LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 07/08

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 2,1-12.  When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Free Opinions and Releases
Beirut arms itself against a shaky future-Times Online - January 06/08
Lebanon might soon slide into total chaos-GulfNews-January 06/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for January 06/08
Suleiman For 'Empowered' President by Unanimous Arab Backing-Naharnet
Harriri Supports 'Arab Road Map" to end Lebanon's Crisis-Naharnet
Syria gives endorsement to Lebanon army chief-Winston-Salem Journal
Arab League calls for 'immediate' election of Sleiman-France24
Arab League Appeals for 'Immediate' Election of Suleiman-Naharnet
Lebanese bloc asks for Arab help over alleged "Syrian intervention"-Xinhua
Syria's Diplomatic Isolation Grows-TIME
Spanish PM Meets Feuding Leaders in Surprise Beirut Visit, Says U.N. Ready to Fight Terror
Opposition to Send Arab League Memorandum Signed by Aoun-Naharnet
Tishrin: Syria Willing to Facilitate Lebanon Solution-Naharnet
Spanish PM in surprise Lebanon visit-Reuters
UN troops in Lebanon ready to fight terror, says Spanish PM-Africasia
Lebanon All Set to Act after Bird Flu Detected in Israel-Naharnet
Abul Gheit: Presidential Election is Priority
Lebanon All Set to Act after Bird Flu Detected in Israel

Arab League Appeals for 'Immediate' Election of Suleiman
Naharnet/Arab League foreign ministers on Saturday welcomed the consensus around army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a candidate for the presidency and called for his "immediate" election. Amr Moussa made the announcement following a consultative meeting of foreign ministers gathering for an extraordinary meeting Sunday of the 22-member pan-Arab called to deal with Lebanon's political crisis "The ministers welcome favorably the consensus around Michel Suleiman as a candidate for the presidency and call for his immediate election in accordance with the constitution," Moussa said. He said Syria, long seen as a divisive influence on its neighbor, had backed the call. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had attended the consultative meeting. On Friday the ruling March 14 coalition called on Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Sunday to protect Lebanon from what it said were Syrian attempts to block the long-overdue election of a new president. Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran.(AFP-Naharnet)

The Arab League has called for the "immediate" election of the consensus candidate for the Lebanese presidency Michel Sleiman and for the formation of a national unity government.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
By AFP
Arab League foreign ministers meeting here have called for the "immediate" election of the consensus candidate for the Lebanese presidency Michel Sleiman, the organisation's secretary general said Saturday. Amr Mussa made the announcement following a consultative meeting of foreign ministers gathering for an extraordinary meeting Sunday of the 22-member pan-Arab organisation called to deal with Lebanon's political crisis. "The ministers welcome favourably the consensus around Michel Sleiman as a candidate for the presidency and call for his immediate election in accordance with the constitution," Mussa said, reading from a statement. He said Syria, represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and long seen as a divisive influence on its neighbour, had backed the call. Mussa said ministers meeting in the consultative session had agreed on a three-stage plan for adoption at Sunday's meeting, namely the election of a president, the formation of a government of national unity and the adoption of a new electoral law. He said the foreign ministers called "for an immediate agreement on the formation of a national unity government" in Lebanon, constructed in such a way as to deny either faction the right to impose their policies on the other side.He said that under the plan, power would reside with the new president over whether or not to approve government decisions. On Friday the ruling coalition in Beirut called on the Arab foreign ministers meeting here to protect Lebanon from what it said were Syrian attempts to block the long-overdue election of a new president. Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran. Elections in Beirut's parliament for a new president have been postponed 11 times, and the legislature is now due to meet again on January 12 to elect a head of state. The political standoff began after the Shiite militant Hezbollah group which spearheads the opposition pulled its ministers from the cabinet in November 2006 to gain more representation in government. The crisis is widely seen as an extension of the regional confrontation pitting the United States against Iran and former powerbroker Syria.

Suleiman For 'Empowered' President by Unanimous Arab Backing
Naharnet/Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo unanimously called for the "immediate" election of Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president and the formation of a government in which he calls the shots. Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa made the announcement Saturday evening following a consultative gathering of the foreign ministers ahead of an extraordinary meeting Sunday of the 22-member pan-Arab organization called to deal with Lebanon's political crisis.
"The ministers welcome favorably the consensus around Michel Suleiman as a candidate for the presidency and call for his immediate election in accordance with the constitution," Moussa said, reading from a statement. He said Syria, represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and long seen as a divisive influence on its neighbor, had backed the call. Moussa said ministers meeting in the consultative session had agreed on a three-stage plan for adoption at Sunday's meeting, namely the election of a president, the formation of a government of national unity and the adoption of a new electoral law.
He said the foreign ministers called "for an immediate agreement on the formation of a national unity government" in Lebanon, constructed in such a way as to deny either faction the right to impose their policies on the other side. He said that under the plan, power would reside with the new president over whether or not to approve government decisions. News Reports said Muallem backed the Arab plan on Lebanon after his Saudi counterpart threatened that the Saudi Monarch would boycott the forthcoming Arab Summit to be held in Damascus in March if Syria continued to block the presidential elections in Lebanon.
Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran. Elections in Beirut's parliament for a new president have been postponed 11 times, and the legislature is now due to meet again on January 12 to elect a head of state. The political standoff began after the Shiite militant Hizbullah group which spearheads the opposition pulled its ministers from the cabinet in November 2006 to gain veto powers in the executive authority.(AFP-Nharnet) Beirut, 06 Jan 08, 09:13

Harriri Supports "Arab Road Map" to end Lebanon's Crisis
Naharnet/Al Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri welcomed Sunday the "Road Map" set by Arab foreign ministers declaring support for the election of Army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president and the formation of a government in which he calls the shots.
Hariri, in a statement released by his press office, said the statement issued by the meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo confirms the need to "fill in the vacuum at the presidential office and the need to shift quickly to set the constitutional mechanism that would allow parliament to convene and carry out the resulting consensus on Gen. Suleiman without any pre-conditions.""On behalf of all the free people in Lebanon I thank … whoever played a role in achieving this historic Arab stand regarding Lebanon," Hariri said. He paid special tribute to "Arab kings and presidents who crystallized the trends included in the Cairo declaration."
"At the same time I address all my Lebanese brethren, from all the political factions, calling for the widest solidarity with this declaration and with the Arab will to protect Lebanon and salvage the presidency from vacuum," Hariri said. He said the Cairo meeting resulted in an "achievement in favor of Lebanon's interest … we are determined to adhere to the Arab Road Map leading to the election of Gen. Michel Suleiman president." Beirut, 06 Jan 08, 12:18

Arab League Appeals for 'Immediate' Election of Suleiman
Naharnet/Arab League foreign ministers on Saturday welcomed the consensus around army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a candidate for the presidency and called for his "immediate" election. Amr Moussa made the announcement following a consultative meeting of foreign ministers gathering for an extraordinary meeting in Cairo Sunday of the 22-member pan-Arab organization called to deal with Lebanon's political crisis  "The ministers welcome favorably the consensus around Michel Suleiman as a candidate for the presidency and call for his immediate election in accordance with the constitution," the Arab League chief said. He said Syria, long seen as a divisive influence on its neighbor, had backed the call. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had attended the consultative meeting. On Friday the ruling March 14 coalition called on the Arab foreign ministers to protect Lebanon from what it said were Syrian attempts to block the long-overdue election of a new president. Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran.Elections in Beirut's parliament for a new president have been postponed 11 times, and the legislature is now due to meet again on January 12 to elect a head of state.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Jan 08, 23:36

Spanish PM Meets Feuding Leaders in Surprise Beirut Visit, Says U.N. Ready to Fight Terror
Naharnet/Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero made a surprise visit to Lebanon on Saturday to meet with Lebanon's feuding leaders and Spain's U.N. contingent. He declared that U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon were ready to fight terrorism in order to achieve peace in the region.
Zapatero, accompanied by Defense Minister Jose Antonio Alonso, held talks with Prime Minister Fouad Saniora upon arrival in Beirut.
After visiting Spanish forces serving with the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Zapatero also met with MP Anwar Khalil, a close aide of prominent opposition leader Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, before flying back to Spain, officials said.
Spain has been among the countries trying to end Lebanon's long-standing political crisis amid deep divisions between the ruling March 14 coalition and the opposition, backed by Syria and Iran. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has made several trips to Beirut and to powerful neighbor Syria in a bid to help break the deadlock over the past few months. Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the majority and the opposition. Earlier, Zapatero told Spanish peacekeepers they were likely to have to battle terrorism on the road to peace in the region. "Your mission is to confront terrorism in this region, and it is something that you could encounter in attempts to establish peace," he told the troops in the southern Lebanese village of Blat. "Our aim is to reach a comprehensive and just peace" in the region, he said, according to an Arabic translation of his speech in Spanish during a ceremony at the Spanish contingent's headquarters in Blat. "Peace in this region is directly linked to world peace, stability and the fight against terrorism which has been the cause of many crises around the world," he said. Spain has nearly 1,100 troops in southeastern Lebanon near the border with Israel as part of UNIFIL, which was boosted to more than 13,000 soldiers after the 2006 war between Israel Hizbullah. Six members of the Spanish contingent were killed last June 24 when a booby-trapped car exploded as their patrol vehicle passed by. Unconfirmed media reports said the attack was carried out by Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists, and Alonso attributed it to "a terrorist cell comprising possibly foreign individuals, that is, non-Lebanese." Last week, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo said Syria's secret service has threatened Spanish soldiers in Lebanon in a bid to block the extradition of suspected arms dealer Monzer Al-Kassar to the United States.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Jan 08, 17:00

Abul Gheit: Presidential Election is Priority
Naharnet/Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said on Saturday that a presidential election in Lebanon was an "absolute priority" which must precede any discussion of a new government. He told acting Lebanese Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri in Cairo that Egypt's call for an extraordinary Arab League meeting on Sunday was aimed at supporting the people of Lebanon to elect a president, a foreign ministry statement said. Egypt is "eager to garner comprehensive Arab support to help the Lebanese people choose a new president as an absolute priority... before discussions on many other topics which preoccupy Lebanese politicians," Abul Gheit said. Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran. The opposition has been campaigning for a government of national unity since November 2006, when its six ministers quit the cabinet. The opposition later launched a sit-in outside government offices. On Friday the ruling March 14 coalition called on the Arab foreign ministers to protect Lebanon from what it said were Syrian attempts to block the long-overdue election of a new president. Presidential elections have been postponed 11 times, and Parliament is now due to meet again on January 12 to pick a new head of state.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Jan 08, 16:42

Bush: 'All of Us' Should Isolate Syria so Lebanon Can Have a President
Naharnet/U.S. President George Bush held Syria responsible for the impasse that has prevented Lebanon from electing a new president, saying there should be a "clear message to the Syrians from all of us that you will continue to be isolated."He also accused Damascus of "thwarting the will of the Lebanese people."
In an interview with international media, Bush said that on his trip next week to the Middle East he would seek to remind other leaders "how important it is for Lebanon to succeed and how important it is for all of us to work to free that government from foreign interference."
"I am disappointed that the presidency has not been selected, and believe very much that Syrian influence is preventing the selection," Bush said.
"My position has been that the March 14th Coalition, if it had mustered a majority plus one, 50 percent plus one, should be allowed to go forward with the selection of the president," he said. "And so there needs to be a clear message to the Syrians from all of us that you will continue to be isolated, you will continue to be viewed as a nation that is thwarting the will of the Lebanese people. "There needs to be a focused voice, and so our efforts diplomatically are to convince others that they must continue to pressure Syria so that the Lebanese process can go forward."Bush added that he has been "very impressed" by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora "as a man who's committed to the well-being of all the Lebanese people." Bush is scheduled to depart Tuesday for a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in an attempt to boost Middle East peace talks re-launched at an international conference in Annapolis in November. He is not scheduled to visit Lebanon on the trip.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Jan 08, 08:40

Sarkozy Takes Bruni to Petra after Discussing Lebanon with Jordan's King
Naharnet/French President Nicolas Sarkozy took his girlfriend Carla Bruni to the rose-red city of Petra in southern Jordan on Saturday after discussing the Lebanon situation with King Abdullah II where feuding leaders have been unable to elect a new president. Sarkozy, dressed in a blue jacket, carried the ex-supermodel turned singer's young son on his shoulders as the group visited the centuries-old ruins and were swarmed by around a dozen photographers, an AFP correspondent said. The president and Bruni, who was wearing black trousers, leather jacket and sunglasses, posed for photographs before entering the Treasury, one of the main temples in Petra, which featured in the Hollywood film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Once inside the beautiful building, the group, who were shown around the site by a Jordanian guide, enjoyed a glass of lemonade. The guide later told reporters that Sarkozy, who stayed at Petra for less than an hour, later visited a sandy section of the ancient site by camel. Jordanian security forces, including horse-mounted royal guards, kept photographers at bay as hundreds of foreign holidaymakers on foot or camelback watched with bemusement as police fanned out across the site. Earlier the couple flew into Petra aboard a helicopter from the Red Sea resort of Aqaba and landed three kilometers (about two miles) from Petra, witnesses said. The World Heritage Site some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital Amman comprises stunning temples and tombs hewn into rose-colored rock. It was rediscovered by Suisse adventurer Johann Burckardt in 1812. The ancient Nabatean archaeological site was chosen in July as one of the "new" Seven Wonders of the World. Sarkozy arrived on Friday in Aqaba, where he was met personally by King Abdullah who had invited him to spend the weekend at his seaside palace, according to the Elysee Palace in Paris. The two leaders also met for talks during which they discussed the situation in Lebanon, a Jordanian palace statement said. In December, the French leader spent five days in Egypt with the Italian-born Bruni before he paid an official visit to Cairo.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Jan 08, 19:54

Beirut arms itself against a shaky future
By: Nicholas Blanford
Wearing tatty green Israeli army webbing over his black leather jacket, Walid shoulders an M16 rifle and squints down the barrel. “How much is this one?” he asks. “It’s worth $1,200,” replies Abu Rida, a tough, barrel-chested arms dealer. Arrayed on a bed in Abu Rida’s home in southern Beirut were more weapons for sale — an automatic pistol, two AK47 rifles and a Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, altogether worth about $3,000 (£1,500), more than double the price of 18 months ago. With Lebanon mired in political crisis for more than a year, Lebanese have been buying arms in huge numbers, seeking to protect themselves should the tensions explode into civil war.
Evidence of the numbers of weapons purchased over the past year came during new year celebrations. Revellers customarily greet the new year by firing rifles into the air; this year the streets echoed to the rattle of automatic gunfire and the sky was streaked with tiny red beads from tracer rounds in what was the heaviest celebratory volley since the end of the 16-year civil war in 1990. On Wednesday Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the powerful Shia Hezbollah organisation that heads the pro-Syrian opposition in Lebanon, gave warning of “decisive measures” if negotiations with the Western-backed Government failed to produce results within ten days. Lebanon has been without a president since November 24, when the pro-Syrian incumbent Émile Lahoud left office. Pro and anti-Syrian factions have agreed on General Michel Suleiman, commander of the Lebanese Army, as his successor, but the election has been postponed because of the opposition’s demand for a prior agreement over the composition of the next government, electoral reforms and key civil service appointments.
Tensions are running high on the streets of Beirut. In Basta, a mixed Shia and Sunni neighbourhood, seven people were wounded on Tuesday, when rival supporters of Hezbollah and the Future Movement clashed over a political poster, forcing the Army to intervene.
All this is good news for Abu Rida and other arms dealers. The weapon of choice is the AK47 rifle. Eighteen months ago the most popular version of this classic weapon, the “Circle 11” (after symbols stamped on the metalwork), fetched about $500; today it is worth more than $1,000.
Outside Abu Rida’s door potential customers and colleagues inspect his latest acquisitions. Apart from weapons and ammunition, he is selling an Israeli army flak jacket and military webbing, booty seized by Hezbollah fighters during the summer 2006 war between the Shia group and Israel.
The majority of weapons come from a pool of arms inside Lebanon; relatively little is smuggled from abroad. Palestinian refugee camps, hosting multiple armed groups and lying outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese state, also provide a good source of weapons.
Abu Rida said that the weapons he sold were for individual protection and consisted of nothing larger than heavy machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades. “You don’t need mortars for street fighting,” he said with a chuckle. Sales have peaked and most of his customers now visit him to stock up on ammunition. “Everyone’s armed themselves by now,” he said. The surge in arms sales has fuelled accusations by rival political factions that opponents are building militias in anticipation of war. Anti-Syrian politicians have accused Hezbollah of arming and training its political allies in the opposition at camps in the Bekaa Valley, a charge that the Shia group denies. It also denies that it is providing weapons to other Lebanese factions. Analysts say that, despite the crisis, Lebanese leaders have no wish to descend once more into civil conflict and have attempted to dampen tensions on the street in recent months.
Cost of an AK47
Afghanistan £6; Cambodia £20; Colombia £400; Iraq £325; Lebanon £400; Nicaragua £50; Pakistan £125; Russia £120; Somalia £325; Uganda £60
Sources: controlarms.org; reliefweb.int; Small Arms Survey 2002; Times archives

Lebanon might soon slide into total chaos
By Duraid Al Baik, Foreign Editor
Published: January 05, 2008, 23:10
The Lebanese have been living without a president for 45 days! And unless a miracle happens today at the Arab League's emergency meeting in Cairo, there is no hope that the stopwatch ticking since president Emile Lahoud left the Baabda Palace on November 23 will stop any time soon, ending the country's most serious political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Last week, the Arab league Secretary General Amr Mousa called for an urgent meeting. The foreign ministers of the member states of the council are supposed to discuss today how to resolve the deadlock in Lebanon, so that a new president for the country can be elected.
In my opinion, the days of miracles in the Middle East are long gone. Lebanon might become the only country in the world that can live without a president for months or even years to come, thanks to the veteran politicians and chiefs of the country's 17 sects, who are used to managing their internal affairs without any government help.
The Lebanese, however, did not miss much by not having a president during the past one and half months. Political life in the country has been in dire straits since the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005. Lahoud, whose extended tenure expired on November 22, 2007 had done practically nothing since the political bloc of Sa'ad Hariri won the parliamentary election in May 2005.
But, what makes the situation today more critical than what it has been for the past two years? The answer to this question is: things are deteriorating swiftly in Lebanon and in a dangerous way.
In a 3-hour interview on January 2, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that the opposition would take (unspecified) action if no agreement was reached on a package solution his bloc was demanding.
He set a deadline of one week to a maximum of ten days. The ruling bloc might have a counter plan which will turn the streets into arenas of confrontation.
Political chaos at this stage in Lebanon is very risky. It will have disastrous consequences on the country and severely impact the people because of the growing tension amongst the different parties in the past two years.
Memories of the civil war are still fresh in the minds of all Lebanese. No one in the country can claim control over a volatile situation that exists today. Lebanon might slide into chaos at any moment. This, especially after France called off its initiative, which was aimed at resolving the political stalemate in the country through cooperation with Syria.
Deadlock
In December 2006, the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, while addressing a press conference in Beirut, said that the political deadlock in Lebanon was like a four-storey building. He said Lebanese were occupying its first floor, regional players the second and Arabs controlled the third floor. The top floor of the building, he said, was meant for international players.
In a letter to the Arab League recently, Berri said the Lebanese will elect a new president once the Arabs agree to settle their disagreements.
In other words, the speaker, who had been negotiating a settlement on behalf of the opposition till last month, is now convinced that the differences between Saudi Arabia and Syria are preventing the Lebanese from electing a new president
Leaks from the Arab League suggest the ministers will discuss a fresh Egyptian-Saudi plan to resolve the political crisis in the country and to ensure the concerns of different political parties in the country are addressed through a win-win deal.
Win-win deal
Mousa has been talking about win-win deal since December 2006, when he himself initiated a bid to form a national unity government after the withdrawal of Shite ministers from the government of Fouad Siniora.
Today, no one seems to have the same level of optimism about a win-win solution that Mousa had two years ago. Arab ministers meeting today have no ready-made solution for Lebanon.
The Arab League must be transparent with its members today. Mousa should inform the ministers that neither Saudi Arabia nor Egypt have sufficient influence on opposing parties in Lebanon and unless Syria joins hands, any proposal will fail.
If Arabs fail to find a solution today, then the task of helping elect a president for the country will fall into the hands of the international players. And then, no one can guarantee that the solution would be in favour of the Lebanese and Arabs.