LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
MARCH 27/2006
Below News from the Daily
Star for 27/03/06
'Personal' Mass honors 10 soldiers found in grave
near Defense Ministry
Siniora 'willing and ready' to visit Syria
UN: Force is not the way to disarm Hizbullah
Bilal: Problem 'is with Lebanese brothers themselves'
Fadlallah: Hizbullah symbol of Lebanon's power, dignity
'Continuous disagreement' threatens dialogue
Chehayeb sees 'progress' on Hizbullah arms
Salloukh to meet with Moallem for second time before summit
When a recurring popular trend should drive policy-making
Official tour of refugee camps draws mixed reactions from residents
Abou Jaoude: Energy sector needs revamp
Can social, economic reform come in from the cold while talks continue
The belated bliss of Lebanese freedom.By
Fouad Hamdan
The clash of civilizations is really one of emotions.By
Dominique Moisi
Below
news bulletins from miscellaneous sources for 27/03/06
UN does not expect Hezbollah to be disarmed by force-Ha'aretz
Egyptian, Syrian leaders discuss Syria-Lebanon ties-Xinhua
UN envoy backs Lebanon's approach to Palestinian militias-UN
News Centre
The Middle East Watches Itself-New York Times
UN envoy says Hezbollah can integrate into Lebanese army-Monsters and Critics.com
Time for another Arab summit-United Press International
Gardai to examine Lebanon scene of Donegal soldier's death-Ocean fm
Egypt: Mubarak In Bid To Ease Syria-Lebanon Tensions-African News Dimension
SYRIA: Party leader arrested in Aleppo-IRINnews.org
Syria and Lebanon Discuss Scientific Cooperation-SANA
UN envoy leaves Lebanon encouraged by its course toward new era-UN
News Centre
Arab League summit faces a sea of troubles-Financial
Times
UN envoy leaves Lebanon encouraged by its course toward new era
UNNews Centre: 26 March 2006 – Following a series of high-level meetings in
Beirut, a senior United Nations envoy departed Lebanon today saying he is
encouraged that the country is charting the proper course towards stability and
urging all concerned to forge ahead in unity. The boat that is Lebanon is now
well on its way across the ocean, said Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen.All the
oarsmen must continue to row together and in complete unison, for the sake of
the boat safety and successful journey.
He stressed that the Lebanese will be guided by the North Star of their Taif
Agreement as well as Security Council Resolution 1559, which supports its aims.
By doing so, the Lebanese are also moving into what is truly a new historical
era: that of sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and political
independence, he said.
Mr. Roed-Larsen said ¡°we all are witnesses of history in the making, as we
observe the National Dialogue and the subsequent implementation of the
agreements reached and stressed that at this juncture, the Lebanese must ¡°look
ahead to the implementation of these agreements and to the new dawn that is
breaking.
The remnants of the past must not tie them down.
Mr. Roed Larsen said he was heartened by his three days of talks with senior
officials in Beirut. I am much encouraged by what I have heard and what I have
seen here in Lebanon.
He also repeated his support for the National Dialogue now being undertaken in
Lebanon, calling it truly historic and unprecedented.
He noted in particular agreements reached through the process, including on the
need to delineate the border with Syria and toe establish formal diplomatic
relations.This should take place as soon as possible, he said.
He also noted recent statements by Syrian Vice-President Farouq Sharaa that the
Shebaa Farms are Lebanese territory ¨C a conclusion also reached by the UN
Security Council in 2000. However, the envoy added, if both Lebanon and Syria
agree that this is not the case, and ratify an agreement to this effect through
due process, which they deposit with the United Nations, then the international
community will not only recognize, but also support this fact.
Mr. Roed-Larsen also lauded the agreement on the arms of Palestinian militias
outside the camps, calling it a tremendously significant and important step
towards the implementation of resolution 1559.The matters of Hizbollah and the
Palestinian militias and their arms should generally be dealt with through
dialogue and consensus, guided by the Taif Agreement, which ended the infighting
and communal violence among the Lebanese, and resolution 1559, he added.
Mr. Roed-Larsen¡¯s trip to Lebanon came on the heels of a 20-day tour of the
capitals of the permanent members of the Security Council and Arab countries. He
is scheduled to return to New York to brief UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and
prepare a report to the Security Council.
Arab League summit faces a sea of troubles
By Roula Khalaf-Financial Times
March 26 2006 17:21
Arab leaders who gather for yearly summits have enough trouble dealing with the
Middle East’s running disputes. But this week’s Arab League meeting in Khartoum
takes place amid a build-up of crises that have left the region even more
turbulent than usual, and the search for a meaningful consensus among leaders
more elusive.
“Normally you have one or two problems in the region that are complicating
things – Palestine and another issue,” says a senior Arab official. “We’re now
at a point where we have five big issues and we don’t know how governments can
juggle them. The region has never experienced so many problems at the same
time.”
Excluding the conflict in Darfur – which will have to be addressed at a summit
hosted by Sudan – governments are grappling with the victory of the Islamist
Hamas in the occupied Palestinian territories and the continued deadlock in the
peace process with Israel; the sectarian bloodshed in Iraq; the deterioration in
relations between Lebanon and Syria; the Iran nuclear crisis; and the continued
threat of terrorism.
Many of the problems feed into each other. Trouble in Iran and Syria complicates
matters in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon – countries where Tehran and Damascus can
count on the support of radical groups.
The deepening Sunni-Shia divide in Iraq, meanwhile, is at risk of spreading to
other parts of the region, including Lebanon, where tensions between the
pro-Syrian Shia leaders and anti-Syrian Sunni have intensified.
Iraq has also become a breeding ground for a new generation of Arab jihadis, who
governments fear will take their fight back to their home countries.
No one is under the illusion that an Arab summit can provide solutions to the
region’s woes – rarely do the moderate and hardline states craft a consensus
that survives beyond the day’s declarations. Some problems are too sensitive to
even discuss.
For example, Arab governments are alarmed by Iran’s suspected ambitions to
develop nuclear weapons, yet they hesitate to openly criticise Tehran when
Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal escapes western scrutiny.
Starting tomorrow, the day of the Israeli elections, the Khartoum meeting’s most
immediate concern is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In a strange coincidence,
Arab League leaders met at Khartoum in the wake of the Arab defeat in the 1967
war. Then they issued the famous three “Nos” – no peace with Israel, no
recognition of Israel and no negotiations with Israel. This time, Arab leaders
are looking for ways to convince Hamas to say yes to peace, negotiations, and
recognition. Western governments, which have warned Hamas of a cut in
international aid, want the summit to raise pressure on the Islamist group. Arab
diplomats, however, say the meeting will call for continued political and
financial support to the Palestinian Authority, of which Hamas is a big part.
At the same time, the summit will reiterate the commitment of Arab League
members to the Beirut initiative, adopted in 2002 and calling for peace with
Israel if it withdraws from land occupied in 1967.
Arab governments are hoping Hamas will sign up to the initiative, as a
face-saving way of accepting a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict
and easing international pressure. Yet Hamas officials do not appear ready to
embrace the peace plan.
The US and Britain are also looking for the summit to promote greater Arab
engagement with Iraq and counter Iranian influence. The Arab League is planning
a second national reconciliation conference, following up last year’s Cairo
meeting between Iraqi factions. But, though desperate to contain a sectarian
conflict that could drag in all the neighbours, Arab officials say it is not
clear what more the region could do for Iraq.
With more problems flaring up than the Middle East can handle, Arab governments
have been urging Syria and Lebanon to avoid confrontation, against mounting
tension since last year’s assassination of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese
prime minister. A UN investigation is still looking into Syria’s alleged role in
the killing but Damascus denies involvement.
The crisis has strained relations between Lebanese political factions, some of
whom are still allied with Syria. Over the past month, political leaders have
held a conference to defuse tension. But so far the talks have failed to resolve
the key demand of anti-Syrian politicians – the removal of pro-Syrian president
Emile Lahoud from office.
Now the anti-Syrian majority in parliament is looking to Egypt and Saudi Arabia
for help. Little, however, is expected to emerge from the summit, where Mr
Lahoud represents Lebanon.
UN does not expect Hezbollah to be disarmed by force
By Reuters - 26/03/2006
The United Nations said on Sunday it did not expect Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah
guerrillas by force but hoped they would join the Lebanese army. "We don't
believe that it is indeed possible to go down south or into the Bekaa Valley and
take away the weapons of Hezbollah," UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen told a news
conference. "Our goal is to integrate Hezbollah into the Lebanese army." Roed-Larsen
will present a report in April on progress in the implementation of Security
Council resolution 1559, which demands foreign troops leave Lebanon and militias
there disarm. His comments came at the end of a 20-day tour that took the
Norwegian diplomat around the Arab capitals as well as to Paris, Washington,
London, Moscow and Beijing to discuss Hezbollah's weapons and the armed
Palestinian factions based in Lebanon.
Hezbollah was the only Lebanese militia to retain its arms after the 1975-1990
civil war.
Hezbollah has argued in the past against joining the Lebanese army, saying that
would undermine its effectiveness as a guerrilla force and increase the risk
that the army get entangled in a confrontation with Israel. Backed by Syria and
Iran, the Shi'ite Muslim group has vowed to keep those arms as a deterrent
against Israel and to liberate the Shaba Farms, a disputed strip on the border
between Lebanon and Israel. Blue Line not final
Roed-Larsen urged the Lebanese government to sit down with Syrian officials and
demarcate their border to clear up the dispute over the Shaba Farms, where
Hezbollah has mounted regular attacks against Israeli troops since the 2000.
Lebanese leaders agreed at national talks last week that the Shaba Farms
was Lebanese and want Israel to withdraw its troops from there. Syria also says
the area is Lebanese but has yet to sign official documents to that effect. The
United Nations considers the Shaba Farms Syrian land occupied by Israel in the
1967 Middle East was and has certified Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon as
complete. But Roed-Larsen said that the Blue Line, drawn by the United Nations
to mark the extent of Israel's withdrawal, was not final and could change if
Syria and Lebanon drew their border. He also encouraged the two countries to
establish full diplomatic ties.
"This should now take place without delay," he said. "We do hope that both sides
will work to meet these agreements."
Roed-Larsen praised the Lebanese national talks aimed at ending a political
crisis that has paralysed the country by thrashing out divisive issues such as
the fate of Hezbollah.
He said Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora planned to put to the cabinet the
resolutions agreed at the national talks, which have brought together political
leaders, both Christian and Muslim, pro- and anti-Syrian, in the broadest such
talks since the Taif conference that ended the civil war. Lebanon's top leaders
have already agreed to disarm Palestinian groups outside the country's 12
refugee camps in six months and to pursue normal diplomatic relations with
Syria.
Ties have been strained since last year's murder of Lebanese ex-Prime Minister
Rafik al-Hariri sparked local and world pressure on Syria to withdraw its forces
from Lebanon. Many Lebanese blame Syria for the killing. Damascus denies any
role.
Egyptian, Syrian leaders discuss Syria-Lebanon ties
www.chinaview.cn 2006-03-24 08:34:51
CAIRO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday
discussed in the Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh with visiting Syrian Vice
President Farouk al-Shara the latest developments concerning the relations of
Syria and Lebanon, the official MENA news agency reported. Al-Shara
described his meeting with Mubarak as "very good, positive and constructive",
adding that he carried to the Egyptian leader a message from Syrian President
Bashar Assad on the latest regional developments. Al-Shara also said that Syria
had cooperated with the UN investigation team over the killing of Lebanese
ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri in early 2005 as demanded by a UN resolution, adding
that those in the UN and the West who accused Syria of failing to implement the
resolution were wrong. "We have implemented the UN resolution and we have no
problem in continuing to honor our commitments," he said. Earlier in the day,
Mubarak, a long-time mediator of key regional issues, met in Sharm el-Sheikh in
a separate meeting with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora over the
Lebanon-Syria relations and the political situation in Lebanon.
Seniora and al-Shara did not meet.
Ties between Syria and neighboring Lebanon have been strained by Hariri's death
in a huge bombing in February 2005 as many Lebanese accuse Syria of being
responsible, a charge vigorously denied by Damascus.
The Middle East Watches Itself
HASSAN M. FATTAH-New York Times
Published: March 26, 2006
For a news channel that inspires as much derision in the West as it does pride
in the Middle East, the flagship Arabic-language Al Jazeera ultimately aspires
to be a uniting voice for the Arab world.
Non-Arabic speakers may associate the pan-Arab satellite channel with videotapes
of Osama bin Laden and gruesome execution videos — some broadcast on Western
airwaves emblazoned with the Al Jazeera logo. But what the Arabic-speaking world
sees as it tunes into Al Jazeera on any given night is itself — in regional
dialects, in pictures and in stories of everyday life from across the Arab and
Muslim worlds. Al Jazeera delivers its news and talk programming (there are
separate channels for sports and children's programming) with a clear editorial
slant toward pan-Arabism: staunchly pro-Palestinian, skeptical of the intentions
of the United States and increasingly Islamist leaning. When insurgents snatched
some prisoners from an Iraqi prison on Tuesday, for example, Al Jazeera's report
announced, "Prisoners liberated in Iraq."
Hourly broadcasts typically center on news of the Arab and Muslim worlds,
generally delivered in sober and dry fashion: images of war are shown in their
full extent, and war and suffering are a mainstay. Documentaries are also in the
mix, especially during daytime and late nights. On Tuesday, viewers could tune
in to a documentary about children and the war in Bosnia; another on women in
Iraq, "Revealing the Hidden"; and one titled "Kidnapping and Torture, the
American Way."
But talk and politics are the lifeblood of the channel. Shows like "The Opposite
Direction," "Open Dialogue" and "The Sharia in Life" draw wide audiences.
Interactive programming with phone-ins is especially popular, though the shows
tend to encourage heated arguments more than measured debate. On Saturday, for
example, Lebanon's president, Émile Lahoud, chose to defend himself on Al
Jazeera, as he spoke with the host of "Open Dialogue," Ghassan bin Jido. The
interview made headlines in Arab newspapers the next day.
What all the shows offer has until recently been unheard of in the region: an
open forum to debate opinions, to listen to leading figures in Arab and foreign
governments, and to revisit Arab history and religious thinking. Every night,
the Arab world tunes in, and every night, the Arab world can debate.
UN envoy backs Lebanon's approach to Palestinian militias
UN News Centre-
25 March 2006 – A senior United Nations Lebanon holding talks in Beirut today
with the country's officials hailed their integrated approach to the presence of
Palestinian militias.
In meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, Terje Roed-Larsen lauded the
initiative to dispatch a ministerial-level delegation to Palestinian refugee
camps yesterday.
The Norwegian diplomat emphasized that the UN was in full agreement and support
of the integrated approach the cabinet was pursuing, stating that it was
important to view issues relating to the Palestinian militias in Lebanon not
only through the lens of security, but also take into account political, social,
and economic factors.
Mr. Roed-Larsen called on the international community to lend its assistance to
the Government's engagement to improve the conditions of Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon.
Also today, the envoy held talks with Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat; Phalange
party leader and former President Amine Gemayel;l FPM leader General Michel Aoun;
Ghassan Tueni, the father of murdered MP Gibran Tueni; former Prime Minister
Najib Mikati; former MP Suleiman Franjieh and a number of other Lebanese
political representatives.
During all his discussions, the UN Special Envoy emphasized again the historical
significance of the ongoing National Dialogue in Lebanon, which was guided by
the Taif Agreement that the Lebanese were now seeking to implement. Mr. Roed
–Larsen, whose mandate derives from Security Council Resolution 1559, said that
text was a reflection of the Taif Agreement and was the international
reiteration of the Agreement, which was negotiated among the Lebanese in 1989.
The UN diplomat also reiterated his view that dialogue and partnership between
Lebanon and Syria were indispensable in moving forward, and that the most urgent
items on the agenda were now the demarcation of the common border between the
two neighbouring countries and the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
Mr. Roed-Larsen will continue his talks in Beirut tomorrow, before returning to
New York to brief Secretary-General Annan and prepare Annan's report to the
Security Council, expected in mid-April this year.
UN envoy says Hezbollah can integrate into Lebanese army
Mar 26, 2006, 13:14 GMT
Beirut - UN special envoy Terje-Roed Larsen said Sunday the Lebanese Shiite
movement Hezbollah, which is described by the United States as a 'terrorist
organization', can integrate into the Lebanese army.
'We do not think it is possible to go to south Lebanon and the Bekaa and disarm
Hezbollah, but we think it is possible to integrate Hezbollah arms inside the
Lebanese army,' Larsen said during a press conference at the end of his two-day
visit to Lebanon. Larsen stressed that Hezbollah is now represented as a
political party in Parliament and the cabinet, and their integration into the
army would enhance Lebanon's military.
All Lebanese militias were disbanded following the end of the 1975-1990 civil
war, but Hezbollah, which is considered by the Lebanese government as a
resistance movement fighting to liberate Lebanese land from Israel, still
maintain its arms.
Larsen called on Syria to 'fully cooperate' to demarcate its borders with
Lebanon, especially in the disputed area of Shebaa Farms. Israel captured Shebaa
Farms from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, but Lebanon is now claiming the
area as Lebanese territory. Hezbollah has also vowed to continue fighting
Israeli troops inside the area until it is liberated.
'Syria has implemented a good part of UN resolution 1559 by withdrawing from
Lebanon last April. It is now required to establish balanced relations with its
neighbour and have an official diplomatic representation in the country,' Larsen
said.
Syria, Lebanon's powerbroker for over 30 years, never had an embassy in its
smaller neighbour. The 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister
Rafik Hariri was blamed on Syria and its allies in Lebanon, causing tensions
between the two countries. Under international and Lebanese pressure Damascus
was forced to end its military presence in Lebanon on April 26, 2005. UN
Security Council resolution 1559 also calls on Lebanon to enforce its authority
on all Lebanese territory and disarm local (Hezbollah) and foreign (Palestinian)
factions in the country. There are some 367,000 Palestinian refugees living in
12 camps across Lebanon. Security inside the camps is provided by the various
Palestinian factions.
Larsen praised the ongoing roundtable dialogue between the Lebanese Moslem and
Christian leaders and said he is 'hopeful for good results.' The dialogue
started on March 2 and is aimed at ending a serious political crisis that has
prevailed in the country since Hariri was killed. The Lebanese anti-Syrian
opposition camp have been calling on pro- Syrian President Emile Lahoud to
resign, but the president has insisted on serving out his term, which was
extended unconstitutionally for three more years under Syrian pressure. Larsen's
visit to Lebanon was part of a Middle East tour that took him also to Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan.
Analysis: Time for another Arab summit
By SANA ABDALLAH
AMMAN, Jordan, March 26 (UPI) -- Next week's annual Arab summit will probably be
no different than previous ones in terms of neglecting to take unified political
decisions for action on the increasingly sizzling issues in the region.
With major leaders not attending the high-level gathering in the Sudanese
capital, Khartoum, on March 28-29, there is little chance, if any, the Arab
regimes will adopt significant decisions on dealing with the key questions:
Iraq, the Palestinian issue and the Lebanese, Lebanese-Syrian crisis, to name a
few.
Reports from Khartoum said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King
Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz will not attend the summit, as well as less major
players, such as Oman's Sultan Qaboos and Tunisia's Zain al-Abedeen bin Ali.
With the possible absence of the leaders of the two most influential Arab
countries - Egypt and Saudi Arabia - little is expected to be achieved as Iraq
stands on the verge of civil war, the Palestinians face a major economic and
political crisis when the Hamas government takes over and Lebanon is divided
over its future as it squabbles over Syrian influence.
Pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said he will attend the summit, but
his foe, Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, has still not made up his mind as some
Arab diplomats try to convince them that their country should be represented by
one delegation, rather than two divided between pro- and anti-Syrian.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will head the Palestinian delegation, but it
excludes any of the Hamas leaders preparing to assume power in the Palestinian
territories, who have not hidden their disappointment at not being included in
the 22-member Arab League summit.
The Palestinian delegation's priority at the meeting is expected to focus on the
urgent matter of increasing Arab economic aid to make up for lost assistance
from the Americans and Europeans, who are likely to make good on their threats
to stop financial support when Hamas takes over the new government at the end of
next week.
Palestinian officials said they will seek to raise the monthly Arab aid of $55
million to $130 million to the Palestinian Authority since Hamas is expected to
continue to defy Western conditions to recognize the state of Israel and
negotiate with it if Western aid is to flow to the Palestinians.
Although Hamas leaders are not attending the summit, they have been busy
lobbying for support from the oil-rich Gulf states, hoping the Arab summit will
make a pledge to cover the gap left by the withheld Western aid and not to
submit to Washington's pressure to link Arab aid to Hamas' recognition of
Israel.
Arab diplomats said the Arab summit will reiterate its support to ensure the
Palestinian Authority will not be isolated under a Hamas-led government. It is
also expected to strike a balance by calling on both Israel and Hamas to resort
to the basis of a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East and to endorse
the Saudi-sponsored Arab peace initiative adopted at the Beirut summit in 2002.
The initiative - somewhat in line with Hamas' policy - called for Israel's
withdrawal from all the territories it occupied in 1967 and the repatriation of
Palestinian refugees in return for Arab recognition of Israel and normalizing
relations with it.
On the Iraqi front, the summit is due to endorse a proposal by Jordan's King
Abdullah II to convene a reconciliation conference in the Jordanian capital,
Amman, between Iraq's religious leaders to defuse the mounting tension and in
the hope of avoiding a civil war.
Arab diplomats in Khartoum said the Arab leaders will urge the quick formation
of a national unity government in Baghdad to help bring security and stability
to the country, preserve the unity of Iraq and its people, "and to pave the way
for the withdrawal of foreign troops."
This would be the first time Arab regimes, which have virtually played an
observer role since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, collectively call for the
withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces in Iraq.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zibari said in Khartoum Saturday the lack of
Arab involvement in his country in the past three years has brought negative
influence by other neighboring countries, in obvious reference to Iran.
He said Iraq has been "seeking Arab support but to no avail. Other countries,
like the United States, have decided to help us try to eliminate any negative
impact or influence resulting from Iran's role in Iraq," in reference to the
U.S.-Iranian talks on Iraq.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa warned against marginalizing an Arab
function in Iraq and said a draft summit resolution will be discussed by the
leaders to call for a more powerful Arab role in drawing up the future of Iraq.
Iran's nuclear controversy is another issue on the table, where the Arabs are
expected to place additional pressure on the Islamic Republic by calling on
Tehran to abide by international resolutions.
But divisions have surfaced on dealing with Iran's nuclear program, which the
Arab Gulf states say poses a threat to their security. Syria, Tehran's ally, is
said to be against any reference to Iran in the summit's final communiqué that
could "benefit Iran's enemies," while Iraqi officials have expressed
reservations over an Arab provocation of Iran at a time when Tehran's influence
runs high in Iraqi Shiite circles. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council
states, Egypt and Jordan - all U.S. allies - share the position that Iran's
nuclear program cannot be ignored at the Arab summit, which they say should
express solidarity with the Gulf nations' concern over Iran's nuclear
capabilities.
As for the Lebanese crisis and its tension with Syria, there may be attempts for
a reconciliation meeting on the margins of the Khartoum summit, but the absence
of the Egyptian and Saudi leaders - who have been trying to mediate an
understanding between the neighboring countries - might not make such a
reconciliation possible.
In addition, Syria seems to be in denial that it has any problems with Lebanon,
from which it withdrew its forces last April after massive Lebanese and
international pressure to quit the country. Syrian Information Minister Mohsen
Bilal was quoted in the United Arab Emirates' al-Bayan daily as insisting "there
are no problems between Syria and Lebanon to be discussed at the Arab summit,"
and that their relations should be discussed on a bilateral level. The Arab
masses have for decades complained the Arab regimes and their summits have
failed to work collectively to resolve the region's many problems, let alone
adopt independent, unified action to prevent political and economic disarray.
There is little reason to believe that breakthroughs on the many issues that
divide the region will happen this time in Khartoum.
Party leader arrested in Aleppo
DAMASCUS, 26 Mar 2006 (IRIN) - The spokesman of a political opposition party was
arrested in the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday evening and taken to an
unknown location, according to human rights activists.
Agents of the military secret service detained Samir Nashar, 60, at his office
at 9 pm local time without giving reasons for the arrest, a spokesperson for the
Syrian Human Rights Organisation (SHRO) said.
"We’re calling for the immediate release of Mr Samir Nashar, who has a serious
heart condition," said Bassam Ishaik of the SHRO. "We’re also demanding that the
campaign of pressuring opposition figures stop."
The government gave no comment on the reported arrest. Nashar, the spokesman of
the Syrian Free National Party, a small opposition party established a year ago,
recently returned from a meeting of exiled opposition figures in Washington, DC.
On his return to Syria, government authorities banned him from further travel
abroad and secret service police in Aleppo summoned him for questioning last
week.
Two weeks ago, another activist who had attended the Washington meeting, Ammar
Qurabi, was arrested and released after two days. Last week, Syrian authorities
banned unauthorised meetings between Syrian nationals and US officials, in
apparent reaction to growing cooperation between Syrian opposition forces and US
institutions.
In the past 10 days, arrests and interrogation of political activists have
increased markedly in the capital, Damascus.
One family saw three of its members arrested on 18 March, with no news of them
since. Ali Abdullah and his two sons, Omer and Mohammed, were detained on
grounds of criticising the state security court, attempting to form a student
political discussion group and criticising the state emergency laws,
respectively. "Abdullah's wife and daughter are now alone and without support,"
noted Ishaik.
On 25 March, US-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement calling for
President Bashar al-Assad to “end the harassment and persecution of human rights
defenders and to release Ali Abdullah and his two sons…immediately and without
condition”.The first half of March saw three major demonstrations in Damascus,
organised by different opposition groups. On 9 March, several hundred protesters
demanded an end to the emergency laws that allow for the trial of political
opponents in military security courts. Five days later, on the two-year
anniversary of violent clashes between Kurds and security forces, two
demonstrations were held in the capital in which protestors decried Syrian
Kurds’ lack of rights.
The protests were followed by several arrests, and some observers say the recent
clampdown could be an attempt by the authorities to pre-empt future
demonstrations. "It seems like a warning to the opposition," said Ishaik.
Egypt: Mubarak In Bid To Ease Syria-Lebanon Tensions
March 25, 2006, By Andnetwork .com
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks with leaders from Syria and Lebanon
in what a presidential source said was an effort to repair strained relations
between the two neighbours.
Mubarak, who has long played a mediating role in the Middle East conflict, met
separately in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh with Lebanese Prime Minister
Fuad Siniora and Syrian Vice President Faruq al-Shara.
The talks with Siniora covered the tensions between Lebanon and its former
broker Syria and the UN probe into the 2005 murder of former premier Rafiq
Hariri as well as talks in Beirut aimed at ending a long-running political
deadlock, the presidential source said.
In the later meeting with Shara, the two men discussed the international
pressure on Syria over its alleged role in the Hariri assassination and
relations with Beirut, the source said. However, Syria's official SANA news
agency said Shara had wanted to discuss with Mubarak the agenda for next week's
Arab League summit in Khartoum and bilateral issues and that his talks in Egypt
were in no way linked to Siniora's visit. Shara and Siniora did not meet during
their brief visit to Egypt. In comments to reporters later, Shara described his
meeting with Mubarak as "positive and very constructive", saying "President
Mubarak briefed me on the outcome of his discussions" with Siniora.He added that
for his part, he "presented Mubarak the complete picture of Syrian-Lebanese
relations."Source: The Guardian Newspapers
Gardai to examine Lebanon scene of Donegal soldier's
death
Mar 26, 1:45 pm
A Garda ballistics team is to travel to the Lebanon within the next six weeks to
investigate the cabin in which a Donegal soldier died seven years ago. Private
Kevin Barrett died from a gunshot wound to the head in his sleeping quarters
while he was serving with an Irish contingent of UN Peacekeeping troops in
February 1999. The hut has been preserved by the UN since then. Garda ballistic
experts will study the scene where 3 bullet holes were found in the wall of
Private Barrett's cabin. An open verdict was recorded on his death at a Donegal
inquest. Concerns still abound over the manner in which his rifle came to be
beside his pillow after the shooting.
Roed-Larsen Calls On Hizbullah to Join Lebanese Army
Naharnet 26/3/03: U.N. envoy to Lebanon Terje Roed-Larsen said Sunday that
Lebanon must try to merge Hizbullah's military wing into its army.
Roed-Larsen, who is in charge of overseeing the implementation of U.N.
Resolution 1559 that calls on Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias to disarm, said
it was unfeasible to force Hizbullah to lay down its arms. The Shiite party is
very well-trained and highly organized and was able to oust a strong Israeli
army from southern Lebanon in May 2000 after 22 years of occupation. The
Norwegian diplomat said it wasn't possible to collect weapons in the hands of
Hizbullah in southern and eastern Lebanon. Therefore, he said, the party's
military wing should join the army. His remarks come as Lebanon's top rival
leaders are scheduled to resume their talks on Monday at a national dialogue
meeting aimed to resolve the country's most contentious issues, including the
issue of Hizbullah's disarmament. The U.N. envoy said merging Hizbullah's armed
wing into the army would be a suitable solution for the Shiite group, especially
that it is represented by legislators in parliament.
Beirut, Updated 26 Mar 06, 12:43