LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِMarch
20/2011
Biblical Event Of The
Day
St. Joseph's Day
The feast day of St. Joseph is celebrated annually on March 19/It is worth
mentioning that St. Joseph's Day is a Maronite and Roman Catholic feast day that
commemorating the life of St. Joseph, the step-father of Jesus and husband of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. People with very strong religious convictions among
which are the Lebanese Maronites celebrate St. Joseph's Day on March 19 and
believe that this day is St. Joseph's birthday too.Back home, in Lebanon St.
Joseph is considered the Family Saint and looked upon as a family and
hardworking father role model because of the great role that Almighty God had
assigned him to carry. His duty was to raise Jesus Christ and take care of
Virgin Mary. God has chose him to look after His begotten son and Virgin Marry.
He fulfilled his Godly assignment with love, passion and devotion. God bless all
those that carry this name.
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
Is Washington about to open
channels to Hezbollah?/By
David Ignatius/March
19/11
Report: U.S. considering strategic outreach to Hezbollah/Haaretz/March
19/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March
19/11
Israel strikes Gaza after massive
rocket barrage on south/Haaretz
Hamas wins Cairo's
recognition, strikes Israel with 50 mortars/DEBKAfile
Tens of thousands rally to Hariri
in Tripoli/Daily Star
Mourners of Syrian protesters chant
for freedom/Reuters
At Least Six Dead in Syria
Protest Attacks/Antiwar.com
Obama weighs talking to the Taliban, Hezbollah/Washington Post
Patriarch Beshara Boutros al Rai
says Syria visit is “not a taboo”/iloubnan.info
Israel complains to UN over arms
vessel/Ynetnews
Qabalan Meets al-Rahi: Bkirki a Sanctuary for All Lebanese, We Must Open New
Page of Cooperation/Naharnet
Hizbullah Delegation Visits Bkirki and al-Rahi: We Haven't
Tackled Issue of Arms/Naharnet
Hariri before Massive Tripoli Rally: Weapons Create Strife, Every Project
Outside State Has Failed/Naharnet
Khazen describes relation
between Michel Aoun and Najib Mikati as good/iloubnan.info
All Quiet on the Lebanon
Front/The Weekly Standard
Damascus Questions Delay in Government Formation: Syrian Leadership Not
Interfering in the Process/Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Elias Murr
Believes Hizbullah Cannot Launch Rockets from Downtown Beirut/Naharnet
WikiLeaks: March 14
Christians Supported Extending July War to Allow Israel to 'Finish the Job'/Naharnet
Singh: UNIFIL Ready to
Demarcate Maritime Blue Line/Naharnet
American Official Denies
Report that U.S. Prepared to Open Dialogue with Hizbullah/Naharnet
Hariri before Massive
Tripoli Rally: Weapons Create Strife, Every Project Outside State Has Failed/Naharnet
Qassem: We Didn't Hear
Anything at March 13 Rally Worth Responding to/Naharnet
Bellemare Explains to
Fransen Why Disclosing Documents to Sayyed May Harm Probe/Naharnet
LF on WikiLeaks Report: It
Proved that Geagea Supports Solution of Limiting Weapons Possession to Army/Naharnet
Aoun in Dubai as Government
Formation still Stuck over Interior Ministry Portfolio/Naharnet
Suleiman Files Urgent Complaint
to U.N. over Attack on Lebanese Embassy in Libya/Naharnet
Hamas
wins Cairo's recognition, strikes Israel with 50 mortars
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 19, 2011, Israeli civilians living around the
Gaza border woke up Saturday, March 19, to the most massive mortar attack in
years – 50 rounds fired in 15 minutes. Two civilians were injured and
substantial damage caused to property. Hamas unusually claimed responsibility,
emboldened by the support it has won from a new ally, the new rulers of Cairo,
which have now lined up with Syria and Iran.
The Netanyahu government has not informed the Israeli public about the ominous
new winds blowing in fromCairo although they are already in motion: Cairo has
given Hamas rule of the Gaza Strip de facto recognition, is about to lift the
blockade on the Gaza Strip and is forging new understandings with Damascus and
the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad radicals based there. The Egyptian
military which has taken over in Cairo also turned a blind eye to at least two
or three Iranian arms ships which, prior to the capture of the A.S. Victoria
last week, made it through the Israeli sea blockade and delivered weapons,
including C-704 shore-to-sea missiles at El Arish. Hamas will be free to go out
and collect them through the reopened Rafah crossing. It is now obvious that
Cairo's permission for two Iranian warships to transit the Suez Canal on Feb.
22, knowing that at least one was laden with weapons for extremists, was in line
with the new Egyptian policy. Israel had earlier allowed two Egyptian mechanized
infantry brigades to enter Sinai and deploy along its Mediterranean coast,
although this opened up the demilitarization clause of the 1979 peace treaty.
Israel expected these troops to guard the gas pipeline carrying gas to Israel
and Jordan and block the Iranian arms deliveries to Hamas. But this did not
happen. This week, spokesmen on behalf of the pipeline company announced that
Egyptian gas was again flowing. It was not. After Israel appealed to the White
House and the heads of the Senate and House foreign relations committees to
intercede with Egypt, just a trickle of gas reached the pipeline on the pretext
that the pipeline needed testing after it was blown up by Hamas on Feb. 5. The
Egyptian charade is ably supported by the Israeli government and its defense
spokesmen, who keep on assuring everyone that nothing has changed in
Egyptian-Israeli peace relations. According to debkafile's Cairo sources, the
live wire behind the Egyptian policy U-turn is the new foreign minister Nabil
Alaraby. Only two weeks on the job, the first tasks he set himself were to lift
the Egyptian-Israeli embargo on the Gaza Strip, reopen the Fatah crossing to
free passage of people and goods, downgrade relations with Israel and the
Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, and open a new page with Syria.
During the two days US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spent in Cairo (March
15-16), the Egyptian Supreme Military Council sent the Mahabharat (Secret
Service) chief Gen. Mourad Mwafi to Damascus. Syrian President Bashar Assad
received him for a long conversation Friday, March 19, on the third day of his
visit. Thursday, the Egyptian general met Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. He was
not put off by Meshaal's participation in the Iran-backed Islamist radical
summit in Khartoum in the first week of March and its approval of two missions –
to bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Cairo and to step up terrorist
attacks on Israel. So far, Israeli forces have had no success in tracking down
the Hamas perpetrators of the vicious murders of five family members at Itamar
on March 11. Considering the precipitous downturn in Israel's political and
military situation and the ostrich-like reactions of its leaders, it looks very
much as though Hamas is now dictating Israel's security agenda. Hamas, backed to
the hilt by Iran, Syria and now Egypt, feels it can safely intensify its warfare
on Israel without being slapped down.
Israel strikes Gaza after massive rocket barrage on south
19.03.11/Hamas claims responsibility for 10 of the more than 50 rockets fired on
southern Israel earlier in day; Gaza medics say five Hamas officers and boy
injured in Israeli air strike.
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Israel struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, after a barrage of
over 50 rockets were fired into southern Israel earlier in the day.
The Israeli air strikes on Gaza wounded five Hamas security officers and a boy,
Gaza medics said.
Two Israelis were wounded and a home was damaged by the rockets fired from Gaza
earlier in the day. Saturday morning's bombardment was the heaviest one launched
by Gaza militants for months. Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip, claimed
responsibility for firing 10 of Saturday's mortars, an unusual move after a long
period in which it had let other smaller militant groups do its bidding.
"Targeting the enemy's posts was a response to the ongoing Zionist assaults,
airstrikes and tanks shelling on the Gaza Strip. The latest was two days ago,
where two of our mujahidin were killed," said Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam
Brigades. An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said Israel was holding Hamas
"solely responsible for the attacks".
Gaza residents reported hearing constant shelling along the enclave's border
with Israel and the IDF spokesman said tanks assisted by aircraft were firing at
militant targets in the coastal strip. Last month, two grad rockets were fired
at Be'er Sheva for the first time since the city was hit by rocket fire in the
2009 Gaza war.
Report: U.S. considering strategic outreach to Hezbollah
Washington Post says Obama administration weighing dialogue with Lebanese
militant group's political wing, in an effort similar to that attempted by U.K.
in its dealings with Sinn Fein in the 1990s.
By Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-u-s-considering-strategic-outreach-to-hezbollah-1.350032?localLinksEnabled=false
Latest update 12:08 18.03.11
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is considering reaching out to
the political elements in Hezbollah, the Washington Post reported on Friday,
stressing that the at this stage it was an intelligence effort, not a
policymaking one.
In an opinion piece appearing on the newspaper's online edition, columnist David
Ignatius indicated that Washington was considering an effort similar to the one
the U.K, implemented "during the 1990s with Sinn Fein, the legal political wing
of the terrorist Irish Republican Army."
"That outreach led to breakthrough peace talks and settlement of a conflict that
had been raging for more than a century," Ignatius wrote, adding that several
U.S. officials were expected to endorse dialogue with political elements of both
Hezbollah and the Taliban in an upcoming intelligence report.
Writing of the effect recent Mideast turmoil may have had on Obama's decision to
accept these recommendations, the Washington Post writer said that the
"political time bomb ticking away in the [intelligence report] is the question
of whether the United States should seek some kind of direct or indirect
engagement with Hezbollah — at least with its political wing."
"Officials who support this course argue that the organization is like the IRA
or the PLO — with nonmilitary components that can be drawn into a dialogue,"
Ignatius added.
Ignatius quotes in his article one intelligence official, John Brennan, known
for supporting a move toward dialogue with the Lebanese militant group, as
saying that while "Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back
in the early ’80s," it has "evolved significantly over time."
"The bottom line," the Washington Post article concluded, "is that after a
decade of American wars in the Middle East, the Obama administration is
increasingly looking for ways to talk with adversaries and draw them into a
process of dialogue."
"The world is changing, and perhaps so should U.S. policy," he added
American
Official Denies Report that U.S. Prepared to Open Dialogue with Hizbullah
http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&E0CAF1C474FD4356C2257858003A01D3
Naharnet/A prominent U.S. State Department official denied to An Nahar in
remarks published on Saturday recent reports that the American administration is
considering opening dialogue Washington has labeled as terrorist, including
Hizbullah. He said that on the political level, there can be no dialogue with
Hizbullah because it is a terrorist organization creating instability in the
Middle East. A Washington Post article published on Thursday stated that
Washington was mulling launching dialogue with Hizbullah and the Taliban.
"The Hizbullah issue is still being framed, in terms of policy debate. But the
White House has focused on it in recent weeks because of a new National
Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Hizbullah that is nearing completion," the
article said. "Officials who have read draft versions of the estimate say it
assesses Hizbullah in a broad context, as a political and social force in
Lebanon in addition to the militia officially designated by the United States as
a 'foreign terrorist organization.' Like most NIEs, this one is said to contain
a broad array of views, with some analysts stressing Hizbullah's terrorist
capabilities and others noting the organization's growing political role,
including its representation in the Lebanese cabinet," it noted.
"The political time bomb ticking away in the NIE is the question of whether the
United States should seek some kind of direct or indirect engagement with
Hizbullah — at least with its political wing. Officials who support this course
argue that the organization is like the IRA or the PLO — with nonmilitary
components that can be drawn into a dialogue," it continued.
"The high-level discussion of Hizbullah illustrates the ferment in U.S. thinking
about a Middle East that is being transformed by democratic uprisings. Officials
caution that for now, the Hizbullah question is a matter for intelligence
analysts, not policymakers. The White House recognizes that it has enough to
deal with already without opening a new question that would produce shock waves
in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries," the report said. "The bottom line
is that after a decade of American wars in the Middle East, the Obama
administration is increasingly looking for ways to talk with adversaries and
draw them into a process of dialogue. The world is changing, and perhaps so
should U.S. policy," it added.
The U.S. official said that the way in which Hizbullah's activity led to the
toppling of the Saad Hariri government has decreased chances of holding dialogue
with the party.
He stressed that there are no discussions in the U.S. on changing policies
towards Lebanon, adding that the U.S. administration is concerned with
Hizbullah's strong influence over Beirut's airport. Beirut, 19 Mar 11, 08:32
American Official Denies Report that U.S. Prepared to Open Dialogue with
Hizbullah
http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&E0CAF1C474FD4356C2257858003A01D3
Naharnet/A prominent U.S. State Department official denied to An Nahar in
remarks published on Saturday recent reports that the American administration is
considering opening dialogue Washington has labeled as terrorist, including
Hizbullah. He said that on the political level, there can be no dialogue with
Hizbullah because it is a terrorist organization creating instability in the
Middle East. A Washington Post article published on Thursday stated that
Washington was mulling launching dialogue with Hizbullah and the Taliban.
"The Hizbullah issue is still being framed, in terms of policy debate. But the
White House has focused on it in recent weeks because of a new National
Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Hizbullah that is nearing completion," the
article said. "Officials who have read draft versions of the estimate say it
assesses Hizbullah in a broad context, as a political and social force in
Lebanon in addition to the militia officially designated by the United States as
a 'foreign terrorist organization.' Like most NIEs, this one is said to contain
a broad array of views, with some analysts stressing Hizbullah's terrorist
capabilities and others noting the organization's growing political role,
including its representation in the Lebanese cabinet," it noted.
"The political time bomb ticking away in the NIE is the question of whether the
United States should seek some kind of direct or indirect engagement with
Hizbullah — at least with its political wing. Officials who support this course
argue that the organization is like the IRA or the PLO — with nonmilitary
components that can be drawn into a dialogue," it continued.
"The high-level discussion of Hizbullah illustrates the ferment in U.S. thinking
about a Middle East that is being transformed by democratic uprisings. Officials
caution that for now, the Hizbullah question is a matter for intelligence
analysts, not policymakers. The White House recognizes that it has enough to
deal with already without opening a new question that would produce shock waves
in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries," the report said. "The bottom line
is that after a decade of American wars in the Middle East, the Obama
administration is increasingly looking for ways to talk with adversaries and
draw them into a process of dialogue. The world is changing, and perhaps so
should U.S. policy," it added.
The U.S. official said that the way in which Hizbullah's activity led to the
toppling of the Saad Hariri government has decreased chances of holding dialogue
with the party.
He stressed that there are no discussions in the U.S. on changing policies
towards Lebanon, adding that the U.S. administration is concerned with
Hizbullah's strong influence over Beirut's airport. Beirut, 19 Mar 11, 08:32
White
House condemns Syrian crackdown on protesters
By REUTERS/19/03/2011
US calls on Syrian government to "allow demonstrations to take place
peacefully," after 3 killed, scores injured in violent clashes.
The White House on Friday criticized attacks on protesters in Syria and urged
the government to allow people to demonstrate freely.
"The United States strongly condemns the violence that has taken place in Syria
today and calls on the Syrian government to allow demonstrations to take place
peacefully," White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said.
"Those responsible for today's violence must be held accountable."
Syrian security forces killed three protesters in the southern city of Deraa on
Friday, a resident said, in the first violent clashes to hit Syria since a wave
of uprisings swept through the Arab world. The
demonstrators were taking part in a peaceful protest demanding political
freedoms and an end to corruption in Syria, which has been ruled under emergency
laws by President Bashar Assad's Baath Party for nearly half a century.
Hussam Abdel Wali Ayyash, Akram Jawabreh and Ayhem al-Hariri were among
several thousand people chanting "God, Syria, Freedom" and slogans accusing the
family of the president of corruption, the resident said.
They were shot dead by security forces who were reinforced with troops flown in
by helicopters, he added. Scores of other demonstrators were wounded.
"The confrontations are ongoing. They are heavy," the resident told Reuters.A
video aired on Facebook showed what it described as demonstrators in Deraa
shouting slogans earlier in the day against Syrian tycoon Rami Makhlouf, a
cousin of Assad's who owns several large businesses.
"Makhlouf you thief!" shouted dozens of demonstrators marching in the
streets.Syria's ruling hierarchy have indicated they believe they are immune
from the uprisings which have toppled entrenched leaders in Egypt and Tunisia,
but small nonviolent protests this week challenged their authority for the first
time in years.
On Wednesday plain-clothed security forces wielding batons dispersed 150
demonstrators in central Damascus who had gathered outside the Interior Ministry
to demand the release of political prisoners.Assad, who succeeded his father 11
years ago, is also head of the Baath party, which has been in power since 1963,
banning opposition and imposing the emergency law still in force.He said in an
interview published in January that Syria's ruling hierarchy was "very closely
linked to the beliefs of the people" and that there was no mass discontent
against the state.New York-based Human Rights Watch has said Syria's authorities
were among the worst violators of human rights in 2010, jailing lawyers,
torturing opponents and using violence to repress ethnic Kurds.
Singh: UNIFIL Ready to Demarcate Maritime Blue Line
Naharnet/UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh confirmed that the international force is
ready to help in the demarcation of the maritime border between Lebanon and
Israel. "The two countries have to approve our intervention," he told As Safir
in remarks published on Saturday. He added: "The Lebanese army requested the
international forces' assistance in this matter during the tripartite meeting
that was held on March 7." Regarding the Lebanese army's ability to take over of
the areas south of the Litani River, Singh said "The Lebanese army will be able
to enforce its abilities through strategic dialogue in order to implement
resolution 1701." Concerning the dispute over the Ghajar village, he reiterated
that Israel's withdrawal from the northern part of the occupied border village
is a none negotiable condition. Singh stated that it was an imperative issue for
Israel to withdraw from Ghajar as soon as possible. "UNIFIL has made suggestions
to facilitate Israel's withdrawal in compliance with resolution 1701, and we
started discussions with both sides and are continuing intense talks after the
Israeli cabinet announced last November that it agreed in principle to UNIFIL's
proposal," he told As Safir. Asked if UNIFIL had ever intercepted ships loaded
with arms, he responded that any suspected ship is referred to the Lebanese army
to confirm that it doesn't contain any illegitimate weapons. "UNIFIL navy has
intercepted more than 860 commercial ships and referred them to the Lebanese
army for searching, but all ships were released after that," Singh said. Beirut,
19 Mar 11, 09:14
Al-Rahi Believes Visiting Syria is Not Taboo: Christianity in Lebanon Protects
Arabs
Naharnet/Newly elected Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated that visiting Syria is
not "taboo", adding that he would relay Christian insecurities to officials in
Lebanon and the Arab country.
He told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday: "It is the duty of
every patriarch to visit the parishes every five years and I will do that
immediately."
"We want the political issues between Lebanon and Syria to be resolved by the
politicians," he stressed. "Syria is like any other country and I will relay the
Maronites' concerns to the officials in order to build a friendship with them
and share common worries," al-Rahi said. The patriarch summed up Bkirki's
central national principles in "the human, society, justice, understanding,
sovereignty, independence, and freedom of choice." Addressing the situation of
Christians in the Arab world, he said through preserving their existence and
coexistence with Muslims, Lebanon's Christians "have carried this responsibility
to the Arab world" and they have protected the Arab Christians. Beirut, 19 Mar
11, 10:55
Aoun in Dubai as Government Formation still Stuck over Interior Ministry
Portfolio
Naharnet/The political consultations over the government formation have entered
a "truce" after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's departure for
Dubai on Friday, said a source monitoring the government formation process. The
consultations will resume as soon as Aoun returns from his trip, revealing that
the meeting between Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati, Hizbullah official
al-Hajj Hussein al-Khalil, Speaker Nabih Berri's advisor MP Ali Hasan Khalil,
and caretaker minister Jebran Bassil on Thursday led to an agreement over
methods to end the deadlock over the government formation. It said that one of
the solutions lies in granting Aoun ten ministers instead of 12, including the
interior and education ministries portfolios.
He will have to relinquish the telecommunications ministry portfolio in favor of
a Sunni minister chosen by Miqati The other solution calls for granting a
centrist group 11 ministers whereby President Michel Suleiman will be given two
portfolios, National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblat will be given three,
and Miqati will be granted six. The FPM will be granted ten portfolios, the
Marada Movement two, AMAL four, and Hizbullah three. The two solutions include
the formation of a 30-minister Cabinet, added the source.
It noted that the last meeting between Aoun and caretaker Interior Minister Ziad
Baroud has not led to an agreement over who should acquire the ministry.
"Suleiman is committed to reappointing Baroud as a minister, whether in the same
ministry or not," it added. "The President is also keen on granting the defense
and interior ministries to a neutral minister," it said. Meanwhile, Miqati's
sources told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday: "The premier-designate's
primary concern is forming the government and nothing else.""Any camp has the
right to explain matters as it wishes, but they have no right to usurp the
opinions of the residents of Tripoli who have voiced their opinions on more than
one occasion," they noted. "Miqati's circles are adopting silence over
developments over the government as the process has returned to the stagnant
stage due to Aoun's insistence on acquiring the interior ministry portfolio,
meaning he is opposed to Baroud's reappointment to his position," they said. "He
is also insisting on naming 12 Christian ministers therefore exceeding the
number allowed for a blocking minority, which Miqati had stated is not even
allowed by the constitution … and he is not prepared to form a government that
does not adhere to his convictions," they stated. The Central News Agency
reported from new majority sources on Friday that it has set next week as a
deadline as the latest possible date to form the government.
Miqati was informed that should a Cabinet fail to be formed, then Aoun and
Hizbullah will discuss a solution with National Struggle Front leader MP Walid
Jumblat and Syrian officials "seeing as the delay in the formation has started
to take its toll in and outside Lebanon." Beirut, 19 Mar 11, 09:44
WikiLeaks: Elias Murr Believes Hizbullah Cannot Launch Rockets from Downtown
Beirut
Naharnet/A leaked U.S. Embassy cable published exclusively in Al-Akhbar Saturday
revealed that Defense Minister Elias Murr believed that the Lebanese army would
be able to swiftly deploy its troops in southern Lebanon. The WikiLeaks cable,
dated August 8, 2006, said that Murr informed then U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon
Jeffery Feltman that 15,000 soldiers would be able to deploy in the South within
12 hours if they are ordered to do so. He also stressed that the army would be
prepared to retaliate against Hizbullah if the party were to attack Israel.
"We won't hesitate to fire at anything that moves, no joke," he was quoted as
saying. Furthermore, the minister said that a lack of a clear solution to the
Israeli-occupied Shabaa Farms wouldn't enable the Lebanese government from
eliminating Hizbullah's excuse to remain in the South. Murr also ruled out the
possibility of Hizbullah attacking Tel Aviv or that Israel would attack downtown
Beirut. He said that Hizbullah would not dare deploy rocket launchers in
downtown Beirut in order to lure Israel into attacking the area, saying that
3,000 armies are deployed in the area. Beirut, 19 Mar 11, 12:43
Suleiman Files Urgent Complaint to U.N. over Attack on Lebanese Embassy in Libya
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman condemned on Saturday the attack on the
Lebanese Embassy in Libya and the burning of the Lebanese flag.
He said: "It is a blatant attack on Lebanon's sovereignty."The president urged
caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Shami to file an urgent complaint to the United
Nations in protest to the "blatant" violation of international law and the
Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Suleiman also held talks earlier on
Saturday with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on the government formation
process. Meanwhile, the Lebanese charges d'affaires in Libya Nazih Ashour denied
to MTV that the Lebanese Embassy in Libya was attacked, saying that the Lebanese
flag was taken down and replaced by the Libyan one."I assure that there are no
injuries among the embassy employees," he said. Beirut, 19 Mar 11, 14:02
Damascus Questions Delay in Government Formation: Syrian Leadership Not
Interfering in the Process
Naharnet/Damascus's visitors reported that high-ranking Syrian officials are
questioning the delay in the formation of the Lebanese government "seeing as
there are no reasons that should cause a delay," reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat
Saturday. "The officials stressed that the Syrian leadership is not concerned
with the details of the government and it does not intervene in the formation,
but it urges all its allies to present mutual concessions to facilitate the
formation," they told the daily. The visitors added that the officials refuse to
name a preferred ministerial candidate, saying instead that all candidates are
Damascus's friends. "The Syrian leadership is complaining over the confusion in
the formation process where optimism prevails at certain moments and then it
suddenly decreases without any justification," they noted. "It appears that some
sides are stalling even though some justifications for the delay no longer exist
especially after the March 14 camp announced its boycott of the government,"
they continued. Furthermore, the excuse calling for delaying the formation until
the release of the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri also no longer stands seeing as the decision
will most likely be released in the summer, the visitors said.
"Syria has some reservations on the officials responsible for forming the
government over their indecision," some of Damascus's allies were quoted as
saying. The officials also questioned why Miqati and his allies have not reached
an understanding on the structure of the government and distribution of
portfolios. The delay may be caused by the fact that the March 8 camp has never
experienced the process of forming a one-sided government, which brings about
several complications including several candidates vying for a position in
Cabinet, they noted "The harmony between the new majority does not justify
attempts from within to monopolize portfolios," the visitors said. They added
that Miqati should take the opportunity and engage Free Patriotic Movement
leader MP Michel Aoun in deep negotiations to settle disputes. Beirut, 19 Mar
11, 10:28
Hariri before Massive Tripoli Rally: Weapons Create Strife, Every Project
Outside State Has Failed
Naharnet/Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Friday that any
project outside the state has failed.
He said at a popular rally before tens of thousands of supporters at the end of
his three-day visit to Tripoli: "Every sect in Lebanon that has pursued its own
agenda has failed … all agendas established alongside the state have only
brought about tragedy and destruction in Lebanon.""I came to the North to thank
all the Lebanese who participated in the March 13 rally last Sunday and to tell
the world that we oppose the hegemony of the weapons over Lebanon," he stated.
"This time and like 2005, you rallied demanding nothing but freedom and
justice," he added. "I am confident that you won't allow those carrying weapons
try to eliminate justice," he declared. "Nothing can protect us and Lebanon
except the state. The hegemony of the arms is aimed at obstructing the state,
eliminating justice, and enforcing crime as a means for pursuing political
life," the premier continued. "We are standing before two choices. We either
choose the state or the hegemony of the arms … and after Sunday's rally, you
have clearly chosen the state to achieve justice and uncover the truth in the
assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri," he said. Addressing the Shiites
in Lebanon, Hariri stated: "Prominent Shiite Imams have stated that any project
outside the state's authority is doomed to fail." "The Shiites know that anyone
calling for the rise of the state and placing the arms under state control
cannot be a traitor," he noted. "Is it possible that this city be accused of
treason after it presented martyrs from the Lebanese army when red lines did not
stop it from combating terrorism that struck in the heart of the North?" he
asked.Hariri added: "We will no longer tolerate accusations of treason against
whoever wants the rise of a strong state." Beirut, 18 Mar 11, 17:28
Hizbullah Delegation Visits Bkirki and al-Rahi: We Haven't
Tackled Issue of Arms
Naharnet/The head of Hizbullah's parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad expressed
hope on Friday that the party would resume dialogue with Bkirki and consolidate
ties.
Raad visited Bkirki at the head of a Hizbullah delegation to congratulate
Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on his election. "We hope that the patriarch would
deal with the national interests of the Lebanese by taking a unifying stance,"
Raad said. "We informed him about our willingness to resume dialogue and
strengthen it in the next stage," the MP told reporters. Asked about Hizbullah's
relations with Bkirki, Raad said: "We are encouraged by the patriarch's policy
which is based on harmony and agreement among all Lebanese."
The lawmaker said he relayed a message from Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah congratulating al-Rahi. For his part, the patriarch told reporters
later on Friday that the issue of the party's arms was not addressed during the
meeting, saying that the matter "can be solved through dialogue.""Bkirki
possesses national and spiritual principles and the dispute between the Lebanese
is not over these principles, but on the details and strategies," he noted. "The
political and party leaders should implement these values and Bkirki is keen on
achieving a free, sovereign, and independent Lebanon," al-Rahi stressed.
Commenting on Lebanon's ties with Syria, he said that it experiences a lot of
ups and downs, adding that he intends to visit parishes in Syria. Beirut, 18 Mar
11, 12:52
LF on WikiLeaks Report: It Proved that Geagea Supports Solution of Limiting
Weapons Possession to Army
Naharnet/The Lebanese Forces issued a clarification on Friday over the recent
WikiLeaks cable published in Al-Akhbar on Friday in which LF leader Samir Geagea
was quoted as saying that he supports turning Hizbullah into a problem on the
internal Lebanese scene in order to weaken it. The LF statement said that the
cable revealed that Geagea does not employ double standards in his political
rhetoric as the claims in the report are the same statements he still issues
this very day.In addition, the cable confirmed Geagea's position towards the
solution calling for limiting the possession of arms in Lebanon to the Lebanese
army, respecting the Blue Line, and implementing United Nations Security Council
resolutions 1559 and 1680.
"The Lebanese Forces is awaiting the release of the English version of the cable
and for a non-biased translation" seeing as the Al-Akhbar article is based on an
unpublished document, as stated by the newspaper, "which is a sign of complicity
between Al-Akhbar and WikiLeaks," the statement said. Beirut, 18 Mar 11, 18:27
Qabalan Meets al-Rahi: Bkirki a Sanctuary for All Lebanese,
We Must Open New Page of Cooperation
Naharnet/During a visit to Bkirki on Friday to congratulate the new Maronite
patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on his election, Deputy Head of the Higher Shiite
Islamic Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan stressed that "Bkirki is a sanctuary
for all the Lebanese." "We must open a new page of cooperation and harmony as
the country can only rise through its Muslim and Christian wings," Qabalan added
after meeting both al-Rahi and outgoing patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir. Qabalan, who
was accompanied by a delegation from the Higher Shiite Islamic Council, wished
good health for Sfeir, describing him as a "dear brother.""Lebanon can only rise
through the unity of its people. Christians and Muslims are brothers," the
Shiite leader said, calling for protecting the country. Addressing al-Rahi,
Qabalan said: "We're ready for permanent cooperation with your eminence in order
to build Lebanon upon solid foundations."
For his part, al-Rahi said after the meeting: "It's true that we as spiritual
leaders are not involved in the technicalities of politics, but we deal with
what is more important: principles and constants which we hope political leaders
would put into practice." Outgoing patriarch Sfeir also spoke after the meeting.
"We have always lived as partners in this country in weal and woe, and we ask
God to make our upcoming days prosperous," he said. Beirut, 18 Mar 11, 21:41/Naharnet
Statement by Minister Cannon on Protests in Yemen
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/109.aspx
(No. 109 - March 18, 2011 - 5:50 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement concerning
recent events in Yemen:
“Canada is deeply worried about reports of civilian deaths in Yemen and firmly
condemns the use of violence against demonstrators. We are also concerned about
the decision of the Government of Yemen to impose a state of emergency, and we
urge the Yemeni authorities to protect the safety of all individuals. We
strongly encourage that measures be taken to avoid any further violence against
protesters. “Canada calls on the Government of Yemen to fully respect the rights
of its people to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.
“We consider the establishment of a sincere and open dialogue between the
Government of Yemen, political opposition and civil society as the only valid
approach to addressing the concerns of the citizens of Yemen.”
Canada Concerned by Renewed Violence and Ongoing Political Stalemate in Abyei
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/110.aspx
(No. 110 - March 18, 2011 - 6:35 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement expressing
concern over the renewed violence and lack of progress on the negotiations
regarding the status of Abyei, Sudan:
“Canada is gravely concerned about the rising tension and violence in the
disputed Sudanese border area of Abyei, where recent clashes have resulted in
more than 100 deaths and caused the displacement of 20,000 people.
“Reports of increasing militarization and violence in Abyei pose a distinct
threat to stability in Sudan, despite Northern and Southern Sudan having worked
together to hold a peaceful and credible referendum on South Sudan’s
self-determination in January 2011.
“Canada urges all sides to refrain from further violence and to allow the free
movement of UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) peacekeepers in the area. Canada also
calls on both the North and the South to adhere to the commitments they have
made in several accords relating to Abyei, especially the provisions of the
recent Kadugli Agreement.
“In particular, Canada urges both sides to reduce the number of regular and
irregular armed personnel in the contested area. The parties must redouble their
efforts to negotiate a solution to Abyei’s future status that respects the
legitimate interests and needs of local stakeholders. Progress on Abyei is
especially important in the context of ongoing negotiations in preparation for
South Sudan’s independence on July 9, 2011.”Sudan is one of Canada’s
foreign-policy priorities. Canada has contributed over $800 million for peace,
humanitarian assistance, development aid, security and peace building in Sudan
since 2006.
Canada
planning to give $11M to Egypt for democracy-building efforts
By: Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
Posted: 03/16/2011
OTTAWA - Canada is giving almost $11 million to Egypt to help foster democracy
in the North African country.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced the funding Wednesday in
Cairo, where he attended meetings with Egypt's new leaders and civil society
groups.
Cannon said he told Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and his cabinet that Canada was
willing to participate in Egypt's "transition from dictatorship to democracy."
The money will target opportunities for young Egyptians and help develop
democratic institutions in their country and across the broader Middle East.
The vast majority of the new funds — $10 million over five years — will be
supplied by the Decent Employment for Youth Project, a Canadian International
Development Agency project which trains and helps young people find jobs and
start businesses in tourism and manufacturing.
Canada is also joining the German government to help train journalists with a
$300,000 contribution to build capacity in Egypt's media sector.
In addition, Canada is contributing $600,000 to a United Nations electoral
support program and another $100,000 to aid the democratic transition in
neighbouring Tunisia.
"Everywhere, I witnessed the strong determination by Egyptian leaders to
transform the clearly expressed will of the Egyptian people to build a society
based on freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law," Cannon said.
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar welcomed what he called a change of tone
from the Harper government.
"They're engaging in some damage control after the Prime Minister compared the
dawn of democracy in Egypt to spilling toothpaste out of a tube," he said.
Dewar added that more details of Canada's funding to Egypt were needed.
"I hope this means the government will revisit the promise it made in its Speech
from the Throne to create a democratic development institute."
In addition to his funding announcement, Cannon also met with the secretary
general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who has indicated he will run for
Egypt's presidency.
The two men discussed the deteriorating situation in Libya, where forces loyal
to strongman Moammar Gadhafi appear to be beating down rebel forces.
"I impressed upon him the importance of Arab leadership in this crisis."
Cannon said the international community has been working "feverishly" to come up
with a way of intervening in Libya. He noted the United Nations Security Council
was meeting to discuss another resolution.
Canada favours tougher sanctions and would like to see a ceasefire, he said.
Cannon is the highest ranking Canadian official to visit Egypt since the Feb. 11
ouster of ex-president Hosni Mubarak, whose 30 years of iron-fisted rule ended
after an 18-day popular revolt.
Cannon said he was moved by his tour of Tahrir Square, the centre of
pro-democracy demonstrations.
He said he told his officials to work toward lifting a travel warning that his
department has issued to Canadians considering travel to Egypt.
"I think it's incumbent that the country be able to restore the great tourism
industry it does have."
Sharaf told Cannon that he hoped Egypt's nationwide curfew and other stepped-up
security may also soon be eased.
Cannon's visit coincided with the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton in Egypt.
Canada
planning to give $11M to Egypt for democracy-building efforts
By taffy | Published: March 16, 2011
Oh Canada.
Shakes head and sighs.
http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=31632
Even though the persecution of religious minorities is illegal in within the
borders of Canada, Canadians are obligated to support [with tax dollars]
countries where certain segments of the population are regarded as second class
citizens for having a faith different than the majority. Countries where the
abuses against these groups run the gamut from verbal abuse to murder. Where
their homes and churches can be burned and land stolen all while the state yawns
and pays platitudes to the victims and media.
If Canada’s foreign policy is a reflection of our morality then I’m taking the
mirrors down because I can’t stand what is staring back at me.
Winnipeg Free Press
OTTAWA – Canada is giving almost $11 million to Egypt to help foster democracy
in the North African country.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced the funding Wednesday in
Cairo, where he attended meetings with Egypt’s new leaders and civil society
groups.
Cannon said he told Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and his cabinet that Canada was
willing to participate in Egypt’s “transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
The money will target opportunities for young Egyptians and help develop
democratic institutions in their country and across the broader Middle East.
The vast majority of the new funds — $10 million over five years — will be
supplied by the Decent Employment for Youth Project, a Canadian International
Development Agency project which trains and helps young people find jobs and
start businesses in tourism and manufacturing.
Canada is also joining the German government to help train journalists with a
$300,000 contribution to build capacity in Egypt’s media sector.
In addition, Canada is contributing $600,000 to a United Nations electoral
support program and another $100,000 to aid the democratic transition in
neighbouring Tunisia.
“Everywhere, I witnessed the strong determination by Egyptian leaders to
transform the clearly expressed will of the Egyptian people to build a society
based on freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” Cannon said.
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar welcomed what he called a change of tone
from the Harper government.
“They’re engaging in some damage control after the Prime Minister compared the
dawn of democracy in Egypt to spilling toothpaste out of a tube,” he said.
Dewar added that more details of Canada’s funding to Egypt were needed.
“I hope this means the government will revisit the promise it made in its Speech
from the Throne to create a democratic development institute.”
In addition to his funding announcement, Cannon also met with the secretary
general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who has indicated he will run for
Egypt’s presidency.
The two men discussed the deteriorating situation in Libya, where forces loyal
to strongman Moammar Gadhafi appear to be beating down rebel forces.
“I impressed upon him the importance of Arab leadership in this crisis.”
Cannon said the international community has been working “feverishly” to come up
with a way of intervening in Libya. He noted the United Nations Security Council
was meeting to discuss another resolution.
Canada favours tougher sanctions and would like to see a ceasefire, he said.
Cannon is the highest ranking Canadian official to visit Egypt since the Feb. 11
ouster of ex-president Hosni Mubarak, whose 30 years of iron-fisted rule ended
after an 18-day popular revolt.
Cannon said he was moved by his tour of Tahrir Square, the centre of
pro-democracy demonstrations.
He said he told his officials to work toward lifting a travel warning that his
department has issued to Canadians considering travel to Egypt.
“I think it’s incumbent that the country be able to restore the great tourism
industry it does have.”
Sharaf told Cannon that he hoped Egypt’s nationwide curfew and other stepped-up
security may also soon be eased.
Cannon’s visit coincided with the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton in Egypt.
This entry was posted in Canada, Coptic persecution, Egypt, Ethnic Cleansing,
Freedoms, Islam, Leftism and Islam, Western Hypocracy, Willful ignorance.
Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
« Threatening tweets at McGill…CAIR brings hate to Orange County »6 Comments
Tens of
thousands rally to Hariri in Tripoli
By Antoine Amrieh
Daily Star staff
Saturday, March 19, 2011
TRIPOLI: Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Friday the Lebanese would
have to choose between the state and the tutelage of weapons, warning that the
continued supremacy of Hezbollah’s arms over political life would lead Lebanon
to sectarian strife.
Addressing a mass rally organized by his Future Movement in Tripoli at the end
of a three-day visit, Hariri said he came to the heart of the north to tell the
whole world: No to the tutelage of weapons in Lebanon.
Tens of thousands flocked to Rashid Karami International Fairs Center at the
doorstep of Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati’s residence to give a
resounding vote of confidence in Hariri.
Hariri, who has unleashed a fierce verbal campaign against Hezbollah’s arsenal
since the collapse of his government in January, rejected accusations by some
March 8 groups that his statements served to inflame sectarian strife.
“Whenever someone says something that is righteous, and whenever the people of
Tripoli and the north say something that is righteous, the tutelage of arms
shows its horns to tell us: ‘You are creating strife.’ No, my friends, it is the
supremacy of [Hezbollah’s] weapons that leads to strife. It is the use of
weapons to show strength that leads to strife. And any other description is an
attempt to intimidate, change the facts and cover up the side which causes the
crisis,” Hariri told flag-waving supporters.
“We have only two options: to choose the state or to choose the tutelage of
weapons. You, on all occasions and during last Sunday’s ceremony, clearly chose
the transition to the state, to justice, truth and real participation,” he
added, drawing cheers from the crowd which interrupted him several times with
chants: “The people want to topple [Hezbollah’s] arms.”
Hariri was referring to last Sunday’s mass rally held by the March 14 coalition
in Downtown Beirut to mark six years since the movement was founded, one month
after the Feb. 14, 2005 assassination of Hariri’s father, former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri, to defend the country’s freedom, sovereignty and independence and
demand a Syrian troop withdrawal.
The coalition proclaimed the “Second Cedar Revolution” aimed at forcing
Hezbollah to surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state in the same way the
first revolution in 2005 led to a Syrian troop withdrawal, ending nearly three
decades of Syria’s control over Lebanon.
“The Lebanese raised their voices, saying: We do not want an army in Lebanon
other than the Lebanese Army,” Hariri said. “And we are here today in Tripoli to
say from Tripoli and let the entire world hear it: We want no other state in
Lebanon other than the Lebanese state.”
Army troops and Internal Security Forces personnel deployed in and around Karami
Square, setting up checkpoints and barriers.
The city’s streets were filled with thousands of buses and cars that carried
people of all ages, waving Lebanese and Future Movement flags, from northern
towns and villages to show support for Hariri.
Hariri stressed that nothing could save and protect the Lebanese but the state.
“I am confident that you will not allow the supremacy of weapons to decide the
fate of your country, consecrate the tutelage of weapons, abolish justice and
the truth, and transfer Lebanon to a regional axis that you do not want,” Hariri
said, referring to Hezbollah’s backers, Iran and Syria.
Is Washington about to open channels to Hezbollah?
By David Ignatius
Daily Star
Saturday, March 19, 2011
In a rapidly changing Islamic world, the Obama administration is weighing how
best to talk with adversaries such as the Taliban and, perhaps, Hezbollah.
One model for the administration, as it thinks about engagement of enemies, is
the British process of dialogue during the 1990s with Sinn Fein, the legal
political wing of the terrorist Irish Republican Army. That outreach led to
breakthrough peace talks and settlement of a conflict that had been raging for
more than a century.
In the case of the Taliban, the administration has repeatedly stated that it is
seeking a political settlement of the war in Afghanistan, rather than a military
one. That formula sometimes seems hollow, when more than 100,000 U.S. troops are
in combat. But it got more definition last month from Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton, who opened the doors wider for dialogue.
Clinton, in a February 18 speech to the Asia Society, subtly altered the terms
for Taliban participation in peace talks. She repeated the administration’s “red
lines for reconciliation” – that Taliban representatives must renounce violence,
reject Al-Qaeda and abide by the Afghan Constitution. But rather than making
these preconditions for talks, as before, she said they were “necessary outcomes
of any negotiation.”
To draw the Afghan insurgents toward reconciliation, the administration is
supporting a plan by President Hamid Karzai that would allow the Taliban to open
an office in Kabul or outside Afghanistan, where contacts might be easier. Saudi
Arabia was discussed as one possible site, but a more likely venue would be
Turkey. The Turkish government is pondering the issue.
Back-channel U.S. contacts with some Taliban figures have already begun,
according to a report in The New Yorker last month by Steve Coll. This leak was
regarded as so sensitive that one official suspected of sharing information is
said to have been reprimanded.
The guiding premise for the administration is that political and diplomatic
strategy must drive policy in Afghanistan this year, rather than being an
afterthought to military operations. Here’s how the White House put it in its
December policy review: “In 2011, we will intensify our regional diplomacy to
enable a political process to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
This regional approach already has led to two U.S.-sponsored meetings on
Afghanistan that included Iranian representatives – one in Rome last year and
one in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 3.
The Hezbollah issue is still being framed, in terms of policy debate. But the
White House has focused on it in recent weeks because of a new National
Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Hezbollah that is nearing completion.
Officials who have read draft versions of the new estimate say it assesses
Hezbollah in a broad context, as a political and social force in Lebanon in
addition to the militia officially designated by the United States as a “foreign
terrorist organization.” Like most NIEs, this one is said to contain a broad
array of views, with some analysts stressing Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities
and others noting the organization’s growing political role, including its
representation in the Lebanese Cabinet.
The political time bomb ticking away in the NIE is the question of whether the
United States should seek some kind of direct or indirect engagement with
Hezbollah – at least with its political wing. Officials who support this course
argue that the organization is like the IRA or the Palestine Liberation
Organization – with non-military components that can be drawn into a dialogue.
Contrarian thinking about Hezbollah was voiced publicly by John Brennan, the
White House counterterrorism adviser. In May 2010 he described it as “a very
interesting organization” and said the U.S. should try to “build up the more
moderate elements.” And at a conference in August 2009, he offered this summary:
“Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early ‘80s
and has evolved significantly over time” to have members in the Lebanese
Parliament and Cabinet.
The high-level discussion of Hezbollah illustrates the ferment in U.S. thinking
about a Middle East that is being transformed by democratic uprisings. Officials
caution that for now, the Hezbollah question is a matter for intelligence
analysts, not policymakers. The White House recognizes that it has enough to
deal with already without opening a new question that would produce shock waves
in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
The bottom line is that after a decade of American wars in the Middle East, the
Obama administration is increasingly looking for ways to talk with adversaries
and draw them into a process of dialogue. The world is changing, and perhaps so
should U.S. policy.
**Syndicated columnist David Ignatius is published twice weekly by THE DAILY
STAR.