LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِMarch 11/2011

Bible Of The Day/God and Mammon.
Matthew 6/24-26: �No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can�t serve both God and Mammon. 6:25 Therefore I tell you, don�t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn�t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 6:26 See the birds of the sky, that they don�t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren�t you of much more value than they?"

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Interview with The commander of the Lebanese Army John Kahwagi: Pledged support yet to materialize/Daily Star/March 10/11
Offer Shiites an arms-for-power swap/By: Michael Young/March 10/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 10/11
Storm hits Lebanon and causes landslide and damages crops/Daily Star
Saudi Arabia Under Pressure to Ease Protest Ban/Naharnet
Israeli Television: Third War with Hizbullah Will Include 230 Villages South of Awali River/Naharnet
Lebanon's Catholic bishops meet to elect new patriarch/Monsters and Critics
Patriarch elections begin in isolation/Daily Star
Maronite Archbishops kick off talks on new Lebanese patriarch/Now Lebanon
Sfeir Describes as Abnormal Presence of Arms Outside State Control/Naharnet
Report: U.S. Scolded Salameh Over Alleged Transfer of Billions from Syria to Lebanon/Naharnet
Maronite Bishops Go Behind Closed Doors to Elect 77th Patriarch/Naharnet
HRW urges probe into Syrians missing in Lebanon/iloubnan.info
Baroud: Case of Missing Syrians is Now in the Hands of the Judiciary/Naharnet
March 14 Document: A Roadmap to Put Hizbullah Arms Under State Legitimacy/Naharnet
March 14 Campaign Against Arms Expected to Push for Quick Cabinet Formation/Naharnet
Hannibal Gadhafi's Lebanese Wife is Still in Libya, Brother Says/Naharnet
Hariri Wants a Country that Doesn't Differentiate between the Lebanese/Naharnet
Berri Says March 14 Striving for Power, Not Justice/Naharnet
Sami Gemayel Files Complaint against Raad: He Violated Parliament, Attributing Positions to it that it Didn't Make /Naharnet
Secretary-general of the Association of Banks in Lebanonr: Banks need tougher measures to guard against money laundering/Daily Star
Lebanese dailies report on cabinet formation/Now Lebanon
West offers Libyan ceasefire for Qaddafi's pledge to save Benghazi/DEBKAfile

Storm causes landslide and damages crops
By The Daily Star
Thursday, March 10, 2011
BEIRUT: Extensive material damage emerged Wednesday as a heavy rain storm hitting Lebanon was expected to intensify in coming days, and Internal Security Forces and Civil Defense teams continued relief efforts. The Civil Defense said Wednesday its personnel carried out more than 85 first aid and rescue missions as well as 10 firefighting operations.
Two families in Tyre escaped a landslide that could have had disastrous consequences for 11 people in the village of Toula early Wednesday. The incident damaged three cars parked near the residences of the Hassan and Haidar families. The storm also inflicted damage throughout the country. The agricultural sector bore severe losses, as citrus orchards, banana groves and greenhouses were damaged in several parts of Hasbaya. In Nabatieh, heavy rains flooded streets and damaged greenhouses in the villages of Zawtar and Yohmor, while in Marjayoun, a water tank fell on a car, but caused no injuries. Tyre�s commercial and fishermen ports stopped working amid high waves along the coast to the north of the city. The heavy rain also flooded the city�s streets after sewage networks were blocked. In the Chouf mountains, the strong wind pulled up trees and caused an electricity blackout in a number of towns. As of noon, snow started falling at 900 meters above sea level, which blocked a number of main and side roads in the area.
The stormy weather is expected to intensify in the coming few days with snowfall expected at 800 meters, accompanied by gusts of wind and low temperatures particularly in northern areas, the Civil Aviation Authority said. The ISF urged people to take the necessary precautions when driving on mountainous roads and to refrain from embarking on any journeys that were not necessary. As for those travelling on mountainous roads, the ISF and Civil Defense urged people to carry food and water supplies as well as basic first aid equipment, blankets, batteries, a small shovel and flashlights. Those residing in mountainous areas were advised to stock up on food supplies, medicine, and diesel or wood for heating, while periodically airing out their homes to avoid the danger of suffocation. � The Daily Star

Patriarch elections begin in isolation
Bkirki closed to outside world for up to 15 days as bishops vote on Sfeir�s replacement
By The Daily Star
Thursday, March 10, 2011
BEIRUT: Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate, locked its doors Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in isolation from the outside world to prepare for the election of a successor to Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, the head of Lebanon�s influential eastern Catholic Church.
The first electoral rounds will begin Friday morning or afternoon after a secretary general � to preside over electoral rounds � and a committee to sort out votes is elected Thursday by the Synod of Bishops following hours of prayers. Former Kesrouan MP Farid Haykal Khazen and former ambassador Amin Khazen locked the patriarchate�s doors to visitors. By tradition, members of the Khazen family stand guard in Bkirki until a patriarch is elected. The tradition began in 1703 when a member of the Khazen family used to guard the monastery, which was then under construction, before it became the seat of the patriarchate in 1823. Thirty-seven Maronite bishops, among them several presiding over dioceses across the world, arrived in Bkirki by Wednesday afternoon after flying to Lebanon. Before the doors were locked, the bishops, headed by Sfeir, gathered in the patriarchate�s church to voice prayers with the participation of the Vatican�s ambassador, Gabriel Caccia. As doors were closed, all Bkirki�s telecommunications were shut down, including landline phones and Internet access. Special equipment to jam cellular phone signal within the patriarchate perimeter was also deployed.
Two more bishops were expected to arrive at Bkirki as The Daily Star went to press, raising the number of attending bishops to 39 out of a total of 41 entitled to vote, including Sfeir.
Heads of U.S. dioceses, bishops John Chedid and Stephen Hector Douaihy, are missing the conclave due to illness. The spiritual conclave, which could take up to 15 days, requires a quorum of two-thirds of the attending bishops for a new patriarch to be elected. If the bishops fail to elect a patriarch after 15 days, it is left to the Vatican to appoint one.
A maximum of 60 rounds of elections will take place with four rounds daily: two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
When asked about the circumstances governing the electoral process, the bishops were unanimous in calling for the Holy Spirit to inspire them to elect the best candidate.
Earlier in the day, politicians and state officials flocked to Bkirki in farewell visits to Sfeir with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun among the high-profile attendees.
Aoun, whose relations with Sfeir have experienced tension recently due the patriarch�s criticism of the arsenal of Aoun�s ally Hezbollah, said he came �to thank the patriarch for the long years he spent as head of the church, particularly under the difficult circumstances that faced Lebanon.� �There was no misunderstanding between the patriarch and me, but rather two points of view exist. �However, this does not mean that hostility exists,� Aoun added. Touching on his ally�s weapons, Aoun said the current timing was inappropriate to demand Hezbollah surrender its arms to the state. �But no one is calling to maintain the possession of weapons [by non-state actors] forever,� he added. Separately, France�s ambassador to Lebanon, Denis Pietton, handed the patriarch a letter from President Nicolas Sarkozy praising Sfeir�s role during his 25-year tenure. � The Daily Star

Maronite Bishops Go Behind Closed Doors to Elect 77th Patriarch
Naharnet/The Synod of Maronite Bishops went into retreat on Wednesday to elect the 77th church leader after Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.
Bkirki's doors closed at 6:00 pm. The bishops will pray and hear lectures until Friday when the actual electoral process begins. Bishop Roland Abu Jawdeh will preside over the electoral rounds. In the first session, a secretary will be elected and starting Friday the bishops will hold two electoral rounds in the morning and two in the afternoon until one of the bishops gets the two-thirds of the votes. An Nahar daily said that 38 or 39 bishops will not attend the synod after John Shedid and Hektor Istfan Dwaihi refused to come to Lebanon from the U.S. over health reasons. The newspaper also quoted church sources as saying that two other bishops, Georges Abu Saber and Youssef Massoud Massoud, could also not participate in the electoral process. The sources said the election process would take several days only. Another source at the Maronite church told As Safir daily that "there is no political influence in the elections."
"The new patriarch will not deviate from Bkirki's national principles. Evidently he would have a different approach than Patriarch Sfeir � but the gist on national issues will remain the same," the source said. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 08:20

Archbishops kick off talks on new Lebanese patriarch
March 10, 2011 /The Maronite Patriarchate in Bkirki closed its doors Wednesday, marking the beginning of the process of electing a new Maronite patriarch for the country. (NOW Lebanon) The Maronite Patriarchate in Bkirki closed its doors on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the process of electing a new Maronite patriarch for the country.
A closed meeting between the Maronite Archbishops kicked off to elect a successor of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir this morning. According to An-Nahar�s Thursday edition, two sessions will be held every day for the next 15 days. �One before noon and one in the afternoon,� the daily reported. Sfeir submitted a request to be relieved of his post to the Vatican months ago. The Secretariat of the Maronite Patriarchate issued a statement in February that Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter to Sfeir accepting the latter�s resignation. Meanwhile, Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel said on Wednesday that he filed a complaint to Speaker Nabih Berri against Loyalty to the Resistance bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad due to the latter�s press conference held on March 4, in which a banner said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is a breach. Such a banner would make people think that it represents the entire parliament�s stance, Gemayel said in a press conference, and called for taking the appropriate measures to prevent such an incident from occurring again. The MP rejected Hezbollah�s attempts to control state institutions, and obstruct the army�s role in order to strengthen the role of the Resistance. �The campaign against the STL aims to prevent martyrs� families from knowing who killed their relatives. [Such a campaign] aims to obstruct [the achievement] of justice which is a basic principle for any country�s [well-being] and future.�
Raad said on Friday that the operation of the memoranda of understanding between all STL agencies and Lebanon must be frozen until the formation of a new cabinet that decides on them.
In other news, the Future Movement youth launched a campaign across Lebanese regions, entitled �Your Flag�Your Identity.�
According to a statement issued by the Future Movement, 10452 Lebanese flags � symbolizing Lebanon�s total area � will be distributed across the country as part of the preparations ahead of the March 14 coalition�s Sunday rally. The campaign was launched at outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri�s Qoreitem residence, the statement said.
The flags will be distributed to the people starting Thursday, the statement added. The March 14 coalition is holding a rally on Sunday �to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the Cedar Revolution� following the forced collapse of Saad Hariri�s unity government. March 14 has made it clear that it will not take part in the next cabinet, which will be headed by Najib Mikati, who is supported by the Syrian- Iranian-backed March 8 coalition. Hariri vowed last week to fight the use of non-state weapons �peacefully and democratically.�-NOW Lebanon

Israeli Television: Third War with Hizbullah Will Include 230 Villages South of Awali River
Naharnet/Israeli Channel Ten television broadcast preliminary images of what it claimed was a base in Syria where Hizbullah stored its rockets. The report said: "Hizbullah is arming itself at an unprecedented rate under the misleading cover of calm in the North." The base, located in Adra in Syria, lies 50 kilometers east of Damascus and serves as an "emergency storage unit for Hizbullah in Syria or Hizbullah's special region in the heart of Syria." These rockets are transported on a daily basis from Adra to northern Lebanon, the Bekaa, and the South, through smuggling routes. "The international community is aware of these images," the report stressed. It also addressed the Iranian deputy foreign minister's recent meeting to Lebanon, which it said was aimed at inspecting the "Iranian unit that it deployed at Lebanon's border with Israel." "In fact, the official arrived to make sure that Hizbullah is not wasting the gifts and funds Iran has invested in Lebanon. They want all matters to be ready should Iran's nuclear facilities be attacked," it continued. Given the extent of smuggling and the number of rockets being delivered, some of which have a range of 300 kilometers, then an attack by the Israeli army would include 230 villages south of the Awali River North of Sidon, and not just 180 villages as had previously been discussed, said the report. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 18:00

Report: U.S. Scolded Salameh Over Alleged Transfer of Billions from Syria to Lebanon
Naharnet/U.S. officials have reportedly chided Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh for helping Syria escape U.S. sanctions five years ago by transferring billions of dollars to Lebanon.
Al-Akhbar daily said Thursday that the officials told Salameh during his visit to Washington last week that the Central Bank's move led to a cover up to illegitimate operations carried out by several Lebanese banks, including alleged money laundering. They said "terrorist organizations in Lebanon and the region, particularly Hizbullah, benefited" from the move. Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department accused the Lebanese Canadian Bank of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of a drug lord with alleged links to Hizbullah. The bank had denied the charges and Salameh had said the institution complied with anti-laundering laws. Last week, the bank was acquired by Societe Generale. Al-Akhbar said that Salameh had promised the U.S. officials to find a solution to the LCB crisis. "And that's what happened." Beirut, 10 Mar 11, 09:50

March 14 Document: A Roadmap to Put Hizbullah Arms Under State Legitimacy
Naharnet/March 14 General-Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soaid said a political document that will be issued by the coalition on Thursday stresses the need to put Hizbullah's arms under the control of legitimate state institutions. In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio station, Soaid said the document also says that Hizbullah cannot coexist with citizens who abide by rules and regulations. As long as there are arms outside the control of the state, "the Lebanese Republic will not be formed," the March 14 official said. The goal of the March 14 campaign is "to organize a peaceful, democratic opposition to the weapons of Hizbullah, all militias in Lebanon and the weapons inside and outside the Palestinian camps," Soaid told The Daily Star. "In 2005, the goal was the arms and the weapons of the Syrian troops in Lebanon. Now we are focusing on the arms and weapons of Hizbullah," he said. Soaid expressed optimism that the alliance's campaign against Hizbullah's arms would succeed although its results would not be as quick as in Egypt and Tunisia. Inter-Lebanese relations should be settled under the Taef Accord, he told VDL. An Nahar daily said that the document, which will be launched following a large-scale meeting of March 14 leaderships at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut at 5:00 pm, vows to achieve the alliance's objectives by four means: The March 14 MPs bloc (a term used for the first time), parties, independents and civil society. The document finally calls for a massive turnout at the rally that will be held at the Martyrs Square on Sunday "where the people would be stronger than weapons," An Nahar said. Beirut, 10 Mar 11, 08:57

March 14 Campaign Against Arms Expected to Push for Quick Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/The March 14 alliance's campaign against Hizbullah's arms is expected to push for the quick formation of the new government, An Nahar newspaper reported Thursday.
The daily quoted Speaker Nabih Berri's advisor MP Ali Hassan Khalil as saying that "the appropriate answer to the slogans launched by the March 14 team is to speed up the government formation process." Informed sources told An Nahar that the cabinet could be formed next week after Premier-designate Najib Miqati held intense talks in the past 48 hours with officials involved in the government formation process. Media reports said that Miqati met with Berri on Tuesday and held talks with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat's envoy, Caretaker Minister Ghazi Aridi, on Wednesday. Miqati's circles also said that ties between the prime minister-designate and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun are "very good" denying reports about deteriorating relations. Despite optimism that the cabinet would witness light soon, it was not yet clear if Miqati succeeded in bringing the viewpoints of Aoun and President Michel Suleiman closer. Both Aoun and Suleiman are insisting on getting the interior ministry portfolio which was part of the president's share in Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri's government. Beirut, 10 Mar 11, 08:12

Hannibal Gadhafi's Lebanese Wife is Still in Libya, Brother Says
Naharnet/Aline Skaff, the Lebanese wife of Hannibal Gadhafi, is still in Libya and hasn't attempted to flee the strife-torn country, her brother Danny told An Nahar newspaper. "Aline last visited Beirut on New Year," Danny Skaff said. "She comes to Lebanon at least twice or three times a year and spends around two months" here. Asked if his sister was still in Libya, Danny told An Nahar: "Of course. She is there with the family and she hasn't made a request to come to Lebanon.""Reports about a plane that was prevented from landing at Beirut airport and that reportedly Aline was on board are not true," he stressed. Danny said Aline's father-in-law, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, has a sense of humor and Hannibal is modest.
The 31-year-old model met Hannibal in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Skeikh in 2000, her brother told An Nahar. "They later met in France and got married in Copenhagen in 2003."The couple has a son and a daughter. Beirut, 10 Mar 11, 09:25

Baroud: Case of Missing Syrians is Now in the Hands of the Judiciary
Naharnet/Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud has said that the judiciary was now in charge of handling the case of three Syrians reportedly abducted in Lebanon. "The case is currently under the jurisdiction of the prosecutor general, and the probe is led by the military judiciary," Baroud said in a statement released on Wednesday. The minister was referring to the arrest last month of Jassem Merhi Jassem by an army intelligence unit for distributing anti-Syrian regime flyers in Beirut. Jassem was released by a judge. He disappeared shortly afterwards along with his brothers who had arrived at the Baabda Serail to pick him up. Baroud also praised the commitment of non-governmental organizations SKeyes and Maharat to public and private liberties, after the groups called for unveiling the fate of the activists. Beirut, 10 Mar 11, 10:29

Aoun after Meeting Sfeir: Arms Won't Last Forever, Strength Lies in Endurance of Institutions Such as Bkirki
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Wednesday that weapons possession outside the authority of the state is not "eternal."He made his statements after holding talks with outgoing Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir two hours before the Synod of Maronite Bishops' retreat to elect his successor. Aoun said after the meeting: "Strength lies in the endurance of institutions, such as Bkirki."He also thanked Sfeir for his long years of service, announcing his keenness on supporting Bkirki. "We always apologize to the Patriarch and all the people. There was never a misunderstanding between us and Bkirki, but only a different way of looking at things, which does not mean animosity," he stressed. Addressing the arms possession outside state authority, Aoun stated: "Given the dangers facing Lebanon, the time is not right to abandon them, but no one can say that the arms will exist for an eternity." On Tuesday, Aoun criticized attacks against the Resistance's weapons and the base political rhetoric in Lebanon "that is harming the national principles and the mutual respect between the sects."He said after the movement's weekly meeting: "We are proud of the arms because they have preserved our dignity.""We challenge anyone who says that the Resistance has attacked me" and the government decisions of May 5, 2008 "will never be erased from the minds of the Lebanese," he stated.Addressing the developments in Lebanon over the past six years, he said: "As Christians, we can deal with Sunnis and Shiites in the same way and our choice was confronting Israel and not opposing Sunnis."
"After six years, we have not seen anything positive from the other camp," the MP noted. Aoun also demanded that the media refrain from broadcasting speeches "aimed at weakening the other." Regarding the government formation process, he said: "We are not in a hurry to form the government because it will be established based on new bases and we are not here to maintain the corruption.""We don't mind that Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati is taking his time � The FPM has not proposed names that Miqati would be ashamed or proud of, but we have standards in choosing our ministers," he continued. Aoun rejected claims that he is obstructing the government formation process, demanding that proof of these allegations be presented. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 17:26

Sfeir Describes as Abnormal Presence of Arms Outside State Control
Naharnet/Outgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir reiterated that only Lebanon's armed forces should carry weapons and described as abnormal the presence of arms in the people's hands. In remarks to al-Joumhouriah newspaper published Wednesday, Sfeir said: "We either have a state or we don't. Only the state should own weapons.""This is the general rule" in the world, he said. "Arms should not be in the hands of the people," Sfeir told the daily in reference to Hizbullah. He made his remark as the Maronite Bishops Synod begins meetings on Wednesday to elect a new patriarch. Sfeir warned that interference in Lebanon's political affairs could sometimes serve and at other times harm the country."The Lebanese should accept each other through love and cooperation because there is still meddling" in the country's affairs, the outgoing patriarch said. Asked if he was remorseful for not visiting Syria, he said: "Never. Why should I regret that?" Sfeir told al-Joumhouriah that he had nothing to say to Syrian President Bashar Assad. During his tenure, Sfeir took positions against Syria's years of interference in the country's affairs. A statement issued by the council of bishops in September 2000 calling for Syria to withdraw its 30,000 troops from the country marked a turning point in Lebanese opposition to Damascus' hegemony. Syrian troops intervening in Lebanon's civil war first entered the country in 1976. They withdrew in 2005 after ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination in February of that year. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 09:25

Berri Says March 14 Striving for Power, Not Justice
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri criticized the March 14 forces on Wednesday for lamenting their loss of power in the government, saying their campaign against Hizbullah's arms contradicted with national principles. In his weekly meeting with lawmakers at the parliament building, Berri reportedly stressed the need to form the government as soon as possible in order to face future challenges and solve problems such as shortage of water and power rationing. Free Lebanon radio said Berri stressed to lawmakers that the cabinet would not be formed before the March 13 rally at Martyrs Square. However, he said there is no need to procrastinate after that date. MPs quoted Berri as saying that March 14 was frustrated over the collapse of Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri's cabinet and was striving for power not justice in former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination case. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 14:53

Tenenti: UNIFIL Has No Jurisdiction to Demarcate Lebanese-Israeli Maritime Border
Naharnet/United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman Andrea Tenenti stated on Wednesday that the international force supports Lebanon and Israel's discussion of issues of maritime security. Commenting on the Lebanese army's request from UNIFIL to demarcate the Lebanese-Syrian maritime border, he said: "The international force does not have the jurisdiction to demarcate this border." The buoy line at the Naqoura region has been set up by Israel after its withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, and not by UNIFIL, he added.
Furthermore, this line has not been recognized by the Lebanese government and UNIFIL does not have the jurisdiction to monitor it, the spokesman said. Tenenti stated that UNIFIL is concerned with the maritime security incidents that have taken place between Lebanon and Israel, revealing that this issue was brought up during the tripartite meeting between Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL that was held at Ras al-Naqoura on Monday. He added that an agreement was reached during the tripartite meeting for UNIFIL to discuss these matters in bilateral meetings with the two concerned sides, emphasizing that the international force is keen on providing technical assistance to Lebanon and Israel.
Regarding the withdrawal from the village of Ghajar, he said that the issue requires some time to be resolved, but Israel is obligated to withdraw from it based on U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. On Monday, Lebanon proposed the demarcation of its maritime border with Israel during the tripartite meeting held at the UNIFIL headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura.
"Maintaining peace and stability was the goal of this tripartite meeting and I am happy that we were able to address all the issues in a constructive atmosphere," UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta Cuevas said Monday after chairing the meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli armies.
However, As Safir daily said Tuesday that the Lebanese army representative, Maj. Gen. Abdelrahman Shehaitli, called for the demarcation of the maritime border similar to the U.N.-drawn Blue Line that separates southern Lebanon and northern Israel. Shehaitli asked Asarta to carry the Lebanese request to the U.N. to establish a "maritime Blue Line" that would help Lebanon control any violation of its territorial waters. As Safir said that the Israeli army representative promised to reply to the Lebanese request during the next tripartite meeting. The Central News Agency quoted a security source as saying that the conferees also discussed the importance of Israel's pullout from the northern part of the border village of Ghajar in compliance with U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 17:06

Geagea Expects Cedar Revolution II on Sunday: Syria Partner in Coup against Hariri Govt
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday said he believes that there will be "another Cedar Revolution" in Lebanon on Sunday as "the first one did not achieve its objectives." In an interview on Future News television, Geagea also said he was convinced that "we can't advance in any field with the presence of Hizbullah's arms."
"I believe that Lebanon will be exposed to Israel if Hizbullah remains armed," he added, warning that "Lebanon will be dragged into any military confrontation between Iran and the West."
"We would be adding another problem to our problems with Israel. Lebanon would face less military threats if the army was in control of all Lebanese territory," he stressed.
Geagea said that the Lebanese army should be in charge of the confrontation with Israel. "According to my humble military expertise the Lebanese army has the ability to defend its land. Hizbullah is not stronger than the Lebanese army," he added. "Try to imagine the consequences if the Adeisseh incident had involved a party other than the Lebanese army, the situation remained under control because the party involved was the Lebanese army," Geagea said of the August 2010 border clashes between the Lebanese army and Israeli forces.
Answering a question, Geagea said he believes that the arrest of the Four Generals � Jamil Sayyed, Ali al-Hajj, Mustafa Hamdan and Raimond Azar � over their alleged involvement in the murder of ex-PM Rafik Hariri was "not arbitrary, until the opposite is proven." He accused Syria of playing a role in the January toppling of Saad Hariri's government.
"According to my information, Syria was a partner in the coup against Saad Hariri's cabinet," Geagea told his interviewer. On the other hand, he said that the March 14 coalition might call for early parliamentary elections, describing such step as "one of the possible options." Beirut, 08 Mar 11, 23:53

Sami Gemayel Files Complaint against Raad: He Violated Parliament, Attributing Positions to it that it Didn't Make
Naharnet/Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel filed a complaint against the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad over his latest press conference from parliament during which a poster supporting the March 8 camp's positions was displayed behind him. The complaint was filed to Speaker Nabih Berri on the basis that the "poster tarnished parliament's image by attributing positions to it that it did not make." The MP explained: "The complaint does not address what Raad discussed at the press conference, but we are concerned with preserving parliament's image." "Everyone has the right to wonder whether this poster was at parliament before the conference or that it was hung for the conference," he continued. The poster displayed slogans reflecting the March 8 camp's opposition to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Gemayel urged Berri to take a position from such a development, saying that he should clarify if any MP is allowed to hang whatever poster he wants at parliament. "Implying that parliament opposes the STL is a violation of the constitution and its slogan is a provocation to all MPs, especially those attached to the constitution," he stressed. Gemayel demanded that Raad be warned over violating parliament's image and that hanging posters and slogans in parliament should be prohibited. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 14:17

Jumblat: No Ties Bind Me with Rafik Hariri Except his Memory
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat criticized the March 14 camp's conduct, accusing it of increasing the dangerous internal divide in Lebanon that "is targeting an entire sect." He said in an interview with al-Akhbar published on Wednesday: "Failure to form a government is an escalatory measure by the March 14 forces ahead of the March 13 rally without it actually having a key to end the crisis." Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri is not like his father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, he said.
The senior Hariri "was a unique and approachable individual. No ties bind me to him except his memory," the MP continued. "He never severed his ties with Hizbullah and Syria," he noted.
He also accused former ally MP Marwan Hamadeh of employing the same sectarian incitement, describing his rift with him as "complete and final."
He added that the Mustaqbal movement is seeking to turn the Druze against him. Jumblat also rejected allegations that Syria is behind the delay in the government formation, accusing the United States of being behind the current stalemate in Lebanon. "They obstructed the Saudi-Syrian initiative and they are escalating their position through the March 14 forces' campaign of employing the indictment against the Resistance's arms, while in the past we sought hard to eliminate any of the indictment's possible negative repercussions," he noted.
"How can the issue of the arms possession be resolved without the least amount of calm in the country? What does Hariri want? Break Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati and the economy and then what?" he asked.
Jumblat stressed that Hariri's contacts with Hizbullah and Syria are completely severed, noting that this is the first time that contacts between the Lebanese are totally cut.
Furthermore, he revealed that during their visit to Lebanon on February 22, U.S. Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman informed him that Hizbullah was behind Rafik Hariri's assassination. The MP listed to them the number of reasons that have cost the Special Tribunal for Lebanon its credibility, saying that the U.S. encourages the equation of Hizbullah's arms against the indictment. Addressing caretaker PM Hariri's latest visit to Saudi Arabia, Jumblat said: "The fact that he returned with renewed drive in his campaign against the party's weapons indicates that March 8 camp claims that the Kingdom is upset with Hariri are inaccurate." "It's not true that Saudi King Abdullah was angry with him after Hariri announced the end of the S-S initiative," he added. Jumblat said that his ties with Saudi Arabia are "severed at the moment," saying that Hariri is turning the Kingdom against him. Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 12:12

Saudi Arabia Under Pressure to Ease Protest Ban
Naharnet/Saudi Arabia came under renewed pressure Wednesday to ease its ban on demonstrations, as Facebook activists called for a "Day of Rage" and a "Saudi revolution" later this week. With the tightly controlled kingdom's security forces poised to crack down on any unauthorized demonstrations, U.S.-based lobby group Human Rights Watch added its voice to demands for a relaxation of the protest ban. "Saudi Arabia should rescind its categorical ban on peaceful demonstrations," it said in a statement.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Human Rights Watch director of the Middle East region, added: "By banning all protests Saudi rulers are telling their countrymen and women that for all political purposes they are not citizens and have no right to participate in public affairs." The interior ministry issued a stern reminder Saturday that any demonstration was illegal and warned activists that the security forces had been authorized to crack down on protests. Cyber activists have called for a "Day of Rage" after prayers this Friday, on a Facebook page that had amassed over 31,000 "likes" by Wednesday. Another page calls for a "Saudi revolution" to begin on March 20. The activists in both pages are calling for political and economic reforms, jobs, freedom and women's rights. Several hundred Shiites protested last Friday in the Eastern Province calling for the release of an arrested Shiite cleric, Sheikh Tawfiq al-Aamer, and other detainees, witnesses said. Twenty-six people were arrested and later freed, according to a rights activist who described their release as "a very positive step." Aamer was released late Sunday, the activist said. Amnesty International deputy regional director Philip Luther said Tuesday the Saudi authorities were "obliged under international law to allow peaceful protests to take place."
"They must act immediately to end this outrageous restriction on the right to legitimate protest," he said. Saudi Arabia's top clerics on Sunday condemned as un-Islamic calls for demonstrations and petitions demanding reforms in the ultra-conservative kingdom, which is an absolute monarchy. The Council of Senior Scholars said in a statement that "reform and advice do not take place through demonstrations and methods that fan sedition." Political parties are banned in Saudi Arabia, which controls a quarter of the world's oil reserves. Unemployment among the youth stands at 10 percent and women are largely kept out of the workforce.(AFP) Beirut, 09 Mar 11, 13:12

Veni, Vidi, Vici*
By: Georges Melhem
I�ll be there.
Writing this short take started as the typical �ten good reasons why you should�� And indeed, tens and tens of good reasons can be found, from claims for sovereignty and justice to establishing a-and-which nation and on to high adrenaline topics such as disbanding terror militias, curbing Syria�s violent proxies and praxis, and catching up (yes Lebanon is behind!) with the democracy wave across the Arab world. Yet I am going down for one boring purpose. The same as the one that drove me down six times already, year on and year on and yearning on. You see, I am resilient. They still haven�t got (and never will) into me the notion of surrender, the feeling of despair, or the pragmatism of flawed adaptation. The emotion of fear? They never came close. I�ll be there because I am one/millionth of the million-strong show of force that tossed Syria out, kept Hezbollah in, forgot the door open on the former and closed on the second. I�ll be there to remind our leaders that they have to lead, not us. I�ll be there because I will not bow. I am on millionth of a million. One day I will say, Veni, Vidi, Vici. Let us all say it. A million times over. Again.

Veni, Vidi, Vici*
Georges Melhem
J�y serais.
Cette tentative d�essai a commenc� avec le clich� �dix bonnes raisons pour�� En effet, des dizaines de raisons sont bonnes, depuis les demandes de souverainet�, de justice, d��tablissement de telle-et-quelle nation, jusqu'aux sujets au vitriol comme la dissolution des milices terroristes, l�arr�t de la violente praxis Syrienne, directe ou par procuration, et rattraper (oui, le Liban est en retard !) la vague de d�mocratie dans le monde Arabe. Mais j�y serais pour une raison ennuyante. La m�me qui m�a d�j� pouss� � le faire d�j� six fois, six ans durant, ann�e apr�s ann�e. Vous voyez, je suis r�silient. Ils n�ont toujours pas (et ne le feront jamais) instill� en moi la notion de reddition, le sentiment de d�sespoir, ou le concept vici� d�adaptation pragmatique. L��motion de peur ? Aucune chance. J�y serais parce que je suis un millioni�me du tour de force des un million qui a bout� la Syrie dehors, gard� le Hezbollah dedans, oubli� la porte ouverte pour le premier et ferm� pour le second. J�y serais pour rappeler � nos dirigeants qu�ils doivent eux-m�mes diriger, pas nous. J�y serais. Je suis un millioni�me d�un million. Un jour je dirais, Veni, Vidi, Vici. Nous le dirons tous. Un million de fois. Encore une fois.
09/03/11
***Veni, Vidi, Vici" (Classical Latin: [ˈweːniː ˈwiːdiː ˈwiːkiː]; Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈvɛni ˈvidi ˈvitʃi]; I came, I saw, I conquered.) is a famous Latin sentence reportedly written by Julius Caesar in 47 BC as a comment on his short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus in the city of Zela (currently known as Zile, in Turkey).[1]

Makram Sader, the secretary-general of the Association of Banks in Lebanonr: Banks need tougher measures to guard against money laundering
Central Bank expected to adopt stricter supervisory measures after rumored pressure from U.S.
By Osama Habib /Daily Star staff
Thursday, March 10, 2011
BEIRUT: The Central Bank and the Special Investigation Commission (SIC) are expected to adopt tougher measures to tighten supervision and ensure that any attempt to launder money in Lebanon is extremely difficult, bankers said Wednesday. �There is no doubt that we need to have another look into the existing laws and take the necessary measures to protect our banks,� Makram Sader, the secretary-general of the Association of Banks in Lebanon told The Daily Star.
An informed source told The Daily Star that the U.S. Treasury, which last month accused the Lebanese-Canadian Bank of money laundering and connection to a terrorist group, is pressing the Central Bank to upgrade its anti-money laundering measures. Central Bank governor Riad Salameh, who made an urgent visit to Washington earlier this month, succeeded in persuading the Lebanese-Canadian Bank management to sell its stake to the highest bidding bank. The bank was acquired by SGBL on March 4, an acquisition that is yet to be ratified by the Central Bank. Sader brushed off media reports that three to four Lebanese banks could be blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury for money laundering and connection to Hezbollah, which is labeled by Washington as a terrorist organization. �There is no foundation for these reports. Jerusalem Post newspaper came up with lie and some papers picked it up,� Sader said.
Among the measures that are expected to see the light soon are a modification of the anti-money laundering law and a new law regulating the operation of foreign exchange bureaus and dealings with commercial banks.
�The new law would include regulating cash transfers to Lebanon by requiring disclosure at entry points of amounts in excess of $10,000 and verifying their source,� said the informed source, who was speaking on condition of anonymity. Sader also denied that the U.S. and the West were pressing Lebanon to lift the banking secrecy law.
�Banking secrecy is not an obstacle to more measures to combat money laundering. All the enquiries to the SIC are being carefully examined and if there are suspects connected with any account the commission will immediately freeze [that account],� Sader said. Lebanese banks must carry out a comprehensive review of all of their customer databases, he said.
This involves identifying the type of business each customer has and the source of his or her money which is being deposited in the bank. Sader stressed that Lebanese banks must provide all their departments with the necessary funds and qualified human resources to carry out their duties to reduce or even eliminate risks. �These risks are great, serious and diverse, and the protection of banks takes priority over anything else.� He added that the monetary supervisory authorities, namely the Central Bank, the Banking Control Commission and the SIC, must do everything within their powers to review the procedures to combat money laundering. �The world expects us to adhere to the standards and fully implement them.�
But Sader underlined the need to monitor the movement of foreign cash from Lebanon and impose compulsory declarations based on a ceiling limit, in keeping with internationally recognized standards.He also advised Lebanon to join the International Convention for Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, issued by the United Nations in 1999.
�Lebanon�s reservations are no longer justified with regard to withholding information in order to preserve banking secrecy,� Sader said.
Analysts say Lebanon and the U.S. differ over the definition of Hezbollah, with Washington labeling it a terrorist group and Lebanese authorities treating it as part of Lebanese society.

Offer Shiites an arms-for-power swap
By Michael Young
Daily Star
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Here is the always entertaining Michel Aoun, showing in what ways the current discord over Hezbollah�s weapons can lead Lebanese politicians down paths at stark odds with their own past.
�We hold our head high with the weapons of the resistance,� Aoun said on Tuesday, �because [the weapons] have held our head high around the world. They [March 14] threaten us with the international tribunal, and they respond to us from the United States of America and Europe and Israel, because these weapons preserve our honor.�
For a man who once claimed to be a major force behind the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, American congressional legislation that, among other things, sought to cut arms supplies to Hezbollah and encourage Lebanese-Israeli peace talks; who supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, which saw the light thanks to American and French cooperation, and implicitly called for Hezbollah�s disarmament; and who fought two bitter conflicts against the Lebanese Forces in 1989 and 1990 to compel the militia to integrate its weapons into the Lebanese Army, such a statement was characteristically deceitful. But is Aoun alone?
The decision of Saad Hariri and March 14 to make an issue of Hezbollah�s arms is overdue. Lebanon�s inability to consolidate its shaky social contract, to address political reform, to reinforce the authority of the state, and to fortify its deficient sovereignty are all consequences of the lack of a national consensus, deriving from the untenable relationship between a state and an armed group militarily more powerful than the state that has used its arms, or compulsively threatens to do so, in order to protect itself and its autonomy from that state. Until this matter is resolved, Lebanon will function at two speeds � that of Hezbollah and its allies, and that of everyone else.
However, does March 14 have what it takes to prevail? Not so long ago, Saad Hariri was defending what he described as the arms of the resistance. Three governments led by the former majority crafted convoluted policy statements to sanction Hezbollah�s retention of its substantial military arsenal. March 14 is correct in saying that Hezbollah has directed its weapons against other Lebanese, and that its deployment of men dressed in black in Beirut�s streets last January, after finalization of the draft indictment at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, was a threat to repeat that. But then March 14 went ahead and participated in the parliamentary consultations that gave Hezbollah the prime minister it and Syria wanted, allowing the party to claim that it had worked through constitutional channels.
That does not mean that March 14 is mistaken in focusing on weapons, but unfortunately the twists and turns the coalition has navigated to reach this conclusion indicate, rightly or wrongly, that it is relying to some measure on political improvisation. Worse, Hariri must respond more persuasively to the charge that he shifted gears on Hezbollah�s guns because he was not returned as prime minister. Unless he does so, March 14 could find itself on the defensive in advancing a very risky agenda to push for Hezbollah�s disarmament.
Perhaps it�s time to offer stronger medicine. It easy to forecast how Hezbollah will respond to demands that it surrender its weapons. The party will tell its Shiite coreligionists that this is a first step in taking the community back to the days of marginalization in Lebanon. As ludicrous as that may sound, given the party�s muscle, Hezbollah has been adept at exploiting communal anxieties. Such a warning would succeed in eliciting a defensive response from Shiites, particularly at a tense time in Sunni-Shiite relations throughout the Middle East.
That is why Hariri and March 14 should consider endorsing a quid pro quo aimed at neutralizing such fears: In exchange for Hezbollah�s agreement to disarm in stages, March 14 must offer to initiate a far-reaching dialogue on implementing political reforms within a specific timeframe, under the auspices of the Taif Accord, one of whose results would be to expand the political representation of the Shiite community. Shiites would, thus, have a choice between Hezbollah�s weapons and greater political power; between self-preservation under the party�s military umbrella or under the umbrella of the state.
The obstacles to such an arrangement are many. Hezbollah would doubtless reject it outright; Christians on both sides of the March 8 and March 14 divide would be exceptionally resistant to going along with Taif�s abolition of political confessionalism; it would be no easy task to agree to the precise staging in such an intricate process (what comes first, disarmament or deconfessionalization?); and, somewhere, a new population census would have to be taken, because Sunnis believe they are as numerous, or nearly so, as the Shiites.
However, the proposal would also be difficult for Hezbollah to permanently dismiss. It has the potential to constantly come back and provoke debate among Shiites, because it addresses their long-term status in Lebanon. The scheme would also oblige March 14 to define more clearly on behalf of its own partisans how it views Lebanon�s constitutional future. And even if nothing happens in the short term, a promise of reform in the shadow of Taif would impose a framework for discussion later on, placing Hezbollah�s disarmament on the political table far more effectively than today, since the party and the Shiite community have been offered no incentives to comply.
Hezbollah�s weapons are indeed the elephant in Lebanon�s sitting room. Saad Hariri and March 14 have finally decided to mention them, but what is their Plan B if the party doesn�t answer? Hariri sees Taif as the state�s most potent weapon. The time to use it is now.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR and author of �The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon�s Life Struggle� (Simon & Schuster).

Interview with The commander of the Lebanese Army John Kahwagi: Pledged support yet to materialize
By Mirella Hodeib
Daily Star staff
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Interview
BEIRUT: The commander of the Lebanese Army says countries that expressed a readiness to equip the military have yet to translate their promises into action, while reiterating support for Lebanon�s defense strategy of �army-resistance-people,� describing it as �very effective.�
�Some countries have expressed a desire to arm the military through donations but to this date promises have not been put into action, and no clear strategies have been set up in that direction,� General Jean Kahwagi said in comments to The Daily Star Wednesday.
He added that Israel was exerting tremendous pressure to prevent the army from becoming an effective deterrence force.
The army commander, who assumed his post in 2008, hoped that strategies would be outlined so that the military benefits from proposed aid packages. He reiterated that the army would decline any aid if linked to conditions.
�We have always stressed that the Lebanese Army will not accept any aid if it is coupled with certain conditions likely to impinge on the performance of the military institution, as well as on its national and inclusive role,� Kahwagi said.
Due to a lack of funds, and the nearly constant situation of political tension, the army�s equipment is insufficient and outdated. Following the end of Lebanon�s bloody 1975-90 Civil War, the army has endeavored to enhance its equipment and received modest donations from several countries, particularly the United States. The largest portion of the army�s equipment is U.S.-made, with the remaining being British, French, and Soviet-made.
Kahwagi explained that the military has built ties with several regional and foreign armies.
�We are proud of our connections and we are especially keen on bolstering and developing those ties,� he said.
He said training, military logistics, exchange of military experience were the main fields of cooperation between the Lebanese Army and other national and regional military institutions. Ties with other militaries have also helped the army obtain equipment, weapons, vehicles and spare parts.

The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has requested $100 million in military aid and other foreign assistance to Lebanon for the 2012 fiscal year. But after the collapse of the national-unity Cabinet of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the designation of Hezbollah-backed Najib Mikati to form a new government, the Obama administration has tied funds to developments in Beirut.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, however, argued earlier this month for a continuation of military aid to Lebanon, saying that strong military-to-military ties with Lebanon�s army were in the interest of both countries.
Last year, America�s arch-foe Iran also expressed its willingness to provide Lebanese Army with cutting-edge military equipment.
For the Lebanese Army to carry out its various tasks, Kahwagi cited the need for weapons and equipment used to maintain security, in addition to weapons of deterrence.
�In order to carry out our mission properly the Lebanese Army is in need of equipment and weapons used to maintain security, in addition to deterrence weapons such as planes, helicopters, boats, anti-aircraft missiles, armored vehicles, and surface-to-surface missiles, in addition to heavy-duty vehicles,� he said.
But Kahwagi is realistic; he admits that Israel will not authorize the Lebanese Army to grow in power.
�The Israeli army exerts tremendous efforts so that state-of-the-art weapons do not reach the Lebanese army,� he said. �They fear that if we acquire such weapons a balance of deterrence might be established.�
Kahwagi, who hails from the south Lebanon village of Ain Ibl, stressed that Israel poses a constant threat to the country�s security and stability, adding that Lebanon should exploit all its resources to counter the Jewish State�s schemes.
�The Lebanese Army definitely needs a back-up force to compensate for the disproportionate balance of power between Lebanon and Israel,� he added in reference to the resistance.
Hezbollah has led an effective and organized resistance movement against Israel, beginning in the wake of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Kahwagi said he strongly believes that unity among the army, Hezbollah and the general public, better known as the formula of �army-resistance-people,� will pay off.
�This equation has been widely present both among political and popular circles and is clearly mentioned in the ministerial statement of the national unity cabinet of [Caretaker] Prime Minister Saad Hariri,� he said.
�The Lebanese Army abides by and is entirely convinced by this formula,� he added.
Kahwagi said the �army-resistance-people� formula has proven to be �very effective.�
�Experience has shown that this formula played a key role in liberating most of south Lebanon and Western Bekaa from Israeli occupation in 2000,� the army general said.
�It is also the main reason behind the victory over Israel during the 2006 summer war and more recently in safeguarding Lebanon [against Israeli threats],� he said.
However, Kahwagi dismissed reports in the western and Israeli press that Hezbollah played a pivotal role within the Lebanese military, calling them �erroneous� and adding that the military was �free from outside intervention.�
The army commander did not deny coordination with Hezbollah. �Coordination between the Lebanese Army and the resistance is ongoing, and is directly tied to Israeli threats as well as military developments on the southern border,� he said.
Kahwagi said Israel and terrorism were the two chief dangers threatening the Lebanese Army and society, adding that these two entities �contradict the make-up and nature of Lebanese society.�
�Israel had always sought to occupy our land and steal our resources, while terrorism constantly strives to deal a blow to national unity, coexistence as well as socio-economic stability in Lebanon,� he said.
Kahwagi in Saudi military cooperation talks
BEIRUT: Lebanese Army Commander Jean Kahwagi returned to Beirut from Riyadh Wednesday evening following talks on military cooperation with top officials there.
The army commander, who arrived in Riyadh Tuesday, received the King Abdel-Aziz Badge of Honor. He was decorated by Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz Saud, the aide to Saudi Defense Minister Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz.
Speaking at a banquet held in his honor by the Lebanese Council of Investments in Saudi Arabia, Kahwagi said the Lebanese Army would safeguard civil peace in Lebanon �no matter the sacrifices we might be forced to offer.� � The Daily Star

HRW urges probe into Syrians missing in Lebanon
BEIRUT | AFP - March 10, 2011
A rights group on Thursday urged Lebanese authorities to probe the disappearance of three Syrian brothers, one of whom was detained while distributing flyers calling for democratic change in Syria. Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Jasem Merii Jasem was picked up by military intelligence agents in Beirut along with five other members of his family on February 23 and 24 after they were seen handing out the flyers. Jasem disappeared in the early hours of February 25 along with two of his brothers who had gone to pick him up from a police station east of the capital. It is feared the three brothers were kidnapped once they left the police station and forcibly transferred back to Syria. "We fear that Lebanon may be back to doing Syria's dirty job of shutting up its critics," said Nadim Houry, Beirut office director of Human Rights Watch. "Lebanon's judiciary should open an independent inquiry into why the Syrian men were detained in the first place and the murky events surrounding the disappearance of Jasem Merii Jasem and his two brothers."A Lebanese security official told AFP a probe was underway and it was feared the three men had been kidnapped on their release from the police station. The other five men initially detained with Jasem, including another one of his brothers, were released a few hours after their detention but were summoned back to military intelligence. Four of them are currently being held in Roumieh prison pending unspecified charges.The brother, Ahmad Jasem, failed to answer the summons and his whereabouts are unknown.Syria was Lebanon's powerbroker for nearly 30 years until April 2005 when it was forced to withdraw its troops from its smaller neighbour following the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.An initial probe implicated Damascus in Hariri's killing but Syrian officials deny involvement. Hundreds of Lebanese disappeared during Syria's presence in Lebanon, which lasted throughout the country's 1975-1990 civil war, and many are still missing.

Lebanese dailies report on cabinet formation
March 10, 2011 /An-Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday that the cabinet may be finalized by the end of next week, adding that deliberations between Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and March 8 figures have increased. �Mikati met with Speaker Nabih Berri behind closed doors on Tuesday and also met with [Public Works and Transportation] Minister Ghazi Aridi, who was representing Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, on Wednesday.�Also, according to As-Safir�s Thursday edition, there will more efforts to form a new cabinet beginning of next week.Ad-Diyar newspaper reported that the government will be formed between March 15 and March 20, and Al-Jumhuriya newspaper said that the cabinet will be finalized at the end of the month at the latest. Mikati was appointed to the premiership on January 25 with the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition�s backing following the collapse of Saad Hariri�s unity government. The cabinet formation is reportedly being delayed mainly by a dispute between Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and President Michel Sleiman over the Interior Ministry portfolio.March 14 has made it clear that it will not take part in the next cabinet. -NOW Lebanon

West offers Libyan ceasefire for Qaddafi's pledge to save Benghazi
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 9, 2011,Following Muammar Qaddafi's military successes Tuesday, Western-backed parties Wednesday, March 9 discreetly solicited him on the Libyan rebels' behalf for diplomatic understandings to stop his forces short of marching further rebel-held Cyrenaica in the east, debkafile's exclusive sources report.
The contacts are led by head of the ruling Egyptian military council, Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawi, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and a group of diplomats based in Vienna. Under the deal they have offered Qaddafi in return for saving Cyrenaica and Benghazi, the rebels would lay down arms in western and eastern Libya, discontinue protest demonstrations and allow the oil facilities in their terrain go back to normal operations. The agreement would be monitored by Egyptian military observers.
Qaddafi's pre-condition for diplomacy was a prior NATO pledge that its members would refrain from military intervention in the Libyan conflict. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen accordingly went on British TV Wednesday afternoon to state that NATO would not intervene in Libya because it had no UN authorization to do so.
Shortly before the broadcast, three Libyan executive jets were sighted flying towards Cairo, Athens and Vienna. debkafile reports that the first carried the Libyan logistic supplies authority's chief Maj. Gen. Abdel Rahman Ben Ali al-Sayyid al-Zawy. He handed Tantawi a message from Qaddafi. Officials in Cairo declined to divulge the contents of the message or of the conversation between the Libyan envoy and the Egyptian field marshal.
The identities of the passengers aboard the other two flights are unknown.
According to debkafile's exclusive sources, the subject under urgent discussion in all three capitals is the means of persuading the Libyan ruler to accept the rebels' offer of an unofficial ceasefire and undertake a commitment to stop his forces advancing any further on the rebel strongholds in Cyrenaica, including Libya's second largest town, Benghazi.
The Libyan ruler is being offered Egyptian and Greek guarantees that the rebels will order their followers to desist from attacks and protests against Qaddafi and let all of Libya's oil facilities return to normal operation.
Our sources add that if the Libyan ruler accepts this deal, the relevant parties in Vienna will consider lifting some of the restrictions on Libyan commerce with Austrian banks and the release of some of his frozen assets in those institutions.
The exchanges in Cairo centered on assigning Egyptian military observers to keeping the combatants apart and monitoring their compliance with the informal ceasefire.

The general lines of this deal arose from the latest Western military intelligence update of the state of play on the Libyan battlefield, whereby Qaddafi lacks the combat manpower to wrest Benghazi from rebel hands but is capable of laying its million inhabitants to siege and keeping them under an unrelenting pounding from the air. The US and other NATO nations would be forced to run emergency air and sea lifts of humanitarian aid to Benghazi, a step which no one, including Qaddafi, wants to see.
For now, the informal negotiations are at an early stage. The Libyan ruler has come up with a list of far-reaching demands. They include international recognition of his regime as the only legitimate rulers of Libya and the lifting of the arms embargo and UN Security Council sanctions against him. He may tone down some of his conditions as the talks get fully underway.