LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober 07/2011

Bible Quotation for today/Judging Others
Matthew 7/1-6: " Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? How dare you say to your brother, Please, let me take that speck out of your eye, when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Do not give what is holy to dogs—they will only turn and attack you. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs—they will only trample them underfoot.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Bechara al-Rahi… A moment of your time/By Hussein Shobokshi/
October 06/11
A U.N. veto buys Bashar time to kill/By Michael Young/October 06/11
Syria and the Russian hypocrisy/By Tariq Alhomayed/October 06/11
From The Daily Star Interview with Mr. Fletcher, Britain’s new ambassador to Beirut/
October 06/11  
The harmful Iranian conference in support of Bashar/By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/October 06/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 06/11
Saudi reinforcements rushed to oil regions to quell machine-gun toting Shiites
Lebanon: 12 Wounded in Clash at ‘Mecanique’ Center
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai denies fears over fate of Maronites, slams media ‘lies’
March 8 Forces Stand Firm over STL, Refuse ‘Targeting’ Resistance
Lebanon's Stance on U.N. Syria Vote Creates Controversy
Hezbollah's puppet Ministers Defend Silence on Incursion as March 14 Calls for Summoning Syrian Envoy
Nasrallah rejects funding STL but wants Cabinet intact: report
7 injured after scuffle at Beirut vehicle inspection center
MP Qanso asks Mikati to expel U.S. ambassador
Lebanon committed to protecting Syrian refugees: Mikati
Future MPs urge public to show solidarity with Syria
March 14 slam incursion into Lebanon by Syrian army
Lebanon: LU teachers announce open-ended strike
Aoun: No Agreement on STL Funding between Lebanon, Security Council
Report: Syrian Salafists Holding ‘Secret’ Talks with Christian Officials in Lebanon
Berri Returns from Armenia: Lebanon Witnessing Monetary, Security Stability despite Tensions
Strong Quake Rattles Northern Argentina
12 Dead in Army, Deserters Clash in Idlib as U.N. Says More than 2,900 Killed since March
Syria TV airs interview with woman reported dead
Syria: No Message Was Conveyed between Assad, Davutoglu
Germany Summons Syrian Ambassador over U.N. Tirade
Livni visits U.K. for first time after war crimes jurisdiction amended
Clinton: UNESCO should think again before granting Palestinian membership
Syria TV airs interview with woman reported dead

Syrian pride’ kept Steve Jobs' estranged father from reaching out

Saudi reinforcements rushed to oil regions to quell machine-gun toting Shiites
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report / October 5, 2011, Has the 11-month Arab revolt reached Saudi Arabia? Or been imported? This week saw weeks of simmering unrest in the Shiite-populated eastern oil regions boiling over. Wednesday, Oct. 5, the Saudi Ministry of Interior warned it would "strike with an iron fist" against any breaches of the country's stability and security after security officers came under automatic fire and Molotov bombs fired from motorbikes in Saudi Arabia's richest oil center in the eastern region of Qatif.
Saudi officials blamed "a foreign country" and "mercenaries" after demonstrators fought the police with classical Iranian Revolutionary Guards tactics in the Shiite town of al Awamiya near the kingdom's largest oil terminal at Ras Tanura: In one incident, the security police were allowed to break up demonstrations. But when they chased the ringleaders into the alleys, they were ambushed with machine gun and automatic fire. Eleven officers were injured but as they retired with their wounded, they were hit a second time by Molotov-wielding motorcyclists with two riders – one driving and the other shooting.
It was the Saudi security police's first experience of this level of violence after more or less escaping the spillover of Arab revolts in other countries. On Wednesday too, oil prices jumped $2.79 to $78.46 - both because of the unrest in Saudi Arabia, the sharp dip in US crude stocks and the steps President Barack Obama is due to unveil for stimulating the US economy. To put down the riots before they spilled over into other parts of the oil kingdom, the Saudis Wednesday pumped large special forces into restive Qatif whose half a million Shiite inhabitants are employed in the Saudi oil industry, mostly in maintenance at the oil installations of Dhahran and Jubail. Spreading riots and work stoppages there would seriously impact Saudi oil exports. Although Iran is not named in official Saudi communiqués – only "a foreign country seeking to undermine the security and stability of the homeland in blatant interference in national sovereignty," no one in Riyadh doubts Tehran's hand in the unrest, using its own and Hizballah undercover agents to smuggle the guns through neighboring Bahrain to Shiite activists in Al-Awamiya and teaching them assault tactics. Last week, Riyadh sent military reinforcements to Bahrain to help suppress a new wave of disturbances after discovering that the Shiite activists in Bahrain and Qatif had linked up for action. The Saudi expeditionary force in the tiny neighboring kingdom has been more than doubled to 3,600 fighting men plus 30 tanks. Echoing the slogans of the uprisings in other Arab lands, Mohamed al-Saeed, a Qatif resident, accused the Saudi state of ruthlessly suppressing the protest. “For the third day our families in Awwamiya town and Qatif live under brutal crackdown by Saudi forces, just because they went out and [asked] for our human rights and freedom.”

MP Qanso asks Mikati to expel U.S. ambassador
October 06, 2011/By Hasan Lakiss/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Baalbek MP Assem Qanso said Thursday he had personally asked Prime Minister Najib Mikati to expel U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Maura Connelly. Qanso, former head of the Baath party in Lebanon, made his remarks after he met with Mikati along with a delegation of Baalbek deputies. Earlier this week, Connelly stressed the importance her government placed on the need for the Lebanese Army to protect members of the Syrian opposition and refugees living in Lebanon. “Ambassador Connelly emphasized the importance the United States places on the Lebanese Armed Forces’ role in protecting members of the Syrian opposition residing in Lebanon, as one of Lebanon’s international legal obligations that also include support and funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” a statement from the U.S. Embassy said Tuesday after Connelly met with Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn. Syria and its allies have described the six-month uprising as part of a conspiracy aimed at targeting the country, which prompted the Syrian authority to violently crackdown on protester.
Lebanon has maintained a neutral policy on the international scene regarding events in Syria. It recently abstained from voting on a European-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Syria and hinting that it could face sanctions if it continues its crackdown on protesters.
China and Russia vetoed the resolution. --Additional reporting by Dana Khraiche.

Turkey to press ahead with Syria sanctions after ‘historic’ vetoes
October 06,11/Dominic Evans/Daily Star
DAMASCUS/BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS:Turkey said Wednesday it would impose sanctions on Syria despite the blocking of any U.N. measures against President Bashar Assad for his crackdown on dissent.
Russia and China handed Assad a diplomatic victory Tuesday by vetoing a Western-backed U.N. resolution that could have led to U.N. sanctions on Damascus, but Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised action of his own.
“Naturally the veto … cannot prevent sanctions,” Erdogan said. “We will of necessity implement a package of sanctions.”
Erdogan, who is visiting South Africa, has said he will announce the package after he visits a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey in the next few days.
The double veto by Moscow and Beijing infuriated Western powers which have already imposed their own sanctions on Syria and were trying to pave the way for a U.N. embargo, and will reinforce Assad’s hold on power – at least in the short term.
“This is a sad day for the Syrian people. It’s a sad day for the Security Council,” France’s Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.
Germany also expressed disappointment. A government spokesman said the draft resolution would have been an important signal of support for many Syrians “who for months have been taking to the streets for political freedom.”.
Syria’s state news agency SANA said Damascus welcomed the veto. “It restores hope for a balanced world … after a long time of American and European domination which turned the Security Council’s resolutions into a tool for punishing defenders of independence and liberation,” SANA said.
While a top aide to Assad Wednesday hailed the Russian and Chinese vetoes as “historic.”
“This is a historical day that Russia and China as nations are standing for the people and against injustices,” presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban told AFP in an interview.
“The United States has used the veto 50 times against the rights of the Palestinian people in their life, in their dignity and in their land,” she said.
“I think that all the Syrians are happy that now there are other powers in the world to stand against hegemony, against military interference in the affairs of countries and people.
“The veto that Russia and China have used … is a veto that stands with the Syrian people and gives the time for us to enforce and enhance reforms.”
But U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday voiced regret that the Security Council was unable to pass the resolution urging Syria to halt its six-month crackdown on protesters.
“He regrets that the council has not been able to agree and he hopes that the disagreements … will be overcome,” Ban’s spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters.
He also reiterated Ban’s position that the “violence in Syria is unacceptable.”
The draft resolution received nine votes in favor and four abstentions. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said Washington was outraged and called for “tough targeted sanctions” on Damascus.
Russia’s Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow rejected the threat of sanctions on Syria and China’s envoy Li Baodong said Beijing opposed “interference in [Syria’s] internal affairs.”
Russia has close ties with Assad’s government, which has been a client for arms sales, and has a naval maintenance facility on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
Beijing and Moscow, which had voiced concern that the draft could pave the way for Libya-style military intervention, also want to limit Western influence in the Middle East, while the United States and Europe have long sought to loosen Syria’s alliance with Iran. Assad has used tanks and troops to crush an uprising which erupted in March, inspired by regional revolts which toppled three North African leaders this year.
The United Nations says 2,700 civilians have been killed. Damascus blames the violence on foreign-backed armed groups which it says have killed at least 700 security personnel.
Syria’s economy is reeling from the impact of the unrest and U.S. and European sanctions on the small but key oil sector.
Assad faces a more united opposition after groups in exile came together in Istanbul Sunday to call for his downfall, but the U.N. vote marks a setback to his opponents who had hoped for an escalation in international pressure on Damascus.
“We deeply regret the positions of Russia and China toward the resolution,” said Omar Idlibi of the grassroots Local Coordination Committee in Beirut, adding he had “not lost hope in the international community.”
Idlibi said the opposition was studying options including a general strike or civil disobedience campaign, but analysts said Assad did not look threatened in the immediate future.
“The mere fact that Assad may be able to avoid international sanctions for the time being reinforces his position in the short term,” said Ayham Kamel from the Eurasia think tank.
“Assad is going to remain in power in the near term. I don’t think there are signs of imminent collapse but Syria faces challenges across the country – the economy, insecurity across the country, and a more organized opposition.”
Syria banned most luxury and car imports last month to try and conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves, but rescinded the measure Tuesday after a spike in prices and disquiet among an influential merchant class that has been backing Assad.
Turkish sanctions could also have a major impact. But Turkish officials have made clear that any measures will target Assad’s government and not the Syrian people.
For this reason Turkey has ruled out cutting off electricity sales or reducing the flow of water in the Euphrates river into Syria.
Bilateral trade between Turkey and Syria was worth $2.5 billion in 2010, and Turkish firms had investments of $260 million in Syria
One target of sanctions is likely to be Syria’s state banking system, which could effectively block purchases of Syrian crude oil.
Other possible measures could freeze Turkish cooperation in oil and gas projects involving state-run firms.
After months of peaceful protests, some army deserters and dissidents have taken up arms, prompting military operations against them, especially in areas bordering Turkey and Jordan.
Colonel Riad Asaad, a Syrian officer who defected and fled to Turkey, said last week 10,000 soldiers had deserted, but authorities have denied any army defections, saying the military operations were a response to appeals by residents.
Assad retains control of the military, whose mostly Sunni Muslim rank and file are largely commanded by officers of his minority Alawite sect.
Syria has mostly closed its doors to independent media, making it hard to verify events, but a trickle of desertions appears to have gathered pace in the last several weeks.

Syrian pride’ kept Steve Jobs' estranged father from reaching out
October 06, 2011/By Brooke Anderson/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Steve Jobs’ biological father wanted to make contact with his son before his untimely death but said his “Syrian pride” prevented him from doing so. On Wednesday, upon hearing the news of his son’s passing, he told the media he had “no comment.”Abdel-Fattah Jandali, the biological father of the legendary Apple founder, an 80-year-old Syrian-American Muslim and former political science professor, now living in Nevada, had expressed regret at giving up his son for adoption and had hoped the two could meet before it was too late.
In an August interview with the U.K.’s The Sun, Jandali said: “If I could live my life again I would do things entirely differently. And even more so in recent years when I have heard that my son is gravely ill. It makes me feel like time is running out and that I am totally helpless.”He added: “This might sound strange, though, but I am not prepared, even if either of us was on our deathbed, to pick up the phone to call him. “Steve will have to do that as the Syrian pride in me does not want him ever to think I am after his fortune. I am not. I have my own money. What I don’t have is my son ... and that saddens me. “When he became ill I thought maybe he might contact me to find out about my medical history but the call never came.”Jandali was a political science student from Homs at the American University of Beirut when he met Carole Schieble, an American graduate student. In 1955, when Jobs was born, the young couple was unmarried. According to Jandali, Schieble’s conservative father forbade her from marrying him, leading her to give their son up for adoption. The baby was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, and was named Steve. In an interview with The Sun in August, Jandali had expressed his desire to meet his son. He later said he regretted the interview

Nasrallah rejects funding STL but wants Cabinet intact: report
October 06, 2011/By Dana Khraiche/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah has reiterated his rejection of funding the controversial Special Tribunal for Lebanon, an issue that threatens to split Cabinet of Prime Minster Najib Mikati, but urged that the government remain intact, Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Thursday. “Hezbollah’s general secretary ... confirms in front of his guests his rejection of funding the international tribunal while at the same time calls for preserving the government’s unity,” Al-Akhbar wrote. The remarks reflect the party’s staunch rejection of the STL, which in June indicted four members of the group in the assassination of former statesman Rafik Hariri, and Nasrallah’s need to maintain the current makeup of the Lebanese government.
Hezbollah denies involvement in the assassination of Hariri and has described the tribunal as an U.S.-Israeli tool aimed at targeting the group and sowing sectarian strife in the country.
The party has also questioned the credibility of the tribunal, including judges and investigators who worked on the case.
With Mikati’s repeated affirmations that Lebanon will adhere to paying its 49 percent share of the court’s budget as stipulated by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1757, division between the March 8 lawmakers and Mikati’s bloc surfaced.
Lawmakers and ministers in the Free Patriotic Movement, allies of Hezbollah in the Government, have expressed their disapproval of funding the tribunal, arguing that the court is unconstitutional since it was not approved by Parliament. FPM leader MP Michel Aoun disapproval of Mikati’s pledge to fund the STL was starkest, even going so far to suggest the prime minster fund the tribunal from his own pocket. However, ministers affiliated with Mikati have reiterated the prime minister and President Michel Sleiman’s commitments to funding the international court. As a majority, Hezbollah and its allies can reject the issue of funding the court if it is placed before either Cabinet or Parliament, leaving Mikati with limited options to get the funding approved. Several reports say Mikati could revert to the use of a decree the get the funding passed.
Al-Akhbar also reported that Hezbollah believes the prime minister can maintain his position in the government despite its rejection of funding the court.
"And without forcing Mikati to resign and have a caretaking government for a long time amid the current balance of power [between the March 8 and the March 14 coalitions]," the paper added.The situation, then, forces Hezbollah to find an arrangement, although contradictory, that would include the party’s rejection of the funding but guarantees the unity of the government.

A U.N. veto buys Bashar time to kill
By Michael Young/ The Daily Star/October 06, 2011
For a brief moment, Lebanon can say that it behaved relatively courageously in comparison to Russia and China at the United Nations. On Tuesday, Moscow and Beijing vetoed a Security Council resolution on Syria, arguing that the text, in the words of the Russian envoy, “was based on a philosophy of confrontation.”
Lebanon had little choice. As the Arab representative on the council, its decision reflected the discord in the Arab world over Syria. Abstention was the logical outcome of the region’s treacherous cross-currents. However, in light of the Russia and Chinese votes against, Syria cannot have been overjoyed with the non-committal Lebanese attitude. You have to wonder if the Syrian army’s brief incursion into Arsal on the day of the voting was not, partly, a warning to Beirut.
What bothered the Russians and Chinese was that the resolution threatened retaliation against Damascus if the violence in Syria continued. The draft did not mention “sanctions,” to satisfy Moscow, replacing it with the more ambiguous “targeted measures.” Responding to claims that the resolution would lead to military action in Syria, as it had in Libya, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice was scathing. She called such worries a “cheap ruse by those who would rather sell arms to the Syrian regime than stand with the Syrian people.”
In a way Rice was right. A September report in Toronto’s The Globe and Mail indicated that Chinese arms companies negotiated contracts worth some $200 million in the past months with the regime of Moammar Gadhafi. This violated Resolution 1970, approved by China, which imposed an arms embargo on the Libyan government. However, Rice was less convincing in implying that Washington stood staunchly with the Syrian people. It took months for the Obama administration to do anything of substance on Syria, with officials complaining that the United States had little leverage in Damascus.
As with much else, this outlook showed President Barack Obama at his self-neutralizing best. Political leverage is something built up over time, patiently. Only the U.S. stands at the center of the network of countries with a say in Syria – the Arab states, Turkey, the permanent U.N. Security Council members, and the European Union. If anyone can bring all the pieces together to fashion a consensual stance toward Syria that persuades the regime to depart, it is the United States.
This does not diminish the cravenness of Russia and China. Both saw an opportunity to abort international momentum in favor of using humanitarian arguments to intervene in the Middle East and North Africa, where the two have political and economic stakes. Moscow and Beijing know that they are fated to follow when humanitarianism beckons, wedded as they are to political realism, which enjoins pursuing one’s interests abroad without worrying about the domestic abuses of the regimes with which they are transacting.
This is short-sighted. Modern communications mean that the outrages of brutal leaders are out there for all to see, on television screens, computers and mobile telephones. The old realism, which accepts an artificial barrier between a partner’s foreign affairs and his internal behavior, is no longer as tolerable as it once was. When Syrians routinely burn Russian and Chinese flags in the streets of their cities, that means there will be reckoning down the road, when the foul edifice of the Assads collapses, as it is destined to.
President Bashar Assad will appreciate what Russia and China did for him. However, it may little change things. At this stage the dynamics in Syria appear to be increasingly beyond the reach of foreign actors – which is precisely why the international community and the Arab states in particular are blameworthy for having dawdled on Syria, so eager was everyone to wish the problem away. Whatever Moscow and Beijing do, there is no repressive solution to the Syrian crisis. On the other hand, both have just ensured that Assad gets enough spare oxygen so that his security forces and armed gangs can murder more people – even as this heightens the prospect that the protesters will move toward further militarization of their revolt against Assad rule. Was it a good idea to go for a vote in the Security Council, despite the likelihood of Russian and Chinese vetoes? Yes. We have to accept that none but the most anodyne text would have been approved by Moscow and Beijing, which would have surely discredited the council far more than disagreement over a stronger resolution. Still, the U.N. is indeed deeply divided over Syria. At a time when its secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has gone commendably far in denouncing Bashar Assad and his methods, the capacity of the international body to mediate in the Syrian upheaval has been substantially reduced.
If the U.N. cannot address Syria effectively, individual states will fill the vacuum. Turkey played an essential role by hosting the founding session of the new representative council of the Syrian opposition, and soon intends to impose sanctions on Syria, after an arms embargo. Other governments are expanding sanctions already in place. The pressure is hurting. Last week Syria’s government suspended the importation of goods with tariffs above 5 percent, to avoid the flight of hard currency. However, when Syrian traders complained, the government backtracked. But to have taken that step in the first place, and risk alienating those whose support is indispensable for the regime’s survival, showed how reckless Bashar Assad and those around him have become. The situation in Syria will take a long time before clarifying. Russia and China are betting on the opposition’s exhaustion, or perhaps on a shift in the balance of power, granting them room to address a new Security Council resolution under improved conditions. Whatever is the thinking, many Syrians will not forgive them their cynicism.
*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). He tweets @BeirutCalling.

From The Daily Star Intervciew with Mr. Fletcher, Britain’s new ambassador to Beirut
Failure to fund STL ‘gift’ to Lebanon’s enemies October 06, 2011/
By Patrick Galey/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Failure to fund the United Nations-backed court investigating the assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri would be “a gift” to Lebanon’s enemies, Britain’s new ambassador to Beirut said Wednesday. In a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Star, Ambassador Tom Fletcher also addressed concerns posed by Syria’s six-month uprising and described Britain’s policy of conducting no official contact with Hezbollah as “under review.”With Cabinet currently in stalemate over funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon – as required under international law – Fletcher said that not providing financial assistance to the court would undermine attempts to build global trust in Lebanon.
“It would send an incredibly negative signal,” he said. “There are a lot of us out there at the moment fighting for Lebanon’s reputation, saying that this is somewhere to come and invest, that this is a government we can work with. All of us who believe in Lebanon’s potential would find it much harder to make that case to the more skeptical parts of international opinion if Lebanon was to turn around and reject the tribunal.” In reference to speeches made to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, notably that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed Lebanon’s Security Council presidency was akin to having Hezbollah run the U.N., Fletcher added: “There are countries who want to present Lebanon as moving away from the international community, moving further toward Iran, moving away from Lebanon’s core values, and not funding the tribunal would be a gift to those people.”
Lebanon has failed to provide the STL with 49 percent – around $32 million – of its running costs in 2011, a commitment it promised to uphold in Resolution 1757, signed in 2007. The mainly March 8 Cabinet is predominantly hostile to the tribunal, with some political leaders calling for a Lebanese boycott. Court sources disclosed that other donor countries have taken up the slack in lieu of Lebanon’s contribution. Britain, which has already provided millions of dollars, will remain a major STL donor, according to Fletcher.
“We funded the tribunal because we believe in international justice,” he said. “We want the people who carried out the assassinations to face that justice. Our funding will continue because our commitment is not diminishing, but we do think it’s important that Lebanon plays its part as well.”
Fletcher, who served as a foreign policy advisor for successive British governments, said that the U.K. supported the rights of Syria’s protestors, to the extent that Tuesday’s failed Security Council Resolution was partly championed by Westminster. He added that regime change in Damascus could have potentially disruptive ramifications for stability in Beirut.
“There are threats that the transition presents for all of us here in Lebanon because of the interconnectedness of the two societies,” he said. “Of course, Syria is going to remain the most significant international country for Lebanon, but that’s as it should be. We can and we must do what we can to protect the Lebanese space from what is happening across the border.”
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly called this week for greater protection for opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s administration currently residing in Lebanon, something the British ambassador said he supported.
“The key thing is that Lebanon takes a neutral role [regarding Syria],” he said. “I think [officials] have an obligation – and it’s in line with Lebanese values and Lebanese history – that they would always protect the rights of all people to interact, to have those freedoms. And, obviously, I would join the American ambassador in hoping that would be the case.”
Fletcher acknowledged that an upheaval in Syria would worry its allies in Lebanon, but was insistent that regional change posed more opportunities than dangers for lawmakers in Beirut.
“This transition in Syria should allow Lebanese leaders – and I don’t just mean the ones who are traditionally associated with Western countries, but Lebanese leaders from right across the spectrum – to step up and to articulate a more Lebanese nationalist position,” he added.
Fletcher himself is a strong advocate of electoral reform, currently being discussed between government representatives and civil society groups. He insisted that the adoption of certain voting law changes, such as lowering the voting age to 18, would help democracy in Lebanon advance in line with other countries in the wake of 2011’s Arab Spring.
“I think one of the lessons of the Arab Spring more widely is that you need to empower and involve youth movements or you will find that they are in the street,” the ambassador said, adding that political sectarianism should not predominate Lebanese politics “forever more.”
Britain has long eschewed official contact with Hezbollah, which it added to its list of designated terrorist organizations in 2008. Fletcher expressed his hope that the party would prove its political credentials through reform and adherence to Lebanon’s international commitments, and in turn pave the way for dialogue with the U.K.
“From our experience in Northern Ireland – and I was the [Prime Minister’s] Northern Ireland adviser for four years – we understand that you have to talk to people even when you disagree with them and that you need to find a way to bring groups into the political process, because that’s the best way to settle differences,” he said.
“I would very much hope that there will be a scenario where progress has been made on reform, on fulfillment of international obligations, and in choosing a Lebanese path of dialogue – rather of confrontation and violence – that justifies contact in the future,” Fletcher added.
“We don’t say never. But we do hope that Hezbollah will take the right decisions,” he said.

Lebanon committed to protecting Syrian refugees: Mikati
October 06, 2011/Daily Star /BEIRUT: Lebanon is committed to providing shelter to Syrians fleeing the unrest in their country, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Thursday, responding to concerns expressed by Washington. "My approach to these refugees coming to Lebanon is purely humanitarian," Mikati told AFP, estimating their number at 5,000.
"We are assisting these people ... providing them with medical assistance, schooling and shelter." Earlier this week, the US ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly urged Lebanese authorities to protect members of Syria's opposition living in the country, following reports some were being hunted down and sent back to Syria. There are also defecting Syrian soldiers crossing the border into Lebanon. Asked whether his position on providing shelter to Syrian refugees extended to members of the opposition or defecting soldiers, Mikati would only say that Lebanon was committed to helping "Syrian citizens". He said he had no case before him of anyone arrested or sent back to Syria and insisted that Lebanon's position on the issue was purely humanitarian. Responding to reports of cross-border incursions by Syrian troops into Lebanese territory, Mikati said a joint Syrian-Lebanese committee was closely following the matter. "I am not being silent about this, we are dealing with the issue normally," he said, noting the permeability of the border. "I don't want to blow these incidents out of proportion and I don't want to belittle them either. He also refused to be drawn on his government's position on developments in Syria, saying his goal was to ensure the crisis did not spill over into Lebanon, where Damascus has traditionally exerted much influence. "As far as Syria is concerned, we have always said we are trying to isolate ourselves as much as possible from what is going on," said Mikati, whose four-months-old government is dominated by the powerful militant Hezbollah and its allies, which support the Syrian regime.
"I cannot do anything today but protect Lebanon's national unity." He acknowledged, however, that the seven-month revolt threatening the regime of Bashar al-Assad was having economic repercussions on Lebanon. "Exports from Lebanon to Syria are shrinking and this will affect the Lebanese economy," he said.

March 14 slam incursion into Lebanon by Syrian army
October 05, 2011/
Daily Star/HERMEL/BEIRUT: March 14 officials Wednesday condemned an incursion into the Bekaa by the Syrian amy a day earlier, which locals say damaged several farmers’ homes.
“The Syrian incursion is very dangerous and is an attack on Lebanese sovereignty,” Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel told a news conference Wednesday.
Local villagers told The Daily Star Wednesday the Syrian army had damaged farmers’ homes in the Bekaa town of Arsal the previous day as their personnel crossed into the Bekaa, east of Beirut. Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Syrian troops in armored personnel carriers penetrated about 4 kilometers into Lebanese territory toward Khirbet Daoud on the outskirts of Arsal Tuesday afternoon and started firing heavy machine guns at farmers’ homes.They said several homes were damaged in the incident, adding that gasoline and water reservoirs around the farmers’ dwellings were also riddled with bullets from Kalashnikovs and 12.5 mm heavy machine guns.
The state-run National News Agency said Tuesday that two Syrian tanks crossed the border into the area of Arsal and fired at an abandoned batteries factory, thinking that armed men were hiding in the facility. There was no official response by the Lebanese government or the Lebanese Army on the Syrian incursion. The head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea echoed the concerns of Gemayel. In a chat with reporters at his residence in Maarab, Geagea called on Lebanese authorities to send a strongly worded letter to Syria for “violating” Lebanese territory. But Culture Minister Gaby Layyoun played down the reports of the Syrian army’s actions.
“Crossing one or 2 meters [into Lebanese territory] is normal. An incursion is a different thing,” Layyoun told a local radio station Wednesday.
Locals told The Daily Star that Syrian forces have crossed the border on several occasions in recent days, and had fired machine guns before pulling out and returning across the border.
Future Movement MP Jamal Jarrah questioned the lack of response from the Lebanese government on the Arsal incident, and called on the government to voice condemn the move.
Speaking to MTV Wednesday, Jarrah said the involvement of Syrian tanks was an escalation of previous incursions, during which just personnel had crossed into Lebanese territory, without vehicles. “These types of [incursions] are being repeated but the danger lies here in that Syrian tanks were involved” this time, Jarrah said.

Future MPs urge public to show solidarity with Syria
October 06, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Future Movement lawmakers and Muslim religious leaders warned Thursday groups closely allied with Damascus against opening "bases of operations" in several areas of the country while inviting the public to participate in a gathering in support of the Syrian people.
“The attendees warn groups who are affiliated with [President Bashar] Assad’s regime from opening offices in our areas; in Tripoli, Akkar, Bekaa, Arkoub, and Beirut and [warn] them against distributing money and arms under the banner of the resistance. This cannot continue,” a statement released after the meeting of the participants said.
The meeting included Future Movement MPs Mohammad Kabbara, Khaled Daher, Khaled Zahraman, Moeen al-Merebi and Muslim religious leaders.
The participants also urged members of the public to take part in gathering to be held in Tripoli Friday to support the Syrian people. Friday’s gathering will be held at 4 p.m. at Tel Square in Tripoli. “We invite people of freedom, democracy and justice in Lebanon to participate in great numbers to be in solidarity with the Syrian people ... and to express our rejection of the behavior of the Lebanese authorities regarding the regime’s crime,” the statement said.
Since the start of the Syrian demonstrations demanding reforms and the fall of Assad’s government, Tripoli has witnessed weekly protests in support of the protesters.
The statement Thursday also condemned the Lebanese government’s silence on the Syrian Army incursion into Lebanon that took place Tuesday.
Reports emerged Tuesday that two Syrian armored vehicles crossed the Lebanese border into the Bekaa village of Arsal, firing at an abandoned batteries factory in the area, before heading back to Syria. Local residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Daily Star Wednesday that the vehicles had been two armored personnel carriers (APC) and had fired at farmers’ homes. They said the Syrian troops managed to penetrate about 4 kilometers into Lebanese territory toward Khirbet Daoud on the outskirts of Arsal Tuesday afternoon and started firing heavy machine guns at farmers’ homes. They said several homes were damaged in the incident, adding that gasoline and water reservoirs around the farmers’ dwellings were also riddled with bullets from Kalashnikovs and 12.5 mm heavy machine guns

Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai denies fears over fate of Maronites, slams media ‘lies’

October 06, 2011 12:58 AM The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai dismissed any concerns over the future of his church’s community Wednesday, denying recent media reports that he feared for the fate of Lebanon’s Maronites. “Such claims are false. Journalists and media institutions shouldn’t be telling lies. It is a shame that some are paying money to journalists to lie … I defend a cause and I know exactly what I said,” Rai told reporters in Missouri on the second day of a 19-day pastoral visit to the United States.
Rai said Monday that Christians in the Middle East are not a minority, but warned current crises in the region hurt unity between Muslims and Christians.
“The world is talking about minorities nowadays, but we are not a minority … we are the foundation of the East,” Rai said.
Rai also criticized Wednesday the media for misrepresenting his statements during a recent visit to France, saying his remarks, which sparked controversies in Lebanon and abroad, were taken out of context. Rai said in France that President Bashar Assad should have been given a chance to carry out reforms in Syria and voiced concerns over the fate of Christians in Syria if sectarian strife breaks out between the Alawite minority in power and the Sunni majority.
Rai also urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese occupied territories to challenge Hezbollah’s pretext to maintain its arsenal to resist occupation. “I said that my statements were taken out of context. Lebanon’s ambassador to Paris, who attended all meetings, presented an official report to the Lebanese state. The president and the prime minister relied on this official report before they made their statements,” Rai said referring to recent statements by President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati in support of his positions. “I regret that my statements were misreported in Lebanon … what we said is clear and we will not come back to it. We turned a new page but unfortunately some hold on to words to build stances on them,” Rai added. Rai has come under fire from March 14 parties which criticized his statements in Paris before toning down their rhetoric shortly after the patriarch said that his statements were misreported. On the other hand, March 8 parties welcomed Rai’s stances and Hezbollah officials said they shared Rai’s vision on the situation in the Middle East. Rai led a preparatory meeting Wednesday ahead of a convention of Maronite bishops on the North American continent that is set to take place over the next three days. Rai’s trip to the U.S. was postponed from Sept. 30 to Oct.3 after the cancellation of the patriarch’s stop in Washington, D.C., where he was to meet with U.S. officials. Media reports said Rai’s visit to Washington to meet with high-ranking officials, including U.S. President Barack Obama, was canceled as a sign of the United States’ disapproval of the patriarch’s remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s arms.

Minister praises Syrian revision of import ban
October 06, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Industry Minister Vrej Sabounjian praised Wednesday the decision of the Syrian government to cancel its decision to ban the import of Lebanese goods subject to customs fees of 5 percent and above. Sabounjian has also thanked President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati for their great efforts with the Syrian government to reach this agreement.

Syria and the Russian hypocrisy
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
Syrian presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban had every right to call it a “historic day” when Russia and China used their veto at the UN Security Council to prevent a draft resolution calling for “targeted measures” against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Of course it was a historic day, because on this day the Syrians, along with the Arabs, became aware that the dictatorial regime in Syria – which murders its own citizens, subjects them to the worst kinds of abuse, and doesn’t hesitate to use force and fuel sectarian violence – is a regime that enjoys genuine protection from both China and Russia, particularly from the Russians who are practicing political hypocrisy in every sense of the word.
Of course, it is no secret that China rejects any resolution against the al-Assad regime, because it fears for its future. China was expected either to abstain from voting for this reason – as it possesses a track record of abstaining from voting in this manner – or explicitly use its veto in order to protect its commercial influence. As for Moscow, its game – and political hypocrisy – is clear. The Russians know that in the event of the collapse of the al-Assad regime, they will lose another Arab regime that they could use to blackmail the Americans and the Europeans with regards to any pending issues or economic projects. Arab dictatorial regimes have always served as a platform for Moscow to stand upon, to strengthen its negotiating position on a number of issues. The collapse of the al-Assad regime would mean that there would no longer be any Arab regime that the Russians could benefit from, as they did during the Cold War era from Gamal Abdel Nasser’s Egypt’s, or as they benefited from the Saddam Hussein era [in Iraq], and after that Muammar Gaddafi [in Libya]. Today, the Russians are trying not to lose their last extortion card in our region, namely the al-Assad regime.
When I say that Russia’s hypocrisy is as clear as day, this is not an overstatement. On the same day that Russia used its veto at the UN Security Council to prevent the draft resolution against the al-Assad regime, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Ukashević, announced that his country intends to “receive two delegations from the Syrian opposition this October, one representing the internal opposition present in Damascus, and a second representing the opposition which, in Istanbul, founded what has become known as the Syrian National Council”. What we must note here is that this was not only an invitation to visit Moscow, but also for a meeting within the Russian Foreign Ministry itself. If this is not political hypocrisy, and trading on the pain and suffering of the Syrians, then what is it?
It is clear to everyone today that the Russians want to establish a foothold in Syria, along the following lines: either by using their veto in favor of the al-Assad regime, in which case the Russians will benefit if al-Assad manages to survive the Syrian popular revolution, or alternatively the Russians can try to win over the Syrian rebels through the invitation that was made to the opposition on the same day that Russia used its veto at the UN!
This much is clear, but how can the Russians support the al-Assad regime, and justify this by claiming that there are terrorist groups within Syria, then invite the opposition to visit Russia on the same day, particularly if Moscow believes that there are terrorists in their ranks? This is something that makes no sense!

Bechara al-Rahi… A moment of your time
By Hussein Shobokshi/Asharq Al-Awsat
The Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi's statement about the grave danger of the al-Assad regime collapsing in Syria, and the subsequent threat to the Christians and their existence in the Levant, still resonates and provokes reaction after reaction. This statement has thrown a stone in a pool of water that wasn’t still in the first place, but now its ripples have certainly intensified.
I would like to advise the Maronite Patriarch to kindly read Kamal Dib's extremely significant book entitled "The Fall of Christian Lebanon ", issued by al-Nahar publishing house in 2004. The book gives an account of Lebanon's modern history from 1920 onwards, complete with a prediction of how the state of affairs will be in 2020. I consider Kamal Dib to be the most prominent author in Lebanon, due to his constant research into the country’s political roots and all related social, economic and cultural dimensions, using accurate academic documentation in his discourse. The significance of this particular book is that it argues that the number of Lebanese Christians is constantly in decline for several reasons.
For economic reasons, the early 19th century witnessed waves of migrations taking Lebanese Christians to North and South America in large numbers. Subsequently, other migrations occurred following World Wars I and II, along with migrations to Europe, Africa, the Gulf region and Australia during and after the Lebanese civil war. In fact, the Christians migrated from Lebanon for a variety of reasons; some of which related to consecutive generations of migrants, as was clearly detailed by Amin Maalouf in his book "Ports of Call."
Of course, there are other factors [contributing to the Christian decline in Lebanon]. Inter-Christian conflicts for social rank and status later led to killings and displacement, as was expressed in the sad tales of Ehden, Zagharta and Kasrawan by Kamal Salibi in his famous book on Lebanon's history. This was also highlighted by competent Western writer Jonathan Randal in his book "Going all the way"; in which he spoke of the inter-Christian Maronite conflict during the Lebanese civil war, which revealed the extent of the Christians' problems and miseries embedded in Lebanon.
As for Bechara al-Rahi’s statement in which he quoted "as evidence" what happened to the Christians in Iraq and their displacement from there, and comparing what happened in Iraq to the current Arab revolutions, this is akin to drawing a comparison between apples and oranges. This is because what happened in Iraq was a direct result of a US invasion, whereas the revolution taking place in Syria now is a clear and explicit accumulation of years of repression carried out by a despotic regime against its own people. The Syrians have sacrificed thousands of victims for their cause, not to mention the humiliation and insult they have suffered.
John Paul II, the former Pope of the Catholic Church, to which the Maronite community belongs, had come from Poland, a country that long suffered from the tyranny and oppression of the former Soviet Union. Pope John Paul II supported and assisted the West in its quest to demolish the Eastern Bloc, thus granting freedom to the eastern Europeans. In this endeavour, Pope John Paul II acted contrary to current Pope Benedict XVI, who has failed to take any explicit action towards what is happening in general to the Christians in the Middle East (note that the largest displacement of Christians has occurred at the hands of the Jews in Palestine, the birthplace of the Christ, which today is facing the threat of being emptied entirely of Christians).
The current Pope and Bechara al-Rahi must take the truth into consideration and state that the Middle East will be better without tyrants or despotic regimes, and that Christianity and the Christians in the region will be safeguarded by free societies, not enslaved citizens. Yet it is clear that Bechara al-Rahi himself is a prisoner of the political sins committed previously in Lebanon, for which he is obliged to pay a high tax in order to guarantee his survival and continuity, in what can be termed as the credibility tax.
I wish that Bechara al-Rahi would take a moment and sincerely review what he said, because "glory" in heaven and on earth is not possible without saying the truth.

The harmful Iranian conference in support of Bashar
By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/Asharq Al-Awsat
Can you ever imagine wishing that a particular country would not declare its support for the Palestinian cause? Unfortunately, Iran is the only country that many people wish would not declare its "propagandist" support. This is simply because it has exploited our Arab nation with such hollow support, at the expense of the political and sectarian unity of the Arab people, as was exposed by the Arab Spring revolutions.
It is true that the spark of the Arab revolutions is yet to strike Iran, but it is certain that the Syrian revolution has caused more damage to the image of Iran than if the spark of all other Arab revolutions had set fire to it. Therefore, the conference in support of Palestine recently held by the Iranian government was, in the best of cases, met with sluggish reactions.
This is because the support that Iran used to garner from some Arab political parties and popular currents was due to the fact that they were under the delusion of Iranian propaganda, which long raised pro-resistance slogans and called for ending the suffering of the Palestinian people. Yet, the injustices committed by the Syrian regime against its own people are far worse and more horrific than what the Israeli war machine is doing to the Palestinians. As a result, Iran became stuck between a rock and a hard place: it could either support the Syrian revolution in the same manner that it had supported other Arab revolutions, which practically means advocating the overthrow of a loyal political and ideological ally, or it could support the massacres which the Syrian regime has been committing for six months, meaning that Iran would lose its false popularity in the Arab and Islamic world that was built upon cheap "resistance" propaganda.
Iran chose the latter option of aiding al-Assad, which completely destroyed its relations with the Arab people, and so it has recently began to apply cosmetics to cover up the ugliness it had exposed on Syrian soil. Thus Iran held a conference in support of the Palestinian cause, which if anyone entered its corridors and heard what was going on behind closed doors, he would believe that it was a meeting in aid of the Syrian regime against its own people. The conference was attended "unwillingly" only by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement, two groups which Iran has continued to exploit in return for financial aid. It is interesting that Jordan's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood – close associates of Hamas – adopted a firm stance declining to attend the "harmful" conference, in protest against Iran's shameful position towards the suppression being committed against the Syrian people. In fact, other branches of the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic trends all over the Arab world should act similarly and denounce Iran's shameful stance towards the Syrian revolution, in a clear and explicit manner. It was sad that Iran took desperate action towards Sudan in a bid to gain its support and silence with regards to Bashar's crimes. The Iranian regime's back was broken in Syria, and now it has sought to heal its bones in Sudan.
Iran should be aware that if the free Arabs had a choice, they would choose a Syrian regime that was peaceful towards Israel, but under which the entire Syrian population could live with dignity, rather than living under a "resistant regime" that oppresses, kills, tortures and insults its own people in the name of opposition, let alone a superficial opposition which does not fool anyone. Suffice to say, there is no clearer evidence than the state of silence and anxiety currently gripping the Zionist government of Israel, concerned that the Syrian regime will fall, a regime that has resisted and opposed no one but its own people, and robbed them of their dignity.

UN raises death toll in Syria unrest to 2,900

Names of dead have all been confirmed and likely include some members of security forces; figure represents an increase of at least 200 since the beginning of September
Associated Press
The UN's human rights office has raised its tally of people killed during seven months of unrest in Syria to over 2,900.
A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says the figure is based on "reliable sources" inside and outside the country.
The spokesman, Rupert Colville, said Thursday that the names of the dead have all been confirmed and likely include some members of the security forces. The figure represents an increase of at least 200 since the beginning of September. Since mid-March, Bashar Assad's regime in Syria has cracked down on protesters leading movements similar to those that have ousted other Arab autocrats this year. On Monday, an activist said Syrian troops going house to house have detained more than 3,000 people in three days in a rebellious town that government forces recently retook in some of the worst fighting since the country's uprising began six months agoHe said the detainees were being held at a cement factory, as well as some schools and the Sports Club, a massive four-story compound. On Tuesday, Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that threatened sanctions against Syria if it didn't immediately halt its military crackdown against civilians. European members of the Security Council tried to avoid a veto by watering down the language on sanctions three times, but they failed

Report: Syrian Salafists Holding ‘Secret’ Talks with Christian Officials in Lebanon
Naharnet /Syrian Salafists, who have escaped their country, are holding “secret” talks with Lebanese Christians officials to explain to them about their vision for a “civil, democratic and plural” state in Syria if President Bashar Assad’s regime collapses, informed sources said. The sources told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat published Thursday that the Salafists have so far held five meetings with Christian parties and Sunni leaderships. Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has expressed fear that the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Syria would threaten the existence of Christians in the region. He has called for allowing Assad to introduce the reforms that he has promised.
The newspaper said that Lebanese Christian politicians have helped the Salafists hold meetings with U.S. and European officials to push them towards taking a decisive stance from the Assad regime. The Salafists stressed that their vision for a new rule in Syria is not based on extremism. On the contrary, they are hoping that the collapse of Assad would bring a new era of democracy and voting.  The informed source refused to say if the meetings are taking place with representatives of the Phalange party or any other side, only saying: “Muslims and Christians are cooperating to make these meetings successful.”The Salafi sect believes most modern Muslims follow a corrupted version of Islam that should be abandoned in favor of the practices of the first three generations of Muslims, the Salaf.

Lebanon's Stance on U.N. Syria Vote Creates Controversy
Naharnet /Lebanon’s decision to abstain from voting on the U.N. Security Council resolution against the Syrian regime triggered wide reactions locally, especially among the March 8 forces and the March 14-led opposition that strongly criticized it, An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday. Sources told the daily that the Foreign Ministry had directed Lebanon's Special Envoy to the U.N. Nawaf Salam to vote against the resolution, but urgent discussions among officials favored that Lebanon abstain from voting. President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati agreed to detach Lebanon from the international decision to avoid any possible pressure by the Syrian regime or the international community, the sources noted.
Al-Liwaa newspaper reported that the contacts remained ongoing between the President, the PM and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour before the Security Council’s meeting.
However, the Russian and Chinese vetoes were enough to block the resolution.
During Wednesday’s Security Council meeting on Syria, Salam said Lebanon decided to disassociate itself from the council statement condemning violence in Syria.
“Lebanon is committed to defend the sovereignty of (Syria) and the unity of its people… but in order to protect Lebanon’s unity and stability, it abstains from voting,” Salam said.
Nine countries voted late Tuesday in favor of the draft resolution which had called for "targeted measures" if Syrian President Bashar Assad pursues his clampdown, which the U.N. says has left at least 2,700 people dead. Russia and China voted against, killing the resolution because of their veto powers as council permanent members.
South Africa, India, Brazil and Lebanon abstained, reaffirming a divide in the 15-member body since NATO launched air strikes in Libya using U.N. resolutions to justify the action.

12 Wounded in Clash at ‘Mecanique’ Center
Naharnet /Twelve people at the mandatory vehicle inspection “mecanique” center in Hadath were wounded in an armed clash on Wednesday, reported Voice of Lebanon radio.
The clash erupted when one of the citizens, who had entered his car for inspection, found out that his vehicle had failed the test, it said Upon learning the news, he took his gun and started shooting randomly at the center, lightly wounding individuals at the scene. VDL said that the injuries, mainly knocks and bruises, were incurred in the shoving that took place in light of the panic of the shooting. MTV identified Ali al-Moqdad as the shooter. Security forces immediately rushed to the scene to contain the situation. The employees at the center consequently suspended their work. Also on Thursday, three people from al-Allawi family were injured in an armed clash in the Bekaa town of Taanayel. NNA said that a dispute between Ahmed and Humaid al-Allawi on one side and Walid al-Allawi on the other turned into a gunfight.

Aoun: No Agreement on STL Funding between Lebanon, Security Council
Naharnet /Free Patriotic Movement Leader MP Michel Aoun renewed his rejection to finance the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Wednesday, assuring that he is ready to “prosecute the ones who will fund it.” In an interview with Radio Monte Carlo, Aoun said that “there is no agreement between Lebanon and the U.N. Security Council on the STL”, adding that the decision to establish the tribunal came from one side and was imposed on Lebanon under Chapter seven of the U.N. Charter. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea had declared on Wednesday that there is a “cooperation protocol between Lebanon and the STL”, stating that “Aoun was part of the previous governments which had funded the Tribunal since 2009.” On Lebanese PM Najib Miqati’s assurance on “Lebanon’s commitment to the International obligations, including the STL funding”, Aoun said that “there is no agreement, and his pledge was wrong”, assuring that Miqati will be” held responsible if he pays from the Lebanese treasury.” The FPM leader stressed that he opposes the STL because it is “illegal, and I am ready to prosecute anyone who funds it,” pointing out that “we do not want to pay Lebanon’s share of STL funding because this has been imposed on us.” When asked about the situation in Syria, Aoun said that “the resistance switched from a peaceful objection to an armed one," adding that "if the purpose was to topple the regime by force and with foreign assistance, then we reject this because there should be stability and we want the Syrians to live in peace.”

Merhebi: Lebanese intelligence “assaulted” Syrian refugee

October 6, 2011/Future bloc MP Mouin Merhebi said on Thursday that Lebanese army intelligence assaulted an injured Syrian refugee. “Two days ago, Lebanese intelligence [beat] an injured Syrian refugee, stomped him and prevented him from getting to a hospital,” Merhebi told MTV, adding that such actions are a violation of human rights. “Does Lebanese army intelligence [answer to] Syria or Lebanon?” he asked. The MP added that he will “shed light” on similar incidents. According to the United Nations, the Syrian regime's crackdown on protests that erupted in mid-March has killed more than 2,900 people. Thousands of Syrians have fled to Lebanon in recent months, often using illegal border crossings, to escape the unrest gripping their country.-NOW Lebanon

Marouni slams cabinet for not addressing Lebanon border violation
October 6, 2011 /Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni condemned Tuesday’s incident in which Syrian tanks violated Lebanese territory, and criticized the cabinet for not addressing the issue.
“What was weirder [than the Syrian violation] was that…the issue was not addressed by the cabinet even though the incident is a violation of international law. Hezbollah’s cabinet did not [even bother] addressing the issue.”“For how long will Lebanese [sovereignty] be [trespassed] by Syria?” he also asked during an interview with Akhbar al-Yawm news agency.
Marouni added that a complaint against Syria’s violation should be filed with the Arab League and the UN.On Tuesday, Syrian army tanks crossed the Lebanese border near the Bekaa town of Aarsal and fired several gunshots on Lebanese territory. Media outlets reported that the tanks fired in the direction of a battery factory in Aarsal, adding that the Syrian troops suspected fleeing gunmen had taken refuge in the building. Thousands of Syrians have fled to Lebanon in recent months, often using illegal border crossings, to escape the unrest gripping their country.-NOW Lebanon

Opposition condemns incursion in Arsal, and welcomes the “Syrian National Council”
Thursday 06th October 2011 /AlJamhouria
Lebanon, which abstained from voting in the Security Council, justified its position through the words of permanent ambassador to the U.N Nawaf Salam, who said: “Allow me to reiterate in front of you today that Lebanon, in light of the Syrian crisis, cares to assert that it clings to defend the sovereignty, unity of this neighboring Arab country, and the safety and security of its land and people. As we express our sorrow for the casualties, all the casualties in this neighboring country; Lebanon consistent with the position it had already taken on the third of August, abstains from voting on the resolution that has been presented before us.”
Houri
In the meantime, March 14 general secretariat expressed its relief for the formation of the Syrian National Council, and considered that “it is a significant shift in the course of the Syrian revolution against the regime of despotism and bloody massacres”.
“Future” movement bloc member MP Ammar Houri told “Al Joumhouria” that his bloc had welcomed the formation of the Syrian National Council, and pointed out that there is a difference between welcoming and recognizing, because recognition comes from States.
Houri told “Al Joumhouria”: welcoming is a humane position with a neighboring people suffering all this oppression, and the Syrian opposition initiated this organizational move to reflect the freedom of the opposition’s elements; thus we cannot stand neutral facing the suffering of the Syrian people.
And whether welcoming the formation of the Council means a political realignment between those who support the Syrian regime and those opposing it in Lebanon, Houri said: “the failure to welcome means alignment against the Syrian people and acceptance of the crimes it suffers”.
Fares
On the other hand, MP Marwan Fares told “Al Joumhouria” that future movement, March 14 forces and the Lebanese forces are a group hostile to Syria; I think that as they made a mistake with the Maronite Patriarch and the Lebanese Army, they’re making a mistake with the Syrian President Bashar al Assad, they’re committing a series of mistakes and follies.
Fares accused March 14 of conducting a foreign policy in Lebanon, and the U.S policy is the cause of all Syria’s events, therefore the future movement and March 14 cannot be but allied to the U.S.
Answering her call for the Lebanese army to protect Syrian dissidents residing in Lebanon; Fares called on the U.S ambassador in Lebanon Mora Connelly “to withdraw U.S troops from Iraq, and not to interfere in Lebanon and Syria’s internal affairs”.

Syrian incursion effects
In the meantime, the Syrian incursion into the Lebanese territory has met with a wave of reactions that unanimously described the security development as dangerous, and ranged between urging the Lebanese government to call on the Syrian ambassador in Beirut to inquire him about what happened, and send a protest to the Syrian government to avert the repetition of such operation.
Arsal village had regained its cautious calmness; residents along with a security patrol checked on the site bombarded by Syrian tanks which breached the village for hours before returning to the Syrian soil.
Security sources told “Al Joumhouria” that contacts ended the reverberation of the Syrian incursion in the region, and had been informed by the Syrian side that the operation was limited with no political, military or security overtones; and that the Syrian side will be in constant touch with the Lebanese security commanders to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents.
Future movement
The “future movement” condemned in a statement “the Syrian forces’ violation of the Lebanese sovereignty, without taking into consideration covenants, laws and international norms and security and military agreements, which organize relations between the two countries”.
The future’s statement was surprised “at the Lebanese government’s silence over this violation” asserting that “what the country has reached is an inevitable result of the government’s policy of “neutrality”, without paying attention to the changes storming the region.”
In its statement, the future movement called on “all political, security, constitutional and military institutions to carry out their duties to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and the Lebanese, and all the refugees.”
Council of Ministers
On the beat of the workers’ preparations for October 12 strike and demonstrations; a session for the cabinet was held at Baabda Palace yesterday, during which former minister Adnan al Sayed Hussein was appointed as Chairman of the Lebanese University. The Council of Ministers looked over its 159 clause agenda.
Mneimneh
Former education minister Hasan Mneimneh recounted challenges facing the new Chairman of the Lebanese University, and told “Al Joumhouria”: “we believe that any new Chairman of the Lebanese University will face a number of major challenges, not to promote the university, but to take it out of the impasse, problems and the state of inaction, which it suffered in the past five years”. Mneimneh added: “the biggest challenge will be to distance the university from political pressure and influence. We need a Chairman willing to apply himself to find a mechanism to push it forward.”
Officers’ promotion
“Al Joumhouria” learned from well informed sources that the military officers’ promotion decree has been accomplished, containing more than 400 names and will be published within days.
These sources said that after the publication of the decree in the official journal, a decree for promoting internal security officers will be released bearing the signature of President Sleiman, PM Mikati and both ministers of interior and finance; to be followed by the decrees for officers of the army, public security and state security.