LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

Bible Of The Day21/27 -31: God's mightiness
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind! 21:28 A false witness will perish, and a man who listens speaks to eternity. 21:29 A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways. 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh. 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.
Today's Inspiring Thought: The Lord is the Winner
Human wisdom is no match against the wisdom of God. Absolutely no human plan can thwart what the Lord has determined to do. It's pointless�indeed, silly�to pick a fight with God. Just ask Jacob. Likewise, whoever happens to be on the Lord's side of the battle is sure to succeed. Paul put it this way in Romans 3:31: "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Coming ME flashpoint: Hizballah faces terror, murder charges at Hariri tribunal
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 7, 2011, Special Lebanese Tribunal Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen asked the court to define crimes of terrorism, conspiracy and premeditated murder when the tribunal held its first hearing Monday, Feb. 7. Another of his 15 questions was: Under which law should these definitions be made � Lebanese or international or both?
debkafile's intelligence sources report that within days, Judge Fransen is scheduled to publish indictments based on the findings of Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare's probe of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minster Rafiq Hariri in 2005.
The court's accelerated schedule and the gravity of its charges have caught the primary suspects, big shots of the Lebanese Shiite Hizballah, unprepared. They face being convicted as international criminals on charges of terrorism, conspiracy and premeditated murder. There is not much they can do but openly flout the court's expected summons for their extradition by force of arms. With no end of the Egyptian standoff in sight, therefore, a showdown in Lebanon looms large.
The international judges jumped the gun not only for Hizballah but also for its bosses in Damascus and Tehran and even up to a point for Washington, which has supported the court's work but had hoped indictments would not be ready for some months. The last thing the Obama administration needs at this moment is a second Middle East bonfire.
But whether they like it or not, the Special Tribunal got down to its first hearing in Leidschendam near The Hague Monday, Feb. 7. The first session withheld the names of individuals contained in the sealed indictment document Bellemare filed with Fransen on Jan. 17. This and future sessions will be held in public, so the full list of accused may be only be a week or ten days away from release.
This finds the plan carefully crafted by Iran, Syria and Hizballah to make sure that that point was never reached coming apart at the seams: They managed to get rid of pro-Western Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and replace him with Najib Miqati, friend to Hizballah and Syrian leaders, whose first task was to have been to disqualify the STL, nullify its indictments and sever ties with the tribunal. But their handpicked candidate for prime minister has not managed to form a government because of three obstacles:
1. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman insists he will only endorse a national unity administration, which would necessitate the participation of Saad Hariri's March 14 bloc.
2. Suleiman wants a March 14 candidate � not a Miqati man - appointed Interior Minister to head the most powerful government department which holds the levers of the national domestic security and intelligence services and is authorized to declare a national state of emergency.
3. Miqati is not eager to head a narrow-based government either, because it would expose him as a Syrian-Hizballah rubber stamp and he would be ostracized by the United States and much of the West.
The Iran-Syrian-Hizballah alliance has consequently lost its race to beat the international Hariri tribunal to the draw. The court has not only outpaced Hizballah, it promises landmark decisions on the most incendiary issues of the day, definitions of terrorism and such questions as cumulative charges in cases of conspiracy.
Hizballah may still cast about for a fast worker to take over from Migati and rush a new government through - or, alternatively, exercise force to seize control of Beirut and government institutions and establish an alternative "Free Lebanon" administration to sever ties with the STL.
These options are fraught with the threat of civil violence

STL Discusses Terrorism, Bellemare Says Only a Few Have Read Indictment
Naharnet/The Special Tribunal for Lebanon started a hearing Monday on how to define the crime of terrorism as listed in the draft indictment filed under seal by prosecutor Daniel Bellemare. "Today's proceedings show that Lebanon, a proud founding member of the United Nations, is set for a course of judicial accountability through the rule of law," presiding judge Antonio Cassese said as the hearing opened before the STL, based in Leidschendam near The Hague. "This hearing signals an important moment for the life of the tribunal." Cassese said that pre-trial judge Daniel Fransen had submitted 15 legal questions for the appeals chamber to clarify related to the indictment filed by Bellemare on January 17, and is widely believed to implicate Hizbullah members. Fransen is tasked with confirming the indictment before any arrest warrants can be issued for the 2005 bombing that killed Hariri and 22 other people in Beirut.
Among other things, he had asked the judges to decide how the crimes of terrorism, conspiracy and premeditated murder should be defined, and under which law -- Lebanese or international or both. Cassese said Monday's proceedings would help ensure a speedy trial, a prerequisite for fairness. "Suspicions may have fallen on many," he said. "It is hence of vital importance that any person named in the indictment should know what charges they face." "It is in the interests of Lebanon as a whole and world community at large that this process should move forward deliberately and expeditiously." Cassese stressed the hearing was of a legal nature and would not deal with the facts of the case, but would allow the court to thrash out "a set of legal imperatives to deal with human tragedies." "We will also have to discuss how the world community responds to one of the most widespread crimes of today, terrorism."
Bellemare said during the hearing that there are no gaps in the Lebanese law's definition of terrorism so that to resort to international law. He said the indictment was classified and few people had read it.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 12:39

Nasrallah: Actions in Egypt are No Less Important than Victories in July and Gaza Wars
Naharnet/Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed on Monday that the party will not interfere in the protests in Egypt. He said during a popular gathering in support of the Tunisian and Egyptian people: "We cannot stand idly by when the dispute is between the oppressed and the oppressor." He explained that the party's delay in issuing a stand over the developments in the two Arab countries was not out of confusion or hesitation, saying: "Had we made our stand earlier, people would have said that the protesters were being backed by Hizbullah, Hamas, or Iranian Revolutionary Guard cells."Addressing the discovery of a Hizbullah cell in Egypt in the past, he stated: "When our brothers, who were working with a small number of Egyptians and Palestinians for Gaza, were arrested, it was accused of seeking to topple the Egyptian regime." The U.S. is trying to take advantage of the revolution in order to improve its ugly image after decades of supporting the worst dictatorships the world has ever seen, he added. Nasrallah pointed out that the American administration had conducted several studies in the Arab and Islamic worlds the results of which have revealed the overwhelming majority oppose American policies.
Furthermore, he rejected claims that the movements in Tunis and Egypt were being backed by the U.S., stressing: "The revolution is the revolution of the poor, the free, the students, and those refusing to be humiliated � Muslims, Christians, Islamic, intellectual, and secular movements are taking part in it." He added that there is an Israeli consensus seeking to protect the Egyptian regime because the "American administration is concerned with protecting its and Israel's interests." In addition, Nasrallah emphasized that should the protesters succeed, "then their victory will completely change the face of the region." "The Egyptian people's actions are no less important than the resistance movements' victories in the July and Gaza wars," he stated.
He concluded by saying that the party places all its capabilities in the hands of the Egyptian people. Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 18:02

Government Formation Stuck in Dispute between Suleiman, Aoun over Key Cabinet Post
Naharnet/A dispute between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun over the distribution of Cabinet posts may delay the formation of a new government. Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, on Monday quoted well-informed sources as saying that government formation hit a snag after a "conflict" broke out between Suleiman and Aoun over the interior ministry portfolio. The sources said that while Aoun is demanding to have the interior ministry, Suleiman insists this post must be reserved exclusively for him. Meanwhile, they said the name of former Cabinet minister Yacoub Sarraf, is suggested for the defense ministry post as part of Aoun's quota.
Al-Akhbar said caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, an FPM official and Aoun's son-in-law, discussed with Miqati on Sunday details of the quota seats allotted to Aoun.
It quoted sources as saying that the atmosphere was "positive," and that talks focused on the distribution of portfolios. FPM sources, however, were surprised by statements attributed to Miqati in an interview with Al-Hayat published Sunday, saying that he had asked the former army general to provide him with names and qualifications so that the premier-designate can choose the right person for the job. They accused Miqati of trying to give Suleiman a "large part of the losing team's quota," a reference to the March 14 coalition which has lost its majority status after Druze leader and former March 14 ally Walid Jumblat sided with March 8, giving the former Opposition alliance a majority of seats in parliament.
Suleiman appointed Miqati on Jan. 25 as Lebanon's new prime minister designate after he won 68 of the 128-seat parliament in the two-day consultations for the premiership.
Hariri's government was toppled on Jan. 12 in a long-running dispute between March 8 and March 14 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) , which is poised to indict Hizbullah members in the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. Speaker Nabih Berri, on the other hand, made a rather optimistic statement, saying the new government is likely to be formed within a week. An-Nahar newspaper, meanwhile, said Miqati and Suleiman held talks late Sunday at the presidential palace away from the media spotlight. Discussions focused on the process of government formation. For its part, pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat said Miqati will sift through candidates after mulling over March 14 coalition's stance to be conveyed to him by Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel in the coming hours. March 14 said it was still waiting for answers from Miqati on its demands for guarantees regarding illegitimate arms and the STL.
As-Safir newspaper quoted sources close to Miqati as saying, however, that contacts are underway between Miqati and March 14 leaders in this regard. The sources said the mere continuation of contacts is an indication that March 14 has a desire to join the new government, adding that "there is a real chance that they participate." Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 07:38

Phalange Asks for Veto Power, Waits for Answers from Miqati
Naharnet/Phalange party official Sami Gemayel denied that he was being named to fill a cabinet seat and hinted that the March 14 alliance would participate in the government only if it gets veto power. While criticizing "the huge concessions made by the March 14 forces," Gemayel said: "These concessions and the results of negotiations on the international tribunal led us to where we stand today.""Some things cannot be subjected to a compromise, particularly the issue of Hizbullah's arms and justice linked to the international tribunal," he stressed.
He said his party was still waiting for answers from Premier-designate Najib Miqati before deciding on participation in the government. "We want real partnership in running the government. We demand guarantees (from Miqati) concerning the international tribunal and the arms," Gemayel told The Daily Star. Asked whether the party was seeking a public commitment from Miqati not to end Lebanon's cooperation with the tribunal, Gemayel said: "We want guarantees that the international tribunal will not be abolished." Hinting that the March 14 forces were conditioning their participation in the cabinet on veto power, Gemayel said: "Let them give us the one-third (of seats)." "We won't accept a one-sided cabinet that goes ahead with its rejection of international resolutions and makes unilateral appointments, taking the country into a single direction," the MP stressed. Gemayel added that contacts between the Phalange and Miqati were continuing in an attempt to iron out political differences. If it eventually decides to participate, the party will have two ministers in the new government, a source close to Miqati told The Daily Star. The Phalange had one representative in ex-Premier Saad Hariri's cabinet. However, informed politicians ruled out to An Nahar daily that the Phalange would participate in Miqati's government without its allies in the March 14 alliance.The party's sources told OTV that the Phalange won't accept to participate without its allies even if granted three portfolios.
MP Elie Marouni confirmed to Free Lebanon radio that the Phalange is keen on its ties with its allies and the foundations of the Cedar revolution. It "won't participate in the cabinet without its allies," he said. Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 09:09

Aoun: Lebanon Succeeded in Achieving Change without Resorting to Violence
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stressed on Monday that Lebanon succeed in achieving change without resorting to violence, noting that it also managed to overcome plans to create sectarian strife in the country. He said during a gathering in support of Egypt and the resistance movement in the Arab world: "Lebanon is on the verge of launching a reform movement." He hoped that the Egyptians may soon start their reform movement as soon as possible. "You cannot but be the pioneers of change and reform in ensuring Egypt's future and defending its history," the MP added. Aoun also praised the Egyptian people for overcoming attempts to create Christian-Muslim strife in their country. Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 16:26

Ghassan Salameh: Origin of Dispute is South Lebanon, Tribunal is Part of it
Naharnet/Former Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh has said that the dispute among Lebanon's politicians lies on southern Lebanon and the Arab-Israeli conflict. "Some believe that southern Lebanon should remain alive to confront Israel in the name of the Arab group as long as no solution has been yet reached on the Arab-Israeli conflict," Salameh told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in an interview published Monday. "On the other hand, there is a Lebanese side that says Lebanon should no longer bear alone the burden of the Arab-Israeli conflict," he said.
"The international tribunal is part of that dispute," Salameh, who currently resides in Paris, said. Salameh told al-Hayat that different labels have been given to the dispute over time: Safeguarding the Palestine Liberation Organization, Safeguarding the arms of the resistance and recently the problem of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He blamed politicians for favoring to get foreign support rather than achieving internal understanding. Salameh called the current stage "a new chapter of a 40-year-old tragedy." Salameh stressed that Syrian President Bashar Assad's interview with the Wall Street Journal, in which he mentioned how the shape of the Lebanese government should be, was a clear change in regional policies that would have repercussions on the international tribunal and Lebanon's foreign policy and its security situation. Asked if he believed Premier-designate Najib Miqati was a centrist, the former minister said: "He might be a centrist but he has to implement what political forces ask from him." He described the collapse of the Hariri government and the future formation of a cabinet by Miqati as a "change in the balance of power." When asked about the indictment in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination case, Salameh said: "I don't know anything about it � The court would most probably continue (to function) but without Lebanese cooperation." Beirut, 07 Feb 11, 11:10

New Opinion: Time to take a stand
February 7, 2011 /Michel Aoun�s Free Patriotic Movement claims to represent the interests of Lebanon�s Christians even though it is allied with countries that persecute Christians.
With its eye firmly on events in Egypt, Tehran says it is witnessing a movement that will lead to a wider Islamic Middle East. This is clearly rhetorical balloon juice (the Arab world is already largely �Islamic�) but the sound bite is a bid to pull the region�s most populated country out of its snug US orbit. Iran is, if you wish, seeking to reshuffle the Middle East deck in its own image. The implications of what has happened in Tunisia, and what is happening in Cairo and to a lesser extent in Sana�a, together with the recent killings of Egyptian Copts at their place of worship, has understandably put many of the region�s minorities on guard. Ironically, given its inherent plurality, Lebanon may be among the most stable nations on the block, but with Hezbollah�s dramatic recent power grab in what is now a volatile region, it is still a time for those who claim to represent their communities to give firm assurances of support, especially when, as is the case with the Free Patriotic Movement, its loyalties are not always so clear cut. Change and Reform MP Nabil Nicolas is clearly not perturbed either by Iran�s rhetoric or by its woeful record on human rights and intolerance of other religions, especially its Christian community, which has seen at least 70 of its members taken into custody since the New Year. Iran may claim to be a friend of Lebanon, but it is no friend to minority religions when they practice at home.
When asked about his party�s reaction to the signals coming from Iran, Nicolas merely parroted the dubious line that the FPM has peddled since its February 2006 MOU with Hezbollah, a move that effectively tied the party�s political fortunes to the Islamic Republic. It was, in the eyes of many Lebanese, a Faustian pact, one that gave Michel Aoun a shot at the presidency in exchange for a much-needed Christian cover for Hezbollah.
Since then the Aounists have bent over backwards to explain the inexplicable. When asked by Future TV if Lebanon�s Christians should feel worried by the messages coming out of Tehran, especially given the FPM�s ties to Iran via Hezbollah, Nicolas said that his party has close ties to both Syria and Iran but that they were not in the pay of the two nations. Quite what that has to do with anything is anyone�s guess, as was his statement pointing to the fact that when Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad visited Lebanon last autumn, he visited representatives of all the country�s sects. But he didn�t really, did he Nabil? What Nicolas failed to remind us of was that having visited his supporters in South Lebanon, the showpiece of Ahmadinejad�s visit was a speech delivered, again to an overwhelmingly Shia audience in Beirut's southern suburbs, in which he urged the Lebanese to reject the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the court created to bring to justice the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
In any case, Nicolas argued, no doubt trying to laugh off an awkward moment, if Iran�s predictions did come about, �Maybe we�ll all become Muslims.� It was a crass response to a serious question aimed at a member of the party that claims to represent the majority of Lebanese Christians. But this is neither here nor there. From the beginning it has been easy to pinpoint the contradictions in the FPM�s alliance with the pro-Syrian March 8 coalition. Earlier this week none other than Michel Aoun himself blurted out that he felt offering March 14 the blocking third in any future cabinet was not a good idea because nothing got done in the previous government when his block wielded the veto. What�s good for the March 8 goose is apparently not good for the March 14 gander. Aounists need to make up their minds. Do they genuinely want to represent the interests of Lebanon�s Christians? Do they really want a state based on sovereign values, religious tolerance and equal opportunities for all? If so, the party should, as a matter of policy, publically condemn the persecution of Iran�s Christian community.
Or is the party merely a vehicle for the Napoleonic ambitions of its leader, a man who has hijacked the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and sold them to the highest bidder while ordering his flunkies to justify his political line. It�s high time we knew, and there is no time like the present.

British envoy voices hope Mikati forms �national-salvation� cabinet
February 7, 2011 /British Ambassador to Lebanon Frances Guy voiced hope on Monday that Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati forms a �national-salvation� cabinet that includes all political parties, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. Following her meeting with Sunni Mufti in Tripoli Sheikh Malek Chaar, Guy said her visit to the latter falls within consultations with Lebanese political and religious figures, and added that visiting Chaar is important. Mikati, who was appointed to the premiership on January 25 with the backing of March 8, has called on all Lebanese parties to join his upcoming cabinet. However, March 14 parties have said that they will not take part in a cabinet headed by Mikati and have also asked that he first clarify his stance on non-state weapons and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is investigating former PM Rafik Hariri�s 2005 murder.-NOW Lebanon

Allouch fires back at Berri
February 7, 2011 /If people were judged according to their intentions, �everyone would be in prison,� Future Movement official Mustafa Allouch said on Monday in response to a comment by Speaker Nabih Berri that �[outgoing Prime Minister Saad] Hariri shocked me with his hidden intentions.��PM Saad Hariri said what he said in the period following the martyr [former] Prime Minister Rafik Hariri�s assassination, and we must not forgot that the latter was his father,� Allouch told Akhbar al-Youm news agency. Berri is part of the �March 8 forces that strove and are striving to cover up PM [Rafik] Hariri�s murderers by trying to escape from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL),� he said. �Berri knows better than others that the �false witnesses� file is an invention by his political team to cover up the STL�s case,� he added. The facts are that some people conspired against Rafik Hariri during his lifetime, some people conspired to murder him, and �there are those who are [now] trying to escape from the international investigation� into the murder, Allouch said. Allouch also criticized Berri for his call for a return to parliamentary business as usual following Rafik Hariri�s assassination, saying the act did �not indicate love or loyalty for the path of the martyred premier.� March 8 parties brought down Saad Hariri�s unity government on January 12 due to a long-running controversy over the STL�s investigation of his father�s 2005 murder. Prior to its collapse, the cabinet was split over the �false witnesses file� controversy, a dispute over how the government and judiciary should address the issue of false testimonies to the international investigation. In comments published in An-Nahar newspaper�s Monday edition, Berri responded to a recent broadcast by New TV of a leaked conversation between Saad Hariri and international investigators. Berri said that he �now knows why some officials do not want to transfer the false witnesses issue [to the Justice Council]� and added that Hariri �shocked me with his hidden intentions.�-NOW Lebanon

National News Agency
Bahia Hariri
February 7, 2011
On February 6, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following report:
The head of the Education and Culture parliamentary committee, Deputy Bahia al-Hariri, held a press conference at Muhammad al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut on the sixth anniversary of the martyrdom of Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri� She said: �It is with love and responsibility that I address all the Lebanese people from the mosque of Muhammad al-Amin and next to the shrine of martyr Rafik al-Hariri whose blood has quenched the beloved Beirut and the hopes of the Lebanese youth to see freedom, sovereignty, independence and democracy as a means to express their presence, their dignity, their dreams, ambitions and concerns for their country, their state and their stability. This pure blood thus constituted a means for putting in place a democratic political life based on the constitution which guarantees national concord and the joint coexistence formula on the basis of equal division between the Muslims and the Christians. We did not allow crime to lead us toward anarchy and chaos. Consequently, all the Lebanese people, from March 8 and March 14 expressed their opinions [in a peaceful way]�
�We also wanted to see life restored to our capital, our cities and villages, and called on all the Lebanese on April 13 to exit their sorrows and fears and bring life back to Beirut. We also built bridges of communication and dialogue and were merciful among each other and tough with the enemies. We made sure to protect the great accomplishments, in terms of reconstruction, unity and liberation, as well as the establishment of a just state for all. The days and the years ahead were difficult and the obstacles were numerous, but we always found ways to overcome them to restore unity and national partnership in the context of the state of institutions. Therefore, in 2005 and 2009, the Lebanese headed to the ballot boxes with determination and in a democratic and promising way to choose their representatives, whether they were individuals or movements� Each and every time, we respected the results of the elections, and placed the interests of the country, coexistence, civil peace and national partnership ahead of any other consideration, because this is the reason for which we had been elected�
�We do not think that the policy of isolation can build a country. It has been tried repeatedly, but to no avail, and even escalated the situation so as not to say led to total collapse. We also do not think that fear can protect a group, regardless of its size, because the devil enters through the windows of fear and undermines trust in oneself and in the other. The absence of trust in oneself and in the partner, the brother and the friend can pave the way before the infiltration of the country by the enemy, thus causing turmoil and weakness. This is what we experienced during the years of destruction and occupation, until we regained trust in ourselves and in each other, through the Taif document of national concord.� Hariri then expressed �gratitude and appreciation to the big brothers who helped Lebanon during its last predicament, through brotherly feelings, noble sentiments and true concern, at the head of whom is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz whose love for and sponsorship of all the Lebanese during their disputes and wars aimed at reuniting them and helping them overcome the crises��
She also thanked �the leaders who gathered in Damascus to prevent the situation from degenerating and reaching the level of a crisis, knowing that this crisis does not serve anyone. We also thank them for dispatching the foreign ministers of Turkey and Qatar who conducted a quick visit that was not successful� The shrine and blood of Rafik al-Hariri are not means to reach power and positions, because these positions belong to the youth who rose against crime, injustice, oppression and the disregarding of their existence, their security, stability and future, and who wanted to protect Lebanon�s safety, sovereignty and independence. The martyrdom of Rafik al-Hariri will only be a means to secure a better life, sound democracy, a just state that embraces all its citizens, a state of institutions for the people who headed to the ballot boxes and chose their representatives to this state and to these institutions...�
She therefore called on �all the Lebanese who feel isolated, marginalized and treated unfairly to stand their ground and uphold their democratic convictions, because no power can ignore their ballots. All they have to do is be patient and work, and allow their representatives to perform their tasks the best way they can, because we paid a hefty price for this civil peace and this democracy which we must protect today more than ever before. We also reiterate our confidence in the president of the republic, the head of the state and the symbol of national unity who is entrusted with the implementation of the constitution. He has protected the arenas during the days of the arenas, and guaranteed the freedom of expression to all sides. He faced terrorism and the attempts to tamper with Lebanon�s stability, and we are certain he will not allow the collapse of national unity or the undermining of national balance��

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel gives press conference on cabinet formation talks
February 7, 2011 /- We took upon ourselves the responsibility of extending a hand to all and giving Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati an opportunity to form a cabinet of national partnership. - We were the first to try to open a breach in the closed wall by holding consultations in coordination with our allies, based on the openness and moderation that PM Najib Mikati expressed when he was appointed to form the cabinet. - Our hand is still extended if there is an intention to renew communications. We wonder [at] the March 8 team, [which] used to [profess] the logic of consensual democracy and used to believe that these decisions must be taken through consensus.
- We do not understand � consensus was not accepted, and [they did not accept that] the democratic game be governed according to the exact course that [they] specified during the terms of the past two governments.
- In politics we cannot say that doors are �closed,� but at this moment, after all the contacts that were made in agreement and continual communication with March 14 forces, we were unable to reach a solution that achieves the national interest and true consensus.
- At the same time, it grieves me that we have reached this result after all these good intentions that we showed.
- I warn against proceeding in this path, and against the formation of a unilateral cabinet, a cabinet that imposes its view on all. We saw what happened around us, and we have no need to live this kind of atmosphere, where the government is unilateral � especially because we know the opinion of a vast swathe of Lebanese, which they expressed during the elections. This course will not serve the country�s interest.
- We have reached a closed door. Everyone bears his responsibility. We do know not whether this serves the interest of this [March 8] team, which pushes the country in this direction and bears responsibility for its results.
- I believe that Hezbollah is the side that has the most control over the game, and has the primary influence on the course of events.
- I thank Speaker Nabih Berri. I shared his opinion when he said that he wants true partnership. It remains for us to agree on the meaning of partnership.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks during festival celebrating Egyptian Arabism and the Path of Resistance.
Now Lebanon/February 7, 2011
- Today we meet to announce our solidarity with the Egyptian and Tunisian people and youth.
- I want to address the youth of Tunisia and Egypt because we delayed several days in taking a stance � not because of hesitation or confusion.
- In the Lebanese parties, we have all this history in confronting Israel and we cannot stand on a [neutral] hill between oppressor and oppressed.
- We want for you that you not be accused. You have been accused now, and this is the reason [for taking this stance].
- If we had addressed you before, it would have been said that Hezbollah cells were behind your mobilization � or Hamas or Iranian Revolutionary Guard cells, as they are starting to say. Then the Egyptian people�s demands would have been turned [in the accusations of adversaries] into mobilization on behalf of a foreign agenda.
- We had an experience when one of our brothers was detained, and he was alone. He was helping the [Muslim] Brothers in Gaza [and was] accused of being part of a Hezbollah cell � you all know the weight of the accusations directed against us.
- Therefore we hesitated, and we undertook wide consultations with the Egyptian brothers and they advised us to wait. The accusation of one person in Egypt that he is listening to foreign [directives], even if they are only in support, or that the suspicion of interference in Egyptians� internal affairs � this would arouse Egyptian sensitivities.
- Today we announce our solidarity. One aspect of this solidarity is our defense of this revolution, and one responsibility in this defense is clarifying the true picture of the revolution, as the facts confirm it.
- We will listen to the Egyptian people�s speech, because they are best able to explain to us the truth, content, goals, and form of their revolution.
- We are facing a true patriotic popular Egyptian revolution, in which Christians and Muslims are participating, as well as various civil and ideological currents and all the classes of the people. The predominant element in it is the youth.
- We are facing a complete revolution, and it is the product of this people. This people decides what it wants and where it is going, and what regime it wants.
- All the accusations [that the people] are following foreign [directives] � whatever foreign [country] � will fail, and have fallen before the greatness of the Egyptian people�s will.
- The essence of this revolution and uprising � and we have heard many explanations from the friends of Israel and America that want to convince the world that what is going on in Egypt is a revolution of bread, hunger, and food.
- The truth that we tell the world today, and those holding sit-ins in the squares, is that we are facing a complete revolution that is a revolution of the poor, the free, those seeking liberty and rejecting the humiliation that has been imposed in this country through its surrender to America.
- This is a socio-political humanitarian revolution against oppression, corruption, repression, hunger, and the waste of the country�s potential, [against] the policies of the regime in the Arab-Israeli struggle.
- One of the responsibilities of solidarity with Egypt�s revolution is cleansing it of everything they are trying to stick to it. The worst accusation we have heard � which we heard also against Tunisia�s revolution � is that the revolution is the product of the American administration.
- This is a great injustice. Any Arab human, Muslim, or free person who can think in this way about the youth of Tunisia or Egypt is committing a great injustice and is insulting the minds, wills, consciousness, culture, and understanding of these youth and peoples.
- Is it believable that America aims to overthrow a regime that does whatever it wants and faithfully protects its interests and projects? If we listen to the Americans from the Republican and Democratic parties, and the praise they have given to the president of the regime and the services he has provided, can anyone believe that America, which assesses and views this president in this way, is working to overthrow his regime?
- We heard the same tune in 1979, when they said that Imam Khomeini was working for the CIA and that the American administration was fomenting the [Iranian] revolution. The truth revealed by victory and the days, years, and decades afterwards is that Imam Khomeini was an honest person loyal to the ambitions of his community. This is the case with the people and youth of Tunisia and Egypt today.
- The Americans are trying to absorb the revolution and ride its wave to improve their ugly picture in our world, presenting themselves as defenders of these people�s liberty after decades of support for the worst dictators our world has seen.
- The basic fact is � and we have for many years read this in the media, in books, and in the work of American universities.
� that the American administration has done many studies and opinion polls, in our Arab and Islamic world especially, and the clear results are that the crushing majority of our peoples oppose and reject American policies. This is not hostility toward the American people, but to American policies.
- This is not hostility toward the American people. Most of them are pitiable � they do not know what is going on in the world. The reason for this stance against America�s policies in our world is its absolute embrace of Israel�s policies and dictatorial regimes allied with it. American hypocrisy is revealed in its double standard.
- The American administration is concerned with its interests and Israel�s interests, not who is in power [in the Arab world]. They have no veto against anyone � not an Islamic movement, nor leftists, rightist, or secular. They are not occupied with the ideological or religious identity of the alternative. What matters [to them] is the political stance, and does [the alternative ruler] commit to American interests. If he makes this commitment, they have no problem with him at all.
- The Egyptian people must be sure of their revolution�s effect on the balances of the world and region. It has made itself an event of global importance. It is enough that global opinion see this intense tie between the American administration and its allies, and its failure to understand and deal with the revolution.
- Look at the Israeli panic that 14 days of Egyptian mobilization produced. I do not want to describe the regime that the Egyptian people challenge today, but I say look at the Israeli consensus about the Egyptian regime�s evaluation and its strategic services to Israel, from Camp David to today.
- Israel is talking about the loss of another strong ally in the region. There is Israeli consensus on protecting this regime and its president. They said clearly that what protects Israel is the dictatorships in the region, and they blame the Americans.
- Israel works day and night to pressure decision-makers in the world to protect it. There is a regime whose people wants to overthrow it, and they have filled the squares in the millions and sacrificed hundreds of martyrs and thousands of wounded. The question to the religious authorities in this world, and to all honorable people and to the Arab elites and peoples, is where do you stand? Will you stand with Israel, defending the regime, or with the Egyptian people that wants to overthrow this regime?
- To all those who believe in a day of judgment: tomorrow we will ask God about the stance in this historical moment. Those who stand in a neutral position today, or on the other side [with Israel and the Egyptian regime], will be held accountable.
- We must stand decisively with the Egyptian people. We say to you: we will not interfere in your domestic affair; you are deciding what you are doing. But as friends and brothers, we want to express our belief that what you are doing is very great and is one of the most important chapters of the [Islamic] community�s history. Your victory will change the face of our region completely, in favor of the interest of all our peoples.
- You are fighting the battle of Arab dignity, which was oppressed and insulted by rulers for decades. What you have done is no less important than the historic steadfastness of the Resistance of Lebanon during the 2006 July War, and the historic resistance during the Gaza war. We see the faces of our martyrs in yours, and we see in your steadfastness in the squares the same steadfastness of the Resistance�s heroes in Lebanon and Palestine.
- Our oppressed peoples are today hanging great hopes on you and your victory. It is said that Egypt is the mother of the world, and you today in Egypt can change the face of the world.
- In the name of God and the Resistance, and of all the parties, we pray for you and place all our abilities at the disposal of the people and youth of Egypt. All of us are praying that God will bring you victory and strengthen you through all those oppressed in this world.

UK's Cameron: Europe must wake up on extremism
Feb 5, 7:21 /By DAVID STRINGER
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110205/D9L6K1HG0.html
MUNICH (AP) - Europe must stamp out intolerance of Western values within its own Muslim communities and far-right groups if it is to defeat the roots of terrorism, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday. Cameron told the annual Munich Security Conference that European governments have been too tolerant of some sectors of society that publicly oppose democracy or reject equal rights for all. He said Britain had found that many convicted terrorists had initially been influenced by so-called "nonviolent extremists" - people who aren't involved in encouraging plots, but denounce Western politics and culture - before going on to carry out violence.
"We won't defeat terrorism simply by the actions we take outside our borders. Europe needs to wake up to what is happening in our own countries," Cameron told the conference.
Both Britain and Germany have had noisy domestic debates about the impact of immigration, and the difficulties of integrating some religious communities, or those who struggle with the language of their new home. In an attack on Britain's previous government, Cameron said authorities there had been too hesitant to intervene when some sectors of society espoused abhorrent views. "We have even tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run counter to our values," Cameron said. "We have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream."
Cameron said a culture of tolerance had allowed both Islamic extremists, and far-right extremists, to build support for their causes. "We've been too cautious, frankly even fearful, to stand up to them," he said. Some European allies have criticized Britain for harboring hardline Islamic clerics and failing to clamp down on mosques that promote a perverted view of Islam.
Several terrorists involved in attacks or attempted plots in the U.S., Sweden, Denmark and Norway over the last two years have had links to Britain, or British-based clerics.
"If we are to defeat this threat, I believe it's time to turn the page on the failed policies of the past," Cameron said. "Instead of ignoring this extremist ideology, we - as governments and societies - have got to confront it, in all its forms." He told the conference that developments in the Middle East should be harnessed to disprove Muslims who claim their religion cannot be observed properly within the democratic system. "If they want an example of how Western values and Islam can be entirely compatible, they should look at what's happened in the past few weeks on the streets of Tunis and Cairo," Cameron said. Mohammed Shafiq, of the Ramadhan Foundation - a British Muslim youth group - said in a statement following the speech that Cameron has risked angering Muslims by suggesting there was widespread intolerance within the religion. "Singlingout Muslims as he has done feeds the hysteria and paranoia about Islam and Muslims," Shafiq said. "British Muslims abhor terrorism and extremism and we have worked hard to eradicate this evil from our country."
The British leader's comments follow tensions across Europe since November of possible new terrorist attacks. Officials said last year that a sleeper cell of some 20 to 25 people may have been planning an attack inside Germany or another European nation. Nine men were charged last month in Britain over an alleged plan to attack Parliament and the U.S. Embassy in London. Last week, the U.S. State Department warned of an ongoing high threat-level in Britain, and told tourists of a specific risk to transit networks and airports.

Update on the Situation in Egypt
February 6, 2011 - 3:25 p.m.
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/054.aspx
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the latest developments in Egypt:
�We take note that discussions between the Egyptian government and opposition parties have begun. Canada reiterates its support for the people of Egypt as they embark on this vital transition toward a more democratic system of government. As I have said before, it is ultimately up to the Egyptian people to decide who will govern them.
�This transition must be both orderly and guided by values such as non-violence, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of religious minorities.
�We expect that any government that will emerge will uphold Egypt�s commitment to international law, as well as all past peace accords and agreements, including with Israel.
�We believe that reform must make Egypt and the region more stable. While the need for democratic reforms is pressing, reform should not occur in a vacuum that could result in extremism, violence and intolerance. All elements of any future government must never seek to attain political objectives through terrorism.
�Canada stands by the people of Egypt as they work toward a peaceful and democratic transition.�

Suleiman Won't Approve New Government Unless it Reflects National Unity
President Michel Suleiman's visitors revealed that he will not approve a new government unless it reflects national unity, reported the Saudi al-Watan newspaper on Sunday.
Sources from the Baabda Palace told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that Suleiman is keen on overcoming this "critical and difficult" phase in Lebanon by maintaining national unity, respecting the constitution, and resorting to the national dialogue. They stressed that the president is very eager to form a new government that would ensure the greatest possible participation of all political powers and that would be able to seriously tackle internal and external challenges, starting with protecting stability and security and eliminating all issues that may endanger Lebanon on the regional scene. This requires that a one-sided "provocative" government should not be formed, but a new Cabinet should instead be comprised of qualified ministers whose expertise transcends political calculations.On Saturday, Suleiman had hoped that Lebanese officials would cooperate with Premier-designate Najib Miqati to form a cabinet that would face administrative, economic and security challenges. The government should be formed "based on the democratic principles that distinguish Lebanon," he said.
The Cabinet should "confront the challenges in the administrative and economic fields," the president stated, adding it should provide security to citizens.
Beirut, 06 Feb 11, 11:03

Iran is ready to start defense funding for Lebanon: minister
By The Daily Star /Monday, February 07, 2011
BEIRUT: Iran is ready to commence funding and cooperation for Lebanon�s defense program following a request from Beirut, the Islamic Republic�s defense minister said over the weekend. Ahmad Vahidi�s announcement came amid speculation that the U.S., Lebanon�s principal defense provider, will review its funding policy after the collapse of caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri�s coalition government. �The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced its readiness for defense cooperation with Lebanon,� Vahidi said. �Whenever the Lebanese side is ready to start this cooperation it will submit its request,� the state-run IRNA news agency quoted the minister as saying.
Hariri visited Tehran in November and discussed military cooperation with Iranian officials. His trip followed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad�s two-day visit to Lebanon, in which the prospect of defense funding was raised. �Lebanon is our friend. If we receive any demand [for equipping their army], we have full potential to help them,� Vahidi said in 2010 following Hariri�s visit. He added that Lebanon �needs military equipment to defend its borders against Israel.� The U.S. has provided Lebanon with up to $700 million worth of military aid since the end of 2006. It continues to train and equip Lebanese Army recruits, although questions have been raised in Washington over the legitimacy of providing funding to a country containing Hezbollah, officially designated by the State Department as a terrorist organization. Concerns were voiced following the August 2010 clash between Lebanese and Israeli Army patrols at Adaysseh, close to the Blue Line, which killed two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist, as well as a senior Israeli officer. A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed in October that Washington would continue to provide military aid to Lebanon, although disquiet among U.S. lawmakers has increased following the collapse of Hariri�s national unity cabinet and the nomination by MPs of Prime Minister designate Najib Mikati, backed by Hezbollah. � The Daily Star

Higher Islamic Council urges respect for national figures
By The Daily Star /Monday, February 07, 2011
BEIRUT: The Higher Islamic Legal Council rejected over the weekend any insults against national figures and called for closing Muslim and Lebanese ranks, as well as avoiding all incitement of strife and divisions. A statement issued after the council convened in Dar al-Fatwa under Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani called for �avoiding stances that arouse the emotions of the Lebanese,� adding that this �requires the highest levels of awareness and wisdom.� The council rejected �the policy of insulting national figures,� and called for �adhering to invariables that were approved by political leaders and that secure justice and stability.� The statement urged the Lebanese to embrace national figures, �in order to revive the country.�
Regarding developments in Egypt, the council voiced hope that Egypt would restore its �historical leading role in the region as well as in the world,� and called for protecting peaceful protesters, as it warned against chaos and violence. The statement called for a comprehensive national dialogue in Egypt that meets the ambitions of the Egyptian people and fulfills the hopes of the Arab and Islamic nations. Egypt has been seeing ongoing protests since Jan.25 demanding the resignation of the country�s President Hosni Mubarak, among other things. � The Daily Star

Lebanon's Speaker Nabih Berri: Cabinet will be formed within one week
By Hussein Dakroub /Daily Star staff
Monday, February 07, 2011
BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri struck an upbeat note Sunday about Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati�s efforts to form a government, saying he expected the birth of the new Cabinet within a week. Meanwhile, the Kataeb (Phalange) Party, which has been negotiating with Mikati on its possible participation along with its March 14 allies in the new government, said it was still waiting for answers from the prime minister-designate on its demands for guarantees regarding Hezbollah�s weapons and the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
�Matters are heading in the right direction. I think the issue [of Cabinet formation] is not tied to a certain day or a specific date,� Berri said during a chat with journalists who accompanied him on the plane to Qatar to attend the 17th Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, the state-run National News Agency reported.
�I also think that the birth of this government will be the fastest � Matters are going on steadily,� Berri said.
Later Sunday, Berri held a meeting behind closed doors in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Jabr al-Thani to discuss the latest developments in the Lebanese crisis and in the Arab region. Hamad also hosted a dinner for Berri and the accompanying delegation.
Berri�s remarks come as Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition, was struggling to form a government that includes March 8 and March 14 representatives.
Billionaire Mikati, 55, was appointed by President Michel Sleiman on Jan. 25 to form a new government to replace caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri�s toppled Cabinet.
Hariri�s Cabinet was brought down on Jan. 12 in a long-running rift between the March 8 and March 14 camps over the STL, which is investigating the 2005 assassination of Hariri�s father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Berri said that from Monday, Mikati�s consultations with political leaders would touch on the distribution of portfolios and names of candidates to join the government.
�Matters are positive from all the parties. With regard to the March 14 position, I think what [former] President Amin Gemayel is proposing is subject to discussion and acceptance,� Berri said.
Gemayel, the Kataeb Party leader, has held three rounds of talks with Mikati on the March 14 coalition�s possible participation in the government. He warned after meeting Mikati Friday of the consequences of the formation of a one-sided government dominated by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies, saying such a government would weaken the president�s prerogatives and role.
Gemayel�s son, Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel, said his party was still waiting for answers from Mikati before deciding on participation in the government. �We want real partnership in running the government. We demand guarantees [from Mikati] concerning the international tribunal and the [Hezbollah�s] arms,� Sami Gemayel told The Daily Star.
He said his party was demanding that its views and positions be respected in any government and that the government would not not be dominated by a Hezbollah-led March 8 monopoly.
Asked whether the Kataeb Party was seeking a public commitment from Mikati not to end Lebanon�s cooperation with STL, similar to the demand made by Hariri�s parliamentary Future bloc, Gemayel said, �We want guarantees that the international tribunal will not be abolished.�
Sami Gemayel added that contacts between the Kataeb Party and Mikati were continuing in an attempt to iron out political differences.
If it eventually decides to participate, the Kataeb Party will have two ministers in the new government, a source close to Mikati said. The Kataeb had one representative in Hariri�s Cabinet.
In addition to Gemayel, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and caretaker Labor Minister Butros Harb have held talks with Mikati on March 14 participation in the government. Geagea has said that the March 14 parties will either participate in the new government altogether or no one will.
The Kataeb Party�s caretaker Social Affairs Minister Salim Sayyegh said Sleiman will not sign any decree on a Cabinet formation that runs contrary to the country�s National Charter, which calls for all sects to be represented in the government. �The president will always remain a protector of the Constitution,� he said.
Since his appointment on Jan. 25, Mikati has promised to form a government that includes all the feuding parties. However, his attempts to set up a national unity Cabinet have hit snags after Hariri said that his Future bloc would not join a government headed by a March 8-backed candidate.
The March 14 coalition has urged Mikati to clarify his position on the STL and the issue of illegitimate arms before deciding on its participation in the government.
Hariri�s Future bloc has also called on Mikati to make a public commitment not to end Lebanon�s cooperation with the STL, as demanded by Hezbollah and its allies.
Future MPs have said that they were still waiting for Mikati�s response. Mikati has said he refused to make any commitment to any party, stressing that the dispute over the STL could be resolved through dialogue.
The STL has divided the Lebanese into two rival camps and is threatening to destabilize the country, as the STL�s indictment is widely expected to accuse some Hezbollah members of involvement in Hariri�s assassination.
Hezbollah reiterated its call for the formation of a government with the widest possible representation.
�In Lebanon, we have entered a new stage at the political level � We are poised for the formation of a government which we want to be a partnership government, with the broadest possible representation in order for all [parties] to cooperate to serve their country,� Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah told a rally in the southern village of Markaba. �We are convinced that this country cannot rise except by understanding and common cooperation.�
Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed during their meeting in the Syrian city of Aleppo Sunday �to make all possible efforts to ensure Lebanon�s stability, security and prosperity,� the official Syrian news agency SANA reported.

Kataeb will only join Mikati's cabinet as a 'true partner'
By The Daily Star
Friday, February 04, 2011
BEIRUT: Kataeb (Phalange) Party leader Amin Gemayel said Thursday that his group wants to serve as true partners and not �false witnesses� in any new government.
Gemayel, who has met twice with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati to discuss the Kataeb�s possible participation in the new government, accused the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance of delaying the cabinet formation by putting conditions on Mikati.
�We want partnership [in the new government], but it must be real,� Gemayel said in a statement after meeting with the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Frances Guy. �Partnership has its conditions. It doesn�t mean that we�ll serve as false witnesses in any government. These conditions aren�t about individuals, but instead are national in character, in order to protect Lebanon�s future.� He said the Kataeb Party and its allies in the March 14 coalition were continuing contacts with Mikati to discuss the coalition�s participation in the new government.
�Despite all the good intentions we sensed from him [Mikati] and his principled responsiveness to take on urgent issues, the other [March 8] parties do not seem to be facilitating his mission, and neither do they seem to be accepting this partnership they claim. Consequently, they put up obstacles and conditions that do not serve the country�s interest,� Gemayel said.
In addition to Gemayel, Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition, has met separately with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and caretaker Labor Minister Butros Harb to discuss March 14�s possible participation in the government.
Mikati was appointed last week by President Michel Sleiman to form a new government to replace caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri�s Cabinet, which was toppled on Jan. 12 with the resignations of ministers of Hezbollah and its March 8 allies in a dispute over the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The STL is probing the 2005 assassination of Hariri�s father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Mikati has since been struggling to form a national unity government that includes some political rivals from the March 14 coalition. While Hariri has said he would not join a government headed by a March 8-backed candidate, the March 14 coalition is yet to decide on whether to join Mikati�s government.
The coalition has urged Mikati to clarify his position on the STL and the issue of illegitimate arms before deciding on its participation in the government. Hariri�s parliamentary Future bloc has also called on Mikati to make a public commitment not to end Lebanon�s cooperation with the STL, as demanded by Hezbollah and its allies.
Mikati has said he has refused to make any commitment to any party, stressing that conflicting demands by the rival factions could be solved through dialogue.
Asked if the Kataeb Party was ready to participate in the government unilaterally, Gemayel said, �We are in constant contact with the March 14 leaders. We will draw up a common concept or position in this regard.�
The Kataeb Party�s caretaker Social Affairs Minister Salim Sayegh told the state-run television, Tele-Liban, that Mikati must be given a chance to come up with �creative solutions� for the cabinet formation. He denied that the Kataeb Party was negotiating to join the government unilaterally.
�Matters need to be approached in a different way. Prime Minister [designate] Mikati is hoping for the broadest participation in the government,� Sayyegh said.
�If a government of real partnership is not formed to face important developments, this could take the conflict in Lebanon beyond the authority of institutions, where decisions are taken. This is bad,� he added. � The Daily Star

When revolutionary euphoria subsides: Lessons from Ukraine
By Yulia Tymoshenko
Daily Star/Monday, February 07, 2011
From snowy Kyiv, I have watched the revolutions in Cairo and Tunis with joy and admiration. Egyptians and Tunisians are right to be proud of their desire to peacefully overthrow despotic governments. But as someone who led a peaceful revolution, I hope that pride is tempered by pragmatism, because a change of regime is only the first step in establishing a democracy backed by the rule of law. Indeed, as my country, Ukraine, is now demonstrating, after revolutionary euphoria fades and normality returns, democratic revolutions can be betrayed and reversed.
The first of Ukraine�s lessons for Egyptian and Tunisian democrats is that elections do not a democracy make. After all, what if the enemies of freedom use elections to entrench their anti-democratic agendas? What if elements of the old regime, or the cadres of militant minorities, only pretend to embrace democratic norms in order to hijack the new democracy?
In Ukraine today, these are not abstract questions. Six years after our Orange Revolution, not only is my country�s democracy under threat, but the rule of law is being systematically perverted and our national independence bartered away. Indeed, the hybrid presidential/parliamentary system that Ukraine established as part of the settlement which brought a peaceful end to our revolution is being hollowed out in order to concentrate all political power in the hands of a supposedly democratically elected president.
Of course, Ukraine�s plight does not mean that the people of Egypt and Tunisia should spurn the call for free elections. Determining the will of the people does require expression through the ballot box. But elections alone cannot solve the fundamental political problems confronting Egypt and Tunisia. In particular, they cannot create a liberal order and open society.
To be effective, elections must be preceded by an extensive debate, in which political arguments are made, attacked, defended and, ultimately, embodied in ideologically coherent party organizations. Democratic consent can truly be given only when voters know what they are consenting to. Whoever refuses to make a public case for what he or she intends to do when in power, or lies about it � as Ukraine�s current president, Viktor Yanukovich, did during his campaign last year � is no supporter of the democracy that citizens risked their lives to establish.
Moreover, democracy must be rooted in the rule of law. There must be accepted rules that are binding on everyone in politics, so that whoever does not accept or obey them is disqualified. Yanukovich�s naked attempt to hijack the election that precipitated the Orange Revolution should have caused him to be banned from running in future elections. Yet he was not.
A second lesson follows from this. The fact that a government has been democratically elected does not mean that the cause of freedom has prevailed. The rest of the world must not turn a blind eye to authoritarian backsliding. Yet today, not only are many of Ukraine�s neighbors silent about Yanukovich�s strangulation of Ukraine�s democracy, but some openly celebrate the supposed �stability� that his regime has imposed. For decades, Egyptians and Tunisians paid a high a price in freedom for the stability of others. They must never be asked, or forced, to pay it again.
One way to help prevent a democratic revolution from being betrayed from within is by building a genuine civil society. We in Ukraine learned this truth from harsh experience in the communist era. Although communism could, every now and then, coexist with private property, and sometimes with private enterprise, it could never coexist with civil society. The most fateful attack to accompany the installation of any dictatorship is an attack on civil society.
In Ukraine, freedom of speech was, on communism�s fall, restored overnight. But reviving civil society � the many mutually complementary ways in which citizens participate in public life � is a complicated task, as the peoples of Egypt and Tunisia will soon find out. The reason is self-evident: civil society is an intricate, fragile, even mysterious entity that evolves over decades, if not centuries. Its pillars � private, voluntary associations, decentralization of the state, and delegation of political power to independent bodies � must be nurtured patiently and from below.
Where civil society remains underdeveloped, every problem filters up to the �Big Man� squatting at the top. So the more power is concentrated at the center, the more it becomes possible for anti-democratic forces to gain � or regain � control over a country.
As the people around the world encourage the coming of democracy to Tunisia � and, one hopes, to Egypt � let us not be beguiled by its formal trappings. Let us celebrate the arrival in North Africa of the spirit of liberty and of solidarity, which brought Ukraine its liberty once and will do so again. And let us pledge that our solidarity does not end at the borders of our nations. Freedom � true freedom � is indivisible.
**Yuliya Tymosheko was prime minister of Ukraine and is now leader of the opposition. THE DAILY STAR publishes this commentary in collaboration with Project Syndicate � (www.project-syndicate.org).

Sami Gemayel: March 8 must reject our conditions if it wants one-sided cabinet

February 6, 2011

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�If [March 8] wants to form a one-sided cabinet, then it must� reject our conditions for joining the cabinet,� Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel told MTV on Sunday, adding that he is not a candidate for any ministerial position in the next cabinet.

Commenting on the Kataeb Party�s initiative to negotiate with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, Gemayel said this step prevented the March 8 coalition from being able to claim that March 14 rejected its offer to have the blocking third.

�All we ask is to be given the blocking third, and the ministerial portfolios that their representatives had. [They can take] the ministerial portfolios our representatives had in the previous cabinet.�

Mikati, who was appointed to the premiership on January 25 with the backing of March 8, has called on all Lebanese parties to join his upcoming cabinet.

However, March 14 parties have said that they will not take part in a cabinet headed by Mikati and have also asked that he first clarify his stance on non-state weapons and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is investigating former PM Rafik Hariri�s 2005 murder.

-NOW Lebanon

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