Sfeir Critical of Parliament Closure, Moody Ministers-Naharnet
Angry Villagers Insult UNIFIL Peacekeepers Over Road Accident-Naharnet
Aoun renews ultimatum, warns of street protests-Daily Star
Opposition to turn up heat with protests - security source-Daily Star
Lebanese must guard Lebanon 'the way we protect our homes-Daily Star
Interior minister orders probe into Hariri leak-Daily Star
EU grant should help improve Beirut's main statistics body-Daily Star
Transportation minister denies reports of border closure by Syria-Daily Star
Lebanon is living dangerously-Daily Star
10 students hurt as bus hits UNIFIL vehicle-Daily Star
Maharat workshop trains journalists to recognize violations against media-Daily Star
Italian envoy promotes ties with Lebanon during visit to South-Daily Star
Local child artists to help decorate Beijing Olympics-Daily Star
More warnings pour in for Israel to end siege of Gaza before 'total collapse-Daily Star
 

Bush blunders, enables Syria to get U.S. weapons from Saudis
President Bush ignored warnings from senior military officials against providing an advanced air munition to Saudi Arabia.
The officials warned that the U.S.-origin Joint Direct Attack Munition could be transferred or stolen from Saudi storehouses within months of arrival. They said Riyadh has quietly enabled allies such as Pakistan and Syria to acquire advanced U.S. weapons banned for export by Washington.
"The Saudis have been known to send some of our stuff to their allies," said an official. "We caught them several times but know that there have been many other unauthorized transfers." But Bush dismissed the warnings and approved the first shipment of 900 JDAMs to Riyadh. The president, who urged Riyadh to increase oil production, does not expect Congress, with a deadline of Feb. 14, to block the proposed sale.
"The promise of $20 billion worth of new arms may not produce much leverage," said Simon Henderson, a researcher at the Washington Institute.
Officials said the Pentagon was blocked from pursuing cases of unauthorized Saudi transfers of U.S. weapons to third countries. In the 1990s, they said, the Pentagon discovered that thousands of U.S. general purpose bombs, combat vehicles and even an F-15 fighter-jet were sent to such Saudi allies as Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria. The F-15 was returned.
All of the transfers were deemed as in violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. But officials said pressure by successive administrations prevented any action against Riyadh. "The administration must guarantee to Congress' satisfaction that selling JDAMs to Saudi Arabia will not harm U.S. forces or our democratic ally Israel," said Rep. Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican.
Officials said Riyadh also violated the conditions of a 1978 sale of F-15s to the Saudi Air Force by deploying the advanced aircraft at the Tabouk air base near Israel. They said the White House, amid Saudi threats of a crisis, won congressional silence over the violations.
Over the last year, officials said, Bush was warned that the JDAM was regarded as a prize weapon by Saudi allies and rivals, including Iran and al Qaeda. The officials asserted that the U.S. military would not have permission to properly safeguard the JDAM arsenal in the Arab kingdom.
"In the past, Congress has sought and received specific assurances from the President regarding the security and use of weapons systems sold to Saudi Arabia," said the Congressional Research Service in a report released on Jan. 14.
The administration has argued that Saudi Arabia requires the JDAM to deter an attack from neighboring Iran. Congress, which blocked or reduced arms packages to Riyadh in the 1980s and early 1990s, has been told that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq would leave Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council states more vulnerable than ever. But former Pentagon official Anthony Cordesman, a leading U.S. strategist, asserted that GCC countries could not be relied upon to resist Iranian domination of the Gulf. Cordesman, a senior research fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, warned that Gulf Arab defense regimes remain ineffective and uncoordinated. "The GCC will not be effective and new regional security structures will not be effective," said Cordesman in a report released last week. But administration representatives have assured the GOP minority and much of the Democratic majority that the Pentagon could safeguard any JDAM arsenal in Saudi Arabia. So far, only one Republican, Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, has signed a resolution of disapproval in an effort by Democrats to block the JDAM sale to Riyadh. "It's mind-bogglingly bad policy because the Saudis at every turn have been uncooperative," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, New York Democrat.

Lebanon: Under the Sword
By Patrick Seale
Written by Agence Global
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
It does not look as if the long-running Lebanese crisis will be resolved any day soon. The main reason is that the election of a Lebanese President is not a purely Lebanese affair. Numerous external powers want a say. To arrive at a consensus between them is no easy task. It will almost certainly need more time.
Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, has exhausted himself in a valiant attempt at mediation between rival Lebanese factions and their external backers -- so far, without success.
Syria has vital security issues with regard to Lebanon, and sees its lesser neighbour as an essential geo-political partner. And Syria's security necessities could help stabilize Lebanon's political crisis, if the Arab World -- particularly Saudi Arabia -- can come to terms with Damascus.
These external powers include such regional rivals as Saudi Arabia and Iran, but also Egypt, France, the United States and even Israel (operating through the United States). However, in the Lebanese context, the most important of these external actors is Syria, because Syria views developments in Lebanon as a matter of life and death. Rightly or wrongly, Syria feels it needs to exercise veto powers over the choice of a Lebanese President.
The rumour in Damascus is that President Bashar al-Asad has asked Amr Moussa to travel to Riyadh in order to convey a conciliatory message to King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia. President Bashar is even quoted by some sources as saying that he will make no move without first securing the backing of the Saudi Kingdom.
If these rumours are confirmed, they may signal a détente in inter-Arab relations -- and therefore hope for a breakthrough in Lebanon. President Bashar attended the Arab Summit in Riyadh in March 2007, when he conferred at length with King Abdallah. Lebanon was then the main issue, as it is today. Détente between Damascus and Riyadh is absolutely necessary, because the current coolness between them, verging on hostility, is one of the main impediments to a Lebanese settlement. Some observers say that the Arab Summit next March may provide an opportunity to unblock the situation and allow a Lebanese President to be elected. Others believe, more pessimistically, that a decision may have to be postponed until after Lebanon’s legislative elections later this year, which may change the current balance of power between majority and opposition.
A key problem would seem to be that Syria has lost confidence in General Michel Suleiman, the Lebanese army commander who, it was hoped, would be a President acceptable to all sides.
General Suleiman developed close ties with Syria in the 1990s when the Lebanese army was being rebuilt with Syrian help after the civil war. Last year, when Lebanon was battling a violent Islamic faction entrenched in the Palestinian camp of Nahr al-Barid in northern Lebanon, Syria supplied the Lebanese army with much-needed ammunition.
In a word, General Suleiman’s candidacy for the presidency of Lebanon was seen as a concession to Syria. But that was last year. Syria seems no longer to trust him, believing that he has moved into the Saudi/US camp. Another Damascus rumour is that the General paid a recent secret visit to Saudi Arabia, when he is said to have given pledges about his future alignment.
In any event, the General is no puppet, having emerged strengthened from the fierce battles at Nahr al-Barid. If elected, he is likely to be an independent President. This is a risk Syria seems unwilling to take.
What does Syria want in Lebanon? This question is being asked in every local and foreign capital. It is best to begin by attempting to define what it does not want. It does not want to send its own army back into Lebanon, where it was for 29 years from 1976 to 2005. But nor can it tolerate a hostile, provocative government in Beirut, which would poison Syria’s life on a daily basis.
Syria wants a guarantee that whatever ruling establishment emerges in Lebanon, whatever President is elected and government formed, will recognize and respect Syria’s vital interests -- be they political, economic or strategic. That is the bottom line for Syria's consent to a Lebanese settlement.
Syria seems to have three immediate preoccupations. The first concerns the international tribunal set up to try the men who killed Rafiq al-Hariri, Lebanon’s former Prime Minister, on 14 February 2005. The killers have not yet been identified, and indeed may never be, such is the complexity of the case.
Syria is, in fact, less concerned about the possible verdict of the tribunal than about its proceedings over the coming months and years. The tribunal will have the right to call dozens, perhaps hundreds, of witnesses. Its proceedings will be long-drawn out and will inevitably be politicised. They are likely to be used by Syria’s enemies as a means to attack, and even destabilise, it.
Syria suspects that the Tribunal will turn out to be a sort of ‘Sword of Damocles’ suspended over its head by a single horsehair -- as in the legend -- paralyzing all movement by the fear that it might fall.
A second Syrian preoccupation is that a hostile regime in Lebanon might, with international support, seek to disarm Hizbullah, the Shi’ite party and militia allied to both Iran and Syria, which fought Israel to a standstill in the summer war of 2006. In Syrian eyes, the Tehran-Damascus-Hizbullah axis is the only force able to hold in check Israeli and American pressures and aggressions.
A third major Syrian preoccupation is of an even more radical shift in the regional balance. Its fear is that if the anti-Syrian 14 March coalition consolidates its position in Lebanon, it may be tempted, or pressured, into concluding a separate peace with Israel, on the model of the American-brokered 17 May 1983 accord, which was concluded after Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
That separate peace threatened to draw Lebanon into Israel’s orbit -- a mortal danger, from Syria’s point of view -- which was only avoided when the late President Hafiz al-Asad managed to destroy the 17 May accord.
Syria’s enduring obsession is that Israeli influence will enter Lebanon, one way or another, if its own influence in Lebanon is eliminated or reduced. With Damascus a mere stone’s throw from the Lebanese border, that would be a lethal threat.
Syria is therefore demanding that Syria and its Lebanese neighbour be joined together, not in any formal political sense, but in a single geo-strategic space, able to confront external enemies.
This is one of the fundamentals of Syria’s external policy. But it carries a heavy price-tag. It has prevented an entente with France, and with its impatient President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has devoted enormous efforts in recent months to achieving a Lebanese settlement. His Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has traveled to Beirut no fewer than six times. But since France sees itself as a champion of Lebanon’s independence, Syria interprets its efforts as a threat to its own vital interests.
There is also a heavy domestic price to pay for Syria’s security obsession. All opposition is crushed -- including the so-called ‘patriotic opposition’ of intellectuals, civil rights activists, leftists and moderate Islamists. Such repression deals a heavy blow to Syria’s image and reputation in the West. Freeing these well-meaning patriots from jail and engaging them in dialogue should be a Syrian priority.
Syria’s concern with regime survival is understandable: The US has smashed Iraq; it threatens Iran; it turns a blind eye to Israeli slaughter of Palestinians; it apparently gave its approval to Israel’s air strike last September against a mysterious military installation in north-east Syria. Moreover, Washington continues to impose unilateral sanctions on Syria and refuses to put Syria’s Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in1967, on its agenda.
Only a lessening of regional tensions and real progress with Arab-Israeli peace making might allow the ‘Damascus Spring’, such a welcome feature of President Bashar al-Asad first months in power, to flower again.
***Patrick Seale is a leading British writer on the Middle East, and the author of The Struggle for Syria; also, Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East; and Abu Nidal: A Gun for Hire.
Copyright © 2008 Patrick Seale
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Released: 22 January 2008/Word Count: 1,274

Syria Wants Arab Initiative to Strip all of Quorum at Cabinet
Naharnet/A Ranking Syrian official donated his interpretation of the Arab initiative to the daily al-Akhbar, stressing that the essence of the deal is to strip both the opposition and majority of the ability to achieve alone quorum for government sessions. Al-Akhbar's Nicolas Nassif quoted the unnamed Syrian official as saying: "The Arab initiative has one interpretation that can put it into effect, that is neither the March 14 forces nor the opposition can have any sort of quorum in the government, no two-thirds no half plus one no one third plus one." He said Arab foreign ministers who worked out the initiative in a Cairo meeting earlier this month "did not consider a specific formula" for power distribution in the forthcoming cabinet. Therefore, according to the Syrian official, "there is no need for an interpretation of the initiative's second clause." Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 15:16

Opposition Street Protests to Avoid Destabilizing Christians
Naharnet/The Hizbullah-led opposition is planning a series of street protests against "specific targets … in specific areas," an-Nahar's Hiyam Kossaify wrote Wednesday. However such protests, that come in the aftermath of the first anniversary of the bloody confrontations, corner the opposition with the need to avoid friction within the Christian community to avoid embarrassing its Christian allies. "The action plan for the protests would not be declared, and would remain open as of Sunday" pending release of a report by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on his assignment in Beirut aimed at promoting implementation of the Arab Initiative to elect Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president, she wrote. She explained that the recent blazing tire protests that swept Beirut districts controlled by Hizbullah and AMAL movements could be a "symbol to the kind of striking mobile hits" to be launched. However, Kossaify noted that the opposition sets the stage to launch street protests this year while lacking "some domestic, regional and international backing" it enjoyed a year ago. Bkirki, she noted, is no more at equal distance from the opposition and the majority, in fact, Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has been repeatedly criticizing stands adopted by the opposition.
The Arab initiative and Moussa's official and final clarification of its clauses indicate that the opposition lacks official Arab support, and especially Arab popular backing it enjoyed a year ago based on its victory against Israel in the summer war of 2006. French criticism of Syria also strips the opposition of a rather balanced French stand in dealing with the opposition and majority in Lebanon, Kossaify noted. "That is why the opposition aims at avoiding a repetition of last year's experience … to avoid breaking off with Bkirki," she wrote. The opposition also would try to "pacify the army … while not pacifying its commander, the consensus presidential candidate Gen. Michel Suleiman," she concluded. Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 14:28

The Opposition Has a Ready Preemptive Strike Plan
Naharnet/The Hizbullah-led opposition would not hesitate in launching a "preemptive strike" against March 14 forces if it felt that they intend to change the present rules of engagement, an-Nahar's Ibrahim Bayram wrote on Wednesday.
He noted that the opposition is "relaxed" regarding the current state of affairs since the presidential office went vacant on Nov. 23 due to March 14's "failure to implement threats to vote in a president from its ranks."
The opposition believes that the majority "would not manage, irrespective of the backing it enjoys, to proceed with the adventure of voting in a president based on an illegitimate quorum, because that would allow the opposition to employ what it hasn't employed to topple the whole structure," Bayram wrote.
Opposition decision makers were involved recently is a "sharp discussion … regarding nature of the steps to be adopted … to confront requirements of the forthcoming phase," he explained. Bayram concluded by stating that an unnamed opposition leader says his camp "controls rules of the game at present, this encourages a trend to avoid escalation, but if it felt that the foe intends to change the current rules of engagement dramatically, then the opposition would not hesitate in launching the preemptive strike." Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 13:33

Opposition Waiting for Green Light to Start Street Actions after Moussa's Report
Naharnet/Reports that the Hizbullah-led Opposition was setting the stage for a fresh wave of street actions coincided with the first anniversary of what has been known as the "Black Tuesday" when gunfights and rioting left four people dead. According to press reports, the opposition was preparing for a series of actions – both popular and economic – in an effort to topple Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government. Christian opposition sources said the actions will not be made public, stressing that they will be "open" starting Jan. 27 when Arab League chief Amr Moussa hands in to Arab foreign ministers an end of mission report on the outcome of his meetings in Beirut and Damascus in an bid to promote an Arab plan to end Lebanon's presidential crisis.
The sources said the demonstrations will be similar to street protests carried out Monday allegedly over power cuts where protestors moved from one Beirut district to another, burning rubber tires and blocking roads. They said the opposition was anxiously waiting to see the population express its "concealed rage" when the time comes for full-scale street actions. The protests will follow a strike scheduled for Thursday by the General Federation of Labor Unions to protest the "worsening economic situation." The opposition's street action was apparently semi-final after Moussa declared that he stood by his interpretation of the three-point Arab plan which calls for the election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president, formation of a national unity government and adoption of a new electoral law.
The sources said that a critical discussion took place recently among opposition decision makers on the steps that should be taken in light of the present situation.
Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 09:05

Alain Aoun for Anti-Government Protests, Opposes Blazing Tire 'Riots'
By Dalia Nehme/Naharnet/
Free Patriotic Movement official Alain Aoun on Tuesday said the blazing tire protests in Beirut were "sort of riots that should not happen."
Aoun, in remarks to Naharnet, said: "I hope that any demonstration would be within the framework of law and order and not the sort of riots that we witnessed yesterday. This should not happen." However, he noted that such protests are "expected in light of the difficult economic situation."
"The people are tired and those who cling to authority should bear and accept the responsibility for such protests, irrespective of the opposition's political action. I mean people who act against pressures imposed by the political and economic crisis," he said. Aoun pledged, however, that any action by the FPM "would be politically motivated and would be declared to the public."The opposition, he said, has not taken a decision regarding what to do because it had decided "to give some time to efforts aimed at working out settlements, the latest of which was the Arab effort." Such efforts have come "to an end, which ushers the country into a new phase," Aoun said. "Any action now should be politically motivated and aimed at the authority and not at the people, not to disturb the people and hamper their movement," he noted. To be more precise, Aoun explained that "any action and any pressure should target the government and the authority … it should not escalate the problem for the people. Any action should be limited to targeting the government and the authority and should not affect the Lebanese people's daily life." Beirut, 22 Jan 08, 18:04

March 14 Warns 'Violence Will Only Bring Violence'
Naharnet/Leaders of the pro-government March 14 coalition rejected recent riots "under the pretext of economic hardships" and warned that "violence will only bring violence." A statement issued after a late Tuesday meeting at Qoreitem held the opposition responsible for what it called "methods of sabotage."
"March 14 will not succumb to such methods and is committed to fighting these attempts with all political, popular and legal measures in order to safeguard the republic and national peace," the statement said. It also expressed regret over the campaign against Arab League chief Amr Moussa and efforts to obstruct the election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president. The statement said that March 14 leaders were preparing a detailed memorandum to be presented to Arab foreign ministers during their meeting scheduled in Cairo Jan. 27 to "explain their positions" on the ongoing presidential crisis. March 14 leaders also reiterated their support of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and his role as a national authority.(Photo courtesy of al-Mustaqbal newspaper)
Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 09:26

Web Users to Zawahri: Why Qaida Leadership Didn't Address Fatah al-Islam Issue?
Internet users, who have sent questions to al-Qaida's No. 2 figure Ayman al-Zawahri for a period of one month, have frequently raised the issue of Fatah al-Islam's battles with the Lebanese army, an American institute which specializes in surveying jihadi websites said.
For the first time, Osama Bin Laden -- the man at the pinnacle of the terrorist network -- invited both "individuals and the media" to post their questions to al-Zawahri until January 16 on three websites regularly used by al-Qaida.
The advertisement, which was issued by the group's media arm Al-Sahab in December, was a new twist in al-Qaida's campaign to reach a broader audience.
Though it is impossible to verify if the questions emanate from active members of the network, they often pertain to al-Qaida strategy and tactics, the health of Bin Laden, and whether he is on the ground in the conflict zones of Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia.
"Why al-Qaida has not begun operations in Palestine and why al-Qaida leadership didn't address the issue of Fatah al-Islam during the siege of the Lebanese military on Nahr al-Bared camp are two of the most frequently raised points" by the web users, according to the American institute SITE.
Al-Qaida inspired Fatah al-Islam group engaged in fierce clashes with the Lebanese army in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in northern Lebanon for 106 days until September 2007.
The 15-week standoff ended when the military took over the camp.
An Internet user under the pseudonym 'Baghi al-Ohda' asked: "When will we see the men of Qaidat al-Jihad organization -- may Allah preserve them and keep them in his care -- doing Jihad in Palestine? (...) because frankly, the situation here has become extremely bad for us."
'Abu Qatada' asked al-Zawahri: "Do you meet Sheikh Osama Bin Laden and how is his health?"
'Al-Samsa' wanted to know, "Is moving the battle to the homes of the Crusaders of such great difficulty and great cost?? Don't you think that killing one Crusader in his country is much more effective than killing 100 Crusaders in the Muslim countries?"
"Why did we not see any operations by al-Qaida in Iran while everybody knows and observes the role of Iran in the killing of Sunnis?" asked 'Omar Al-Rashid.'
Al-Sahab did not indicate on the sites any date by which al-Zawahri's answers might be disseminated.
French researcher Dominique Thomas, specialist in Islamic movements at the Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), speculated al-Zawahri will respond in a video, of which there could afterwards be "a transcription, answers to the questions in the form of advice or fatwa."
For Hussein Shoboksi, editorialist with the Saudi daily published in London, Asharq al-Awsat, the initiative is "an opportunity for the al-Qaida network to round up dozens of young men, in order to incorporate them into its ranks.""In fact, [to give a platform to] someone like al-Zawahri, and to communicate with him, is to purify a poisonous mentality that accepts only the language of violence."(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 11:46

Suleiman's Nomination
Naharnet/Majority circles expressed concern that the aim behind Monday's protests was a message that the opposition rejects the nomination of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president. The circles said the protests were seen as dragging the army and security forces into confrontations that could affect consensus on Suleiman's candidacy. They said the main objective behind Monday's actions were to send a message to Gen. Suleiman that his nomination was not accepted by the opposition. Press reports also quoted a source with the pro-Syrian March 8 coalition as saying that the opposition has not officially declared support for Suleiman's election as a consensus candidate. Thus, the reports said that Suleiman's nomination was discussed at the level of some opposition parties and was not a decisive stance on the leadership level. The opposition, meanwhile, has begun a political and media campaign to embrace Suleiman's nomination by stating the "mistakes" he had committed since the majority adopted his candidacy. Political sources wondered what the aim behind this campaign was.
In turn, Suleiman has been stressing that his prime concern was to "strengthen the army in order to safeguard the country." Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 13:04

Russia Intervenes in Support of Arab Plan to End Lebanon Crisis
Naharnet/Russia has intervened in support of a three-point Arab League initiative aimed at ending the Lebanese presidential crisis. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Soltanov said that Russia supports efforts made by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to resolve the impasse. "I hope that similar efforts will be made in this regard and that the Lebanese will succeed in reaching an agreement and electing a new president," Sultanov said after a meeting with Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa. "The Lebanese will succeed in doing this without foreign interference," he said. State-run Syrian news agency, SANA, said that Sharaa and Sultanov discussed Arab efforts over Lebanon and Syrian and Russian support of these efforts. Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 11:54

Opposition Accuses Majority of Conspiring to Assassinate Nasrallah
Naharnet/War of words continued between the opposition and the majority against the backdrop of ongoing controversies over a speech by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in which he said his group has the "heads" and "body parts" of soldiers that the Israeli army had abandoned. The political bickering reached its peak when MP Hassan Fadlallah accused the majority March 14 alliance of "seeking to find the political mood in Lebanon that would meet the Israeli mood that is calling for liquidation of Sayyed Nasrallah."Fadlallah said that statements by March 14 leaders were "part of an American scheme that wants to set the stage to target Sayyed Nasrallah."Hizbullah's Al Manar television also launched a vehement campaign against former President Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, saying their language "matches Israel's words."Sources close to Hizbullah also accused U.S. ambassador Jeffrey Feltman of standing behind Nasrallah's assassination campaign. Meanwhile, Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad ridiculed March 14, saying the majority "which is betting on international support is beginning to collapse." Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 12:39

Lebanon Braces for Moussa's Report as Arab League will Not Back off on Interpretation
Naharnet/As Arab League chief Amr Moussa was preparing to hand in his report on Lebanon to Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Jan. 27, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was quoted as saying that he does not expect to see "tangible developments" regarding the Arab initiative before the scheduled conference.
"If there is an intention to hold an extraordinary Arab summit for the sake of torpedoing the ordinary summit set to be held in Damascus at the end of March, then this would aggravate inter-Arab disputes," Berri was quoted as telling visitors. He said such a purpose would also have a negative impact on Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Moussa's assistant Hisham Youssef said that a report being readied by Moussa will evaluate outcome of the previous phase regarding his meetings with Lebanese and Syrian officials and will also include "recommendations" to the Arab foreign ministers. Youssef said that those who have criticized Moussa over his clarification of a three-point Arab League plan "have the right to do so," stressing that the interpretation is "very clear and was agreed upon during forging of the initiative." Berri on Saturday urged the Arab League to clarify its initiative on ending Lebanon's presidential crisis. Commenting on Damascus' meeting and its impact on Lebanon, Youssef said: "There is no doubt that solving the Lebanese crisis will enhance the Damascus summit." Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 10:01

Safadi Denies Reports of Syrian Food Blockade of Lebanon
Naharnet/Transportation and Public Works Minister Mohammad Safadi has denied press reports that said Syria had imposed a blockade of food supplies on Lebanon. Safadi stressed in remarks published Wednesday that there was no border crisis between Lebanon and Syria. He said private cars, trucks and buses, which did not have a license, were the only vehicles that were banned from transporting food supplies to Lebanon. Safadi said cargo trucks transporting food products to Lebanon which had legal papers were not stopped. "Only private cars, taxi cabs and non-authorized cargo trucks were banned by Syrian authorities from transporting food supplies," Safadi said during a meeting with a delegation from the truck owners' federation. The daily An Nahar on Tuesday, citing information received by Lebanese authorities, said Syrian customs authorities circulated to all border checkpoints Damascus' decision to prevent trucks and vehicles carrying food supplies from crossing Lebanon as of 6 p.m. Monday. Long convoys of cargo trucks queued at the Abboudieh-Dabbousieh northern border crossing between Lebanon and Syria on Jan. 11 after Syrian authorities launched strict inspection procedures. Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 09:05

Saniora Urges Opposition to Contain Unrest
Naharnet/Prime Minister Fouad Saniora urged the opposition to contain unrest which broke out Monday night in Beirut when angry protesters clashed with army soldiers allegedly over power cuts. He called on Hizbullah, Amal, and the Free Patriotic Movement "to resolve the political problems through dialogue."
"The Lebanese are too smart to fall for this," he said of Monday night's protests, hinting that they were carried out under the pretext of economic hardships.
"Such actions have been tried before and have only worsened conditions, increased incitement and threatened with sedition," Saniora said.
He stressed that all issues can be resolved had the warring parties trusted one another and move to elect a new president.
The worst violence occurred a year ago, in gunfights and rioting between Shiites and Sunnis at a university cafeteria that left four people dead. That incident prompted the army to declare Beirut's first curfew since 1996. Last month, security forces broke up another Shiite-Sunni student fight at another university campus, after insults were traded on the popular Internet hangout, Facebook. And at least 25 people were injured last summer when Hizbullah supporters and Al Moustaqbal followers fought with sticks and stones in villages near the eastern city of Baalbek. Beirut, 23 Jan 08, 07:48

Reports of Deployment Maneuver by Aoun's FPM, Abu Jamra Denies
Gen. Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement was said to have readied its supporters in the northern Batroun region to carry out a "deployment maneuver" to pave the way for a full-scale riot along with its Hizbullah-led opposition allies later this month. FPM official, Maj. Gen. Issam Abu Jamra, however, denied the report published on Tuesday, saying the FPM has no "street action plans." The report, carried by several Beirut dailies, said FPM partisans were instructed to carry out a "deployment maneuver starting 7 p.m. Tuesday in a bid to test the pulse of the Batroun residents" ahead of a full-size street action to be launched after Jan. 27.
A senior source with the March 8 coalition said Opposition factions were almost finished with their "draft agenda" regarding its broad action in the event that failure of an Arab plan was confirmed and pending outcome of a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Damascus scheduled for Jan. 27.
The report followed late Monday demonstrations in protest against repeated power cuts. Angry demonstrators blocked traffic with burning rubber tires in three districts of Beirut that are traditional strongholds of Hizbullah and Amal. Three separate groups of about 50 people each blocked traffic for about 20 minutes in the seaside southern suburb of Ouzai and the Beirut districts of Zokak Blatt and Msaitbeh, but army patrols rushed and reopened both roads, a police source said.
No casualties were reported among the security forces that dispersed the protests. A police source refused to answer questions as to whether any arrests have been made. The developments did not last more than 20 minutes each, according to the source, but raised tension among the weary population. Such a development has been frequent in pro-Hizbullah districts in the past 10 days. It started in the southern suburb of Ghobeiry and along the old airport road. Lebanon has been suffering from power failures due to a chain of technical problems inflicted on its network.(Outside AP photo shows Lebanese firefighters extinguishing garbage containers and inside AP photo shows army soldiers reopening a street) Beirut, 22 Jan 08, 10:10

Olmert Inspects Making of Missiles to Confront Threats From Lebanon
Naharnet/Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday visited Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which has been tasked with developing missiles to counter short- and medium-range rockets fired from Lebanon and Gaza, his office said.
Israel already has the Hetz, a ground-to-air missile capable of intercepting long-range ballistic missiles. But last year the government decided to develop systems to provide complete coverage "against different types of missile with conventional and non-conventional warheads capable of reaching populated areas," a statement said. On December 23 the government earmarked funds to develop an advanced defense system aimed at countering rocket fire from Lebanon and Gaza .
The security cabinet allocated 811 million shekels (207 million dollars, 144 million euros) towards the development and manufacture of the system by Rafael over the coming five years, a defense ministry spokesman said last month. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the system -- dubbed "The Iron Dome" -- would be operational within 30 months. The project is part of a multi-layered defense system aimed at protecting Israel from both short-range missiles and rockets fired by militants in Gaza or Lebanon and longer-range missiles in the arsenals of regional foes Iran and Syria. Olmert was briefed on the project by Rafael chairman reserve General Ilan Biran. The ground-to-air "Stunner" missile -- capable of intercepting medium-range missiles -- was shown to the press for the first time during the premier's visit. Olmert was also shown the prototype of a missile under development that is aimed at downing Qassam home-made rockets fired on a near daily basis by Palestinian militants inside the Gaza Strip at southern Israel. The statement said this system should become operational at the beginning of 2010.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 22 Jan 08, 21:20

Houry: March 14 Would Back the Army
MP Ammar Houry, a member of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, on Tuesday blamed blazing tire protests that struck Beirut on the opposition, stressing that the March 14 forces "would stand up firmly to safeguard the constitution and the state and back the army.""Riots carried out by the opposition yesterday are an indication to its capability to confuse the army and security forces," Houry said. "It is obvious that the opposition wanted to remind us of its street capabilities to sabotage and block," Houry added. He noted that the protests in Beirut districts controlled by Hizbullah and AMAL movement on Monday were carried out "on the eve of the first anniversary to the crimes of January 23 and 25." He was referring to riots carried out by the opposition a year ago that resulted in casualties and the destruction of private property. "The opposition wanted to remind us that it is capable of staging blazing tire riots," Houry added. The March 14 alliance, according to Houry, has "high hopes" on a meeting by Arab foreign ministers scheduled for next Sunday in Cairo. "The Arab initiative would not end up with the foreign ministers' meeting," Houry concluded. "The Arabs shoulder their responsibilities and there is obvious international support for this effort." Beirut, 22 Jan 08, 19:13