LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March 18/2010

Bible Of the Day
Luke 7/11-16: "It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. 7:12 Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 7:13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.” 7:14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 7:15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 7:16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” 7:17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region".

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 17/10
Barak Rules Out War on Lebanon /Naharnet
Ban Hopeful of 'Progress' in Investigation into Hariri's Murder Case /Naharnet
Ford: U.S. Sanctions Will Only be Lifted when Syria Stops Arming Hizbullah /Naharnet
Achouri to Naharnet: We Always Have Investigators in Beirut /Naharnet
Wahab Unleashes Rage on Suleiman, Asks him to Resign /Naharnet
Aoun: I Don't Want to Hear Anyone Talking about the Resistance Anymore, March 14 Has Fallen to Pieces /Naharnet
Hariri Says Campaign Against Suleiman 'Unacceptable'/Naharnet
Qassem: Nobody in Lebanon Has the Right to Invent a New Decision Named 'Defeat and Surrender Decision'/Naharnet
Syria: timing of accord depends on EU 'flexibility'/AFP
Syria, Iran interests diverge in Iraq: US/AFP
ISF arrests another sus pected spy for Israel/Daily Star
Aoun: March 14 alliance dis integrating/Daily Star
Palestinians decry Hurva reconstruction/Daily Star
Lebanon sends back invitation to Libya Arab League summit/Daily Star
Hariri defends Sleiman's record, rejects campaign ag ainst president/Daily Star
Jumblatt's son enters po litics/Daily Star
Palestinian rights key to stable region - S leiman/Daily Star
Safadi stresses need for better quality management/Daily Star
Association of Banks recommends ceiling on US dollar deposit rates/Daily Star
Carlos Ghosn shares management tips at USJ/Daily Star
Contract teachers call for strike on Monday/Daily Star
Qatar invites Sleiman to give speech in Doha/Daily Star
French, Indian UNIFIL troops conduct joint drills/Daily Star
President to chair Cabinet meeting on tourism sector/Daily Star
Israeli cluster bomb wounds mine clearance worker/Daily Star
Syrian worker commits suicide in Chouf restaurant/Daily Star
Beirut auction looks to raise awareness of need for biodiversity in planting trees/Daily Star
Farmers guard loquat crop from natura l hazards/Daily Star
Beirut set to sign accord to protect endangered species/Daily Star
ESCWA, Hariri Foundation ally on gender issues/Daily Star
Lebanon receives praise for freedom of media expression/Daily Star

Ford: U.S. Sanctions Will Only be Lifted when Syria Stops Arming Hizbullah
Naharnet/he newly named U.S. ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford warned that U.S. sanctions against Syria will "not" be lifted unless Damascus stops supporting and arming Hizbullah.
Syria has been a "steadfast supporter of terror groups" like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah for more than 20 years, Ford told his Senate confirmation hearing.
"Without significant changes in its policy, Syria will remain on our list of state supporters of terrorism for the foreseeable future," he added. Ford said he will deliver "unfiltered straight talk" to Damascus about its support of terror groups. "They need to hear directly from us," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, whose chairman, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., promised swift action on Ford's nomination to be the first U.S. ambassador to Syria in five years. "I will tell Syria that it must cooperate with inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and U.S. sanctions will not be lifted unless Syria stopped supporting Hizbullah in Lebanon and arming it with missiles and other weapons used against Israel," Ford said. Ford told the Senate he will deliver "unfiltered straight talk" to Damascus about its support of terror groups. "They need to hear directly from us," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, whose chairman, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., promised swift action on Ford's nomination to be the first U.S. ambassador to Syria in five years. "We must be talking every day and every week with top-level officials who have influence and decision-making authority," Ford said. President George Bush withdrew a full-time ambassador from Syria in 2005 following terrorism accusations and to protest the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a murder widely blamed on Syria. Damascus denied involvement. Having served four years as deputy U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ford said, "I saw first-hand the tragic aftermath of terrorist car bombings perpetrated by foreign fighter networks that have infiltrated suicide bombers" over the Syrian border into Iraq. Kerry said large numbers of deadly weapons continue to cross Syria's border into Lebanon, adding that Hizbulah now has more dangerous rockets than it did before the 2006 war with Israel. Senator Richard Lugar said: "We should temper expectations about what can be achieved diplomatically with the Syrians in the short term." "Nevertheless, declining to post ambassadors to countries, though sometimes necessary, rarely serves U.S. interests for long. In this case, Syria is an unavoidable factor in the Middle East peace equation," Lugar added. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 08:27

Ban Hopeful of 'Progress' in Investigation into Hariri's Murder Case
Naharnet/U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was hopeful that progress will be made in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and related crimes. "I sincerely hope that there should be progress in the investigation," he told a press conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York. When asked about when Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is coming to New York, Ban said: "For obvious security reasons, his schedule is not known. Therefore, I'm not in a position to tell you when exactly he will be here. That is his decision and his schedule. If he comes, when he comes, he'll have an opportunity of meeting the people concerned, but please remember that he is an independent investigator of the Special Tribunal, and he has his own programs, own authority and mandate, independent from anybody, including myself. "It has been almost two years (since) we initiated this establishing of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and he (Bellemare) has been making great efforts to make progress in his investigation. I'm sure that when he has something to take a legal process, then I'm sure that he will make it known to the world. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 08:52

Achouri to Naharnet: We Always Have Investigators in Beirut
Naharnet/Radhia Achouri, spokesperson for Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, on Wednesday said having investigators in Beirut is not something new. "I just want to reiterate that we always have investigators in Beirut, be it those based in there or those who go on mission," Achouri told Naharnet in response to a report published Wednesday by the daily al-Mustaqbal. Al-Mustaqbal said an 11-man investigation team from Bellemare's office has been in Beirut since Monday as part of a "specific mission" separate from the work of the U.N. investigation team permanently based in Lebanon. It said Bellemare's investigation team "is now more comfortable than ever before, given the considerable progress in investigation."
Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 11:01

Arabs Step Up Mediation in Effort to Quell Lebanon-Libya Crisis
Naharnet/Arab governments have reportedly stepped up efforts to quell a crisis between Lebanon and Libya over Lebanon's representation at the Arab summit. Al-Liwaa newspaper on Tuesday said Arab League chief Amr Moussa will visit Beirut on Wednesday in a bid to help resolve the crisis. Citing Arab diplomatic sources, al-Liwaa said Moussa is likely to shuttle between Beirut and Damascus in an effort to ensure "adequate" Lebanese participation in the Arab summit scheduled to be held in Tripoli, Libya end of March. Lebanon has rejected "for administrative reasons" Libya's invitation to the upcoming Arab summit, the foreign ministry said on Monday. "The invitation was received by the Lebanese embassy in Damascus, which is not authorized to receive and respond to this invitation for administrative reasons," the ministry said in a statement. President Michel Suleiman will not attend the summit following demands by the Shiite community to boycott the meeting. Beirut, 16 Mar 10, 10:28

Representation Crisis Drags On as Libya Mulls Tightening Noose on Lebanese Nationals
Naharnet/Arab League chief Amr Moussa is due in Beirut on Wednesday in a bid to reach a settlement over a representation crisis amid reports Libya could tighten the noose on some 20,000 Lebanese nationals living and working in the country. Pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on Wednesday, citing Arab sources, said the crisis is likely to escalate in the coming days, indicating that Libya could resort to "strict punitive measures" against Lebanese interests and Lebanese nationals similar to Libya's recent measure against Switzerland.
Libya decided to impose a "total" economic embargo on Switzerland, a week after Libyan leader Moammar Qadhafi declared holy war on Bern.
Al-Liwaa daily on Tuesday quoted Arab diplomatic sources as saying Moussa is likely to shuttle between Beirut and Damascus in an effort to ensure "adequate" Lebanese participation in the Arab summit scheduled to be held in Tripoli, Libya March 27-28. Lebanon has rejected "for administrative reasons" Libya's invitation to the upcoming Arab summit, the foreign ministry said. "The invitation was received by the Lebanese embassy in Damascus, which is not authorized to receive and respond to this invitation for administrative reasons," the ministry said in a statement. President Michel Suleiman will not attend the summit following demands by the Shiite community to boycott the meeting.
Asharq al-Aswat said the summit is already "besieged by problems." It cited, in addition to the Lebanon-Libya standoff, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's nonattendance due to illness as well as the absences of Iraqi President Jalal Talbani who is busy in Iraqi elections and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman who announced he would not attend the summit out of respect for the Shiite community which demanded a boycott of the meeting. Lebanon has rejected "for administrative reasons" Libya's invitation to the upcoming Arab summit, the foreign ministry has said. "The invitation was received by the Lebanese embassy in Damascus, which is not authorized to receive and respond to this invitation for administrative reasons," the ministry said in a statement. Shiites have been demanding Lebanese authorities to boycott the summit over the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr. Sadr -- who is still regarded by Lebanon's Shiite community as a key spiritual guide -- vanished on August 31, 1978, and the circumstances of his disappearance are still a mystery. He was last seen in Libya. In 2008 Lebanon issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi over the disappearance of the imam while he was in Tripoli with two companions, who also went missing with him. Libya has denied involvement in Sadr's disappearance, saying he left the country for Italy. But the Italian government has always denied he ever arrived there. In 2004, however, Italian authorities returned a passport found in Italy belonging to the imam. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 08:01

Wahab Unleashes Rage on Suleiman, Asks him to Resign
Naharnet/Tawheed movement leader Wiam Wahab on Wednesday slammed President Michel Suleiman and asked him to resign for allegedly failing to govern the country.
Following talks with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun in Rabiyeh, Wahab said the president should resign "because after two years of rule we feel like we are in the last days of the presidency." "The consensus president in Lebanon is not successful," Wahab said, stressing that he wasn't attacking the seat of the presidency but the president himself. The former minister stressed that his stance did not reflect that of Aoun. He also criticized the Taef accord for limiting the powers of the head of state. The president is supposed to monitor all authorities and constitutional institutions in Lebanon, Wahab said. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 14:35

Taymour Jumblat Takes First Official Step toward Becoming Leader
Naharnet/Taymour Walid Jumblat took his first official step toward becoming a leader by laying red roses at the tomb of his grandfather, the late Kamal Jumblat, to commemorate his 33rd assassination anniversary. Walid Jumblat, who took over the PSP leadership from his father, believed it was time he hands over the leadership to his son.
"This is the first (political) appearance for the man who intends to steer the ship of the Jumblati leadership," said Jumblat as Taymour laid three red roses at his grandfather's tomb.
Kamal Jumblat, founder of the Progressive Socialist Party, was assassinated March 16, 1977. On Saturday, Jumblat told al-Jazeera satellite channel that Taymour will take over the PSP leadership with the help of PSP Secretary- General Sharif Fayyad. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 13:09

3 Saudis Returned to Lebanon for Trial on Terrorist-Related Charges
Naharnet/Three Saudi citizens have been handed over to Lebanese authorities to stand trial on terrorist-related charges after Riyadh requested their extradition for interrogation at home. They were identified as Fahd al-Mghamiss, Mohammed Saleh al-Sweid and Abdullah Bishi. The three suspects were transported on a private jet escorted by Saudi security men.
They were handed over to Lebanese judicial officials to resume their trial on a number of charges in relation to their involvement in al-Qaida, Fatah al-Islam in addition to carrying out terrorist acts in Lebanon. Beirut, 17 Mar 10, 10:08

Jumblat in Damascus before March 25
Naharnet/Local media on Wednesday said Druze leader Walid Jumblat is likely to visit Damascus before March 25. While An-Nahar newspaper said Jumblat's one-day visit would be limited to a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad who prepared a "warm welcome" for him, the daily As-Safir said the meeting will likely be one of frankness. The daily Al-Liwaa, meanwhile, said Jumblat's visit is likely to take place ahead of a trip to Damascus by Prime Minister Saad Hariri early in April.

ISF arrests another suspected spy for Israel
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BEIRUT: The Internal Security Forces (ISF) Information Department arrested Maher Abu Jreish on suspicion of membership to an Israeli espionage network, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Tuesday. Abu Jreish, who is from the southern village of Krayyih and lives in Marjayoun, was chased and detained in Al-Fardees village in the Arqoub after which he was transferred to Beirut for investigations under the supervision of the military court. The suspect’s home in Krayyih was raided Tuesday morning by members of the Information Department during which his laptop, CDs and a device they found in his van were confiscated for examination. Security sources said that Abu Jreish has confessed during primary investigations that he works for the Israeli authorities and that he visited Israel in late 2008 via Cyprus. Also, he said he knew and used to coordinate with Mousa Ali Mousa from the southern village of Khiyam. Mousa was arrested one week ago by the Information Department on similar charges and has admitted to spying for Israel.
Meanwhile, Military Prosecutor Riyad Abu Ghaida issued an arrest warrant against Jawdat al-Khoja after postponing his interrogation until Monday pending the appointment of a defense attorney. Khoja is accused of being a member to an Israeli espionage network, a charge punishable by death in Lebanon. In a related development, the Military Cassation Tribunal accepted on Tuesday the demand to appeal the death penalty given to Mahmoud Rafeh, accused of murder and of collaborating with Israel. Rafeh was sentenced to death for collaborating with Israel in the killing of two brothers, Nidal and Mahmoud Majzoub, in Sidon. The judge set May 13 as a date to launch the prosecution at the military court. – The Daily Star

Aoun: March 14 alliance disintegrating
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) head MP Michel Aoun said Tuesday the March 14 alliance was falling apart. After a meeting of his Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, he said “he does not want to hear anyone talking about it.” He also tackled Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s remarks to Al-Jazeera news channel on Saturday, saying: “It is good to have a sort of unanimous agreement over the nature of ties between [Lebanon and] Syria.” Jumblatt told his interviewer that he, “in a moment of anger and loss,” made inappropriate comments about Syrian President Bashar Assad. Aoun commented on the US military aid to the Lebanese Army and questioned whether it was approved by the Cabinet of former Premier Fouad Siniora or whether it was a “US bribe.” Several March 8 figures, including head of the Media and Telecoms Commission Hassan Fadlallah and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri criticized Siniora for reportedly signing a deal with the US to supply long-term training and equipment to the Lebanese Army and the ISF.
On the issue of municipal electoral law reforms, Aoun said there was “ample time” to pass reforms. Aoun also suggested granting Lebanon’s Palestinian refugees civil rights and called on the US and Russia for support in managing the refugees’ file. He also commented on the recent shooting involving the chairperson of Société Générale de Banque au Liban (SGBL) Antoun Sehnaoui, saying he will not remain indifferent. Sehnaoui’s bodyguards allegedly opened fire in the White House restaurant in Sodeco on February 26 and wounded eight people, including businessman Mazen Zein. A court Monday issued arrest warrants for the bodyguards of Sehnaoui. – The Daily Star

Palestinians decry Hurva reconstruction
By Mohammed Zaatari /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
SIDON: Palestinian refugees in the south protested on Tuesday against Israel’s decision to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue near Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, and students from the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Sidon marched to show their anger. Israel reopened the twice-destroyed Hurva Synagogue on Monday, sparking a wave of criticism and protests, both in Palestine and among refugee communities abroad. “Israel’s latest announcement to place the cornerstone for the Hurva Synagogue is a huge confrontation that will cause explosions and will aggravate the situation,” said the Fatah faction in Lebanon in a statement. Students from United Nations Relief Works Agency schools held Palestinian flags and maps and shouted slogans expressing their anger toward Israel and its “theft” of occupied Jerusalem’s history. They marched through the main street of Ain al-Hilweh holding banners with photographs of Jerusalem.
Palestinians from refugee camps near Tyre also protested the synagogue’s reconstruction while Hamas official Jihad Taha called on all Palestinian factions to unite in responding to “Israel’s arrogance.” Sheikh Ahmad Mrad also delivered a speech on behalf of Hizbullah. He called on all Palestinians to unite and said the Resistance was the only way to liberate Palestine.
Israel made another controversial decision earlier this week when it announced its plan to build about 1,600 new Jewish settlers homes in the Arab sector of Jerusalem.
“Israel insists on its policy of Judaization and settlements. Its announcement to launch the construction of thousands of housing units is an insolence that even embarrassed the United States,” Fatah’s statement said. The statement also criticized the absence of any real pressure from the international community and from the Security Council on Israel as well as the weak Arab and Islamic stance on the issue of Judaization. “The Palestinian people in Lebanon are angered by the Arab and Islamic silence toward this issue. This silence is becoming a cover, whether we like it or not, for the domination of occupied Jerusalem,” it added.

Lebanon sends back invitation to Libya Arab League summit
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BEIRUT: In the latest blow to diplomatic relations between the two countries, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has ordered an invitation to this month’s Arab League summit be returned to Libya, local media reports said Tuesday. Following talks with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is currently in Germany on an official visit, Sleiman told Foreign Minister Ali Shami to send the invitation back to Tripoli, the An-Nahar newspaper reported. The Lebanese Embassy in Damascus on Monday received the invitation to the Arab summit, due to be held in Libya from March 27-28, but rejected it “for administrative reasons,” the Foreign Ministry said. It added that the Lebanese Embassy in Damascus was “not authorized to receive and respond” to the invitation. Earlier on Monday, the Voice of Lebanon radio station quoted well-informed sources as saying that Lebanese Ambassador to Damascus Michel Khoury had expressed reservations about the manner in which the invitation was sent. The development is the latest in an ongoing diplomatic spat over the disappearance of an influential Lebanese Shiite cleric 32 years ago. Iranian-born Lebanese Imam Musa al-Sadr, together with his two companions Abbas Badreddine and Mohammad Yaqoub, disappeared during an official trip to Libya in August 1978. The Lebanese widely blame Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for ordering the men’s disappearance, but Tripoli denies the allegations. Libya has repeatedly claimed Sadr, who was the spiritual and political leader of the Movement of the Deprived in Lebanon (Amal), had already left for Italy before going missing. Rome has always maintained Sadr never arrived there, though in 2004 the Italian authorities returned a passport found in Italy belonging to the influential cleric. Sadr’s disappearance remains a serious point of diplomatic friction between Lebanon and Libya. Gadhafi, who has not visited Beirut since Sadr vanished, was indicted by the Lebanese authorities along with six other Libyans in August 2008 for the imam’s disappearance.
On Friday, a top official said Sleiman would skip the summit in protest of Libya’s handling of the Sadr case. Beirut will not send any lower-level officials either, a well-informed ministerial source told The Daily Star on Monday. Arab League chief Amr Moussa is expected to arrive in Beirut Wednesday to discuss the controversy with Lebanese officials. The Egyptian national has previously warned Libyan officials it would be a “mistake” to fail to invite Lebanon and that the snub could negatively affect Lebanon and the Arab League. – The Daily Star

Jumblatt's son enters politics
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BEIRUT: Timor Walid Jumblatt marked his entry to Lebanese politics on Tuesday by laying a red rose on the memorial site of his grandfather Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) founder Kamal Jumblatt. Jumblatt was assassinated on March 16, 2009. Walid Jumblatt had told Al-Jazeera news channel over the weekend that Timor, with the help of PSP Secretary General Sharif Fayyad, will take over the leadership of the PSP. Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives of Lebanon’s three top officials and an array of political, social and religious figures. In a statement late Monday, Hizbullah said Syria was ready to meet with Walid Jumblatt, who was one of its harshest critics in the past years, and open a new page in relations, days after he said his comments about Damascus were “improper.” A reconciliation between Jumblatt, leader of Lebanon’s Druze sect, and Damascus could boost Syria’s role in Lebanese politics years after its troops were forced out of the country. It will also probably weaken the Western-backed coalition that Jumblatt once helped lead until he split with them in August.
Lebanon’s Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been mediating between the Syrians and Jumblatt for several months. A Hizbullah statement released late Monday said Nasrallah informed Jumblatt that Syria “will overcome” what happened in the past and open a new page. It added that Syrian President Bashar Assad will receive Jumblatt in the near future. In Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem declined to answer a question about Jumblatt’s visit to Syria, saying only that Hizbullah’s statement is “accurate.” Jumblatt’s harshest verbal attack against Assad came on February 2007 when he told a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters that Assad was a “snake” and a “tyrant” and called for revenge against him. The Hizbullah statement said the Syrian decision came after Jumblatt’s “clear stance and courageous review” of his comments. After the Hizbullah announcement, Jumblatt told Syria’s Al-Watan newspaper, which is privately owned but guided by government policy, “the old page has been turned forever.” Jumblatt, 60, was a major force behind the creation of the Western-backed March 14 alliance. Asked when he expects to visit Damascus, Jumblatt told Al-Watan that “there is no specific date yet but I am waiting to go to Syria because I have a lot to say to President Assad.” “The most important thing is to forget the past and open a new page,” he said. – The Daily Star, with AP

Hariri defends Sleiman's record, rejects campaign against president
‘He has made enormous efforts since he assumed office’
Wednesday, March 17, 2010/Daily Star
BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri described Tuesday the campaign against President Michel Sleiman as a useless political mix up that leads nowhere.
The premier returned to Beirut Tuesday evening. “The Lebanese president is the president of all Lebanon and he has made enormous efforts since he assumed office to bolster economic, security and political stability which the Lebanese are enjoying right now,” Hariri told journalists accompanying him in his official visit to Germany. Hariri’s remarks came in response to Former Prime Minister Omar Karami, who said Sleiman’s tenure so far had been inefficient. “We reject the campaign against the president,” Hariri said, calling those behind the effort to compare the situation in Lebanon before electing Sleiman to the circumstances the country is witnessing now. Asked about the date of his upcoming visit to Damascus, Hariri said that concerned committees are working currently on preparing the needed files and “once they’re done, I will visit Syria.” Concerning the talks he held in Germany, Hariri highlighted the importance of communicating with the German officials. “Maintaining relations with Germany is extremely important, especially amid rumors about the intention of the Germans to reduce their participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),” Hariri said. “We met with all German officials, who stressed the necessity of implementing Resolution 1701 which the Europeans are part of and the importance of preserving the number of UNIFIL forces,” he added. Hariri noted that Germany was an influential country in Europe that funds many projects in Lebanon, including training programs for Lebanese naval forces and monitoring Lebanese borders.
Asked about the budget, Hariri stressed that his government is addressing the primary needs of the Lebanese people and that the government would secure the funds for any project that requires so. “Electricity, water, roads, schools and healthcare and many other projects require funding and this should be secured without increasing the public debt,” Hariri said, adding that approving the budget requires a political understanding among political parties. Asked about Lebanon’s participation in the upcoming Arab summit in Libya, Hariri said that the issue would be discussed with the Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who will visit Lebanon on Wednesday. “The decision will be for the Cabinet,” he said, adding that such a decision would be for Lebanon’s sake and would protect the Lebanese from divisions. “We have to take into consideration the view of a large Lebanese group that rejects participation in the upcoming summit in Libya,” Hariri said. Before leaving Germany, Hariri and his accompanying delegation visited on Tuesday the German Parliament where they discussed with the head of the German Foreign Affairs and Defense committee Robrecht Polinz the recent developments in the Middle East and the regional and international situation. – Nafez Qawas