LCCC ENGLISH NEWS BULLETIN
October 28/06
Biblical Reading For today
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12,54-59. He also said to the crowds, "When you see (a) cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain--and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot--and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
Free Opinions & Studies
The Third Item in the Lebanese Consultation-Walid Choucair 28.10.06
Latest New from the Daily Star for October 28/06
Latest New from miscellaneous sources for October 28/06
Hizbullah to Join Talks on National Unity Government, Jumblat Will Not-Naharnet
Malaysian Says he Heads Syria's Probe Into U.N. Reports on Hariri's MurderNaharnet
U.N. Presidential Statement on 1559 to Be Released on MondayNaharnet
400 Spaniards Arrive to Join U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in LebanonNaharnet
U.N. Says 'Administrative Issues' Are delaying Israel's Pullout from GhajarNaharnet
Departure of Indonesian Peacekeepers Delayed for 4th timeNaharnet
INTERVIEW-Christian leader Samir Geagea foresees turbulence in Lebanon-ReutersIn praise of the Lebanon war-Ha'aretz
How Hezbollah Set up Shop in Southern Lebanon [Cliff May]National Review Online Blogs
Dissent grows over silent treatment for 'axis of evil' nations-International Herald Tribune
Germany Denies Lebanon Blocking UN Navy Patrols-Deutsche Welle
On Israel's Lebanon border, a surprising optimism-International Herald Tribune
Malaysian Says he Heads Syria's Probe Into UN Reports -Naharnet
Spaniards Arrive to Join UN Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon-Naharnet
Bush to Iran,Syria: Stop backing Hizbullah-IranMania News
Eyes of a princess-Telegraph.co.uk
Russian combat engineers to leave Lebanon in December -RIA Novosti
Israel insists on flights over Lebanon-United Press International
US reaffirms Lebanon recovery commitment-United Press International
Administration Issues Slow Full Israeli Withdrawal From Lebanon-All Headline News
Hizbullah to Join Talks on National Unity Government, Jumblat Will Not
Naharnet: Hizbullah will join talks on a national unity government proposed by Speaker Nabih Berri in a bid to drag Lebanon out of a crippling political impasse, but Druze leader Walid Jumblat will not. "Hizbullah welcomes the initiative launched by Speaker Berri and announces its readiness to take part in the envisaged meeting," said a statement released by Hizbullah on Thursday. It said Hizbullah hopes that the meeting would lead to a "genuine patriotic political solution capable of moving Lebanon from its current political impasse and putting it on the road to the construction of a just and viable state."
Berri on Wednesday called for fresh talks across Lebanon's sectarian divide for consultations over a national unity government and reforming the country's electoral law. Those two issues are key demands of Hizbullah, which fought a summer war with Israel, and General Michel Aoun, the party's close political ally. While Aoun did not give a final say in the resumption of the national dialogue, he dubbed Berri's initiative as "positive."
Berri suggested that the talks, which would resume roundtable discussions held earlier this year, begin next Monday and last for a maximum of 15 days.
Hizbullah, with two ministers in the cabinet of the ruling anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, wants the inclusion of other political groups in government, particularly that of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement. Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah issued a statement last Friday reiterating his call for a national unity government in what was seen as a bid to turn the popular acclaim his fighters won in their war with Israel into greater national political power.
Meanwhile, sources told An-Nahar daily on Friday that Druze leader Walid Jumblat would be in Washington October 30, the day the talks are scheduled to begin.
An-Nahar's correspondent in Washington said that Jumblat, a leading figure of the anti-Syrian March 14 Forces, will begin a visit to the U.S. capital, where he will meet Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. The leading Beirut paper quoted well-informed sources in Washington as saying that the U.S. officials want to hear Jumblat's evaluation of the Lebanese situation following the July-August Israel-Hizbullah war and the government's condition in the wake of political and security changes in the region. The sources said that the officials were going to emphasize during their talks with Jumblat that developments in the region, especially in Iraq, would not "alter or diminish America's interest" in Lebanon. The newspaper said that leaders of the March 14 Forces were expected to meet within the coming day or two to come out with a "final stand." Premier Fouad Saniora has welcomed Berri's proposal, but voiced concern about the talks' agenda, suggesting additional items to be tackled during the discussions.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 09:53
Malaysian Says he Heads Syria's Probe Into U.N. Reports on Hariri's Murder
Naharnet: The Syrian government has gathered a team of lawyers to assess U.N. reports on the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri, a prominent Malaysian lawyer said Friday. Shafee Abdullah said he was asked by Syria to head the legal team to make an independent assessment on U.N. reports into the murder, which include assessments implicating Syrian officials. "I was hired about a year ago. I am heading a team of lawyers. My work is to do analysis and give opinion on the U.N. reports," Shafee told Agence France Presse. Hariri was killed along with 22 others in a massive bomb blast on Beirut's seafront in February 2005. Syria was widely suspected of links to the assassination and forced to end 29 years of hegemony following domestic and international protests. Two reports last year by then chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis implicated senior Syrian officials and highlighted a lack of cooperation by Damascus in the inquiry.
However, Serge Brammertz who took over the probe from Mehlis in January said in his reports that Syria has cooperated in a "generally satisfactory" manner with the investigating commission but urged more cooperation. Shafee said he had already submitted his first report to the Assad regime and was working on a second. He declined to elaborate on his investigations except to say "for now, there is no evidence against Syria as a country or a government" in Hariri's murder. Malaysian English language daily The New Straits Times said Friday that Shafee's first report criticized Mehlis' findings and said the United States and Israel stood to gain if Syria was blamed for Hariri's murder. The daily cited diplomatic sources as saying Shafee's team had visited Damascus and Lebanon on several occasions and had met with top Syrian officials. Shafee would not name the other lawyers, but the newspaper said the team also comprised a Queen's Counsel, a prominent London solicitor, a senior lawyer from India and a former senior Scotland Yard police officer.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 11:18
U.S. Official: Syria Plans Campaign to Topple Saniora Through Aoun, Allies
A well-known U.S. official said Thursday that Syria was preparing an "intimidating political campaign" to overthrow Premier Fouad Saniora's government through Gen. Michel Aoun and his allies. The official also said that Syria was planning to spread chaos and disorder by means of using its Lebanese political allies. "The Syrians, which are seeking to ascertain their influence over Lebanon because they are very well aware of the extent of their regional weakness," the official said, "have begun preparations for an intimidating political campaign against the Saniora government, ultimately aimed at eliminating it." "Syria's ambition now is to use its political allies in Lebanon to spread chaos and disorder in the country in an effort to drag Saniora's government into a bitter crisis," the official said, citing "reliable information from Washington." Asked about the identity of the Syrian allies, the official told An-Nahar: "Aoun's (Free Patriotic) Movement and its allies, including key Sunni and Maronite figures north of the country." "Aoun's allies" was a clear reference to Hizbullah, the movement's close political supporter. Both Aoun and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah have been calling for the toppling of Saniora's government and the formation of a national unity cabinet. His comments came as U.S. President George Bush urged Syria and Iran not to undermine Saniora's government and to stop backing Hizbullah. An-Nahar said that other American executives have agreed with the official that any dialogue with Syria over the situation in Lebanon and in Iraq was "not possible now." The official said that the U.S. administration has turned down all requests for "talks with the Syrian government" made by non-governmental Syrian personalities as well as Lebanese and Americans "because we had held discussions with President Bashar Assad and his aides in the past but have reached a dead-end." He stated that the lack of trust in the Syrian regime "would make any dialogue in the near future useless." Beirut, 26 Oct 06, 11:56
Germany Denies Beirut Blocking Navy Patrols off Lebanese Coast
Naharnet: The German government has denied reports that its warships heading a U.N. mission off the Lebanese coast were hampered in their efforts to prevent arms smuggling to Hizbullah. "This mission is proceeding properly. We have excellent cooperation from the Lebanese authorities," German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung told parliament. The German press on Thursday said the naval force's mandate does not allow ships to come within 10 kilometers (six miles) of the Lebanese coast without permission from Beirut. Defense ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe said however that German ships were entering all zones of the country's waters. "The rules of engagement are the same in the six-mile and 12-mile zones," he told Agence France Presse.
Raabe said there was a "Lebanese officer stationed on the flagship" to facilitate communication with Beirut.
Another military source told AFP: "This is a way for Lebanon to save face, so that it does not look as if Germany is infringing on its sovereignty." Opposition politicians have accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the defense ministry of misleading parliament and the public about the mandate of the mission. In September, when she called on parliament to approve Germany's first military foray into the Middle East since World War II, Merkel said that Berlin had won a robust mandate for its forces. She said it would be able to approach the Lebanese coast and to use force to stop and search suspect ships. The force's mandate, which was the subject of weeks of wrangling between Beirut and Berlin, was finalized on October 12, according to a report tabled by Jung in parliament.
Germany's liberal Free Democrats on Wednesday argued that the text "opened the door far and wide for arms to flow to Hizbullah."
According to German military sources, the navy has not needed to confront any vessels since it took over command of the operation from Italian forces on October 18. Meanwhile, Germany has said that Israeli planes on Tuesday fired shots while flying over one of its warships off the Lebanese coast.
Raabe said Jung and his Israeli counterpart Amir Peretz have discussed the incident. Israel has been asked by the U.N. to stop flying over Lebanese territory but Peretz has remained defiant, saying it was a response to ongoing efforts to smuggle weapons to Hizbullah.(AFP) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 08:22
U.N. Presidential Statement on 1559 to Be Released on Monday
The new U.N. presidential statement, which has stressed its support for a "comprehensive implementation" of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, was reportedly to be released on Monday. An-Nahar daily said Friday that the draft statement, which was presented by the United States, France and Britain, reasserts the Security Council's support in maintaining Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and regional security. It said the draft statement has also confirmed that a "great progress" has been made in the implementation of 1559, especially towards the Lebanese army deployment in south Lebanon for the first time in 30 years following the end of the Israel-Hizbullah war. Resolution 1559, which was adopted by the Security Council in September 2004, calls for the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, including Hizbullah, the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon as well as free and fair presidential elections. The statement, however, has "regretfully noticed" that some articles of the resolution have not been carried out, particularly on the matters of the disarmament of the militias, free and fair elections and full respect to Lebanon's sovereignty, An-Nahar reported.
It said that the draft statement has repeated its call on the Security Council for the complete implementation of 1559 and has urged all concerned states and parties for "comprehensive cooperation with the Lebanese government and the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. Secretary-General to achieve this goal." Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 12:33
400 Spaniards Arrive to Join U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon
More than 400 Spanish soldiers have arrived in Lebanon to join the U.N. peacekeeping mission monitoring a cease-fire between Israel and Hizbullah.
The troops are replacing 560 Spanish marines who have been in Lebanon since September 15. A detachment of 435 soldiers left Almeria in southern Spain Thursday morning on commercial flights to Beirut. A further 439 troops are due to follow. The Spanish defense ministry said the troops would be based near the southern town of Marjayoun. The Spanish contingent in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was to increase to a total of about 1,100 in the coming weeks. More than 500 marines arrived in Lebanon in mid-September in the first phase of a Spanish deployment. They are to return to Spain by November 9 on two military ships.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 08:38
U.N. Says 'Administrative Issues' Are delaying Israel's Pullout from Ghajar
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon has said "minor administrative issues" were delaying a pull-out of Israeli forces from the southeast Lebanon border village of Ghajar. The village, on the Lebanese frontier with the Golan Heights which were annexed by Israel in 1981, is the last position occupied by Israeli forces since their October 1 pull-out after two and a half months of occupation. A statement from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said on Thursday that the deputy UNIFIL commander met with senior Lebanese and Israeli officers to discuss the withdrawal.
"The situation around Ghajar was discussed with a view to ensuring a speedy withdrawal of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) from the area," the statement said. "The meeting was productive and the main focus was to finalize arrangements for Ghajar after the IDF withdrawal," it quoted Brigadier General Jai Prakash Nehra as saying. It said that "minor administrative issues with relation to Ghajar residents are still pending, and UNIFIL hopes they will be solved at the next meeting early next week."One third of the village is in Lebanese territory and two thirds in the zone annexed by Israel. Ghajar is dissected by the "Blue Line" designating the Lebanon-Israel border that was drawn by the United Nations in 2000.All of Ghajar was occupied by the Israeli military during its 34-day offensive in July and August on Lebanon.The withdrawal of Israeli forces from Ghajar, and also from the disputed Shabaa Farms where the Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli borders meet, is one of the demands of the Beirut government.(AFP) (AFP photo shows the road leading to the southern village of Ghajar) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 07:56
Departure of Indonesian Peacekeepers Delayed for 4th time
Naharnet: The deployment of nearly 1,000 Indonesian peacekeepers to Lebanon has been delayed for a fourth time due to logistical difficulties faced by the United Nations, a military official said Friday. An advance team of 129 personnel was supposed to leave Saturday, but armed forces deputy spokesman Ahmad Yani Basuki told Agence France Presse they would now depart on November 5. "The main batch of our troops will now leave on November 24," Basuki said, adding that the delay was again due to logistical problems faced by the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Indonesia had initially expected its main 851-strong contingent to be on the ground by early October, after Israel dropped an initial objection to the world's most populous Muslim nation participating in the expanded U.N. force. The two nations do not have diplomatic relations.
The departure of the main team was then pushed back to the end of October, then November 3 or 4, and then November 9.
UNIFIL is enforcing a truce that ended fierce fighting between Israel and Hizbullah in July and August which left around 1,200 civilians in Lebanon and 162 Israelis dead.As of a week ago, UNIFIL's strength was 7,340 men, or about half the 15,000 authorized by U.N. Resolution 1701 ending hostilities between Israel and Hizbullah on August 14.(AFP) Beirut, 27 Oct 06, 07:48
How Hezbollah Set up Shop in Southern Lebanon [Cliff May]
Fascinating piece by James G. Zumwalt:Thursday, October 26, 2006
Long before hostilities erupted on July 12, Hezbollah construction teams had gone out and modified numerous Lebanese homes. Sometimes with, but most the time without, the homeowner's permission, workers began adding on a large, single-function room. These rooms were unique for, when completed, they lacked an essential element of all rooms — a door. Each room was sealed shut — but only, and immediately, after an object was placed inside.
Often homeowners and neighbors did not know what exactly was entombed within the room as the object's insertion and the subsequent sealing of the room normally took place at night — with the object always kept under wraps.
The residences Hezbollah selected for these unsolicited "home improvements" were chosen for their proximity to the Israeli border. When the fighting started after Tel Aviv responded militarily to Hezbollah's July cross-border raid, resulting in the deaths of three Israeli soldiers and the capture of two more, the purpose of the covert home improvements became evident to the owners — though many were destroyed by Israeli air strikes before they could be activated. When war erupted in southern Lebanon, designated leaders of Hezbollah combat teams received envelopes, each containing an address of one of the modified homes. The team quickly deployed to its assigned location, immediately breaking through an exterior wall of the sealed room. Each envelope contained aiming and firing instructions for the object prepositioned inside the room before it was sealed — a surface-to-surface missile atop a launcher. After removing part of the room's roof to allow for unobstructed flight and on command, the team was to fire the missile, raining death and destruction down upon Israel's civilian population. There was one major flaw in Hezbollah's home-conversion-to-missile-launch-site plan: Their construction activities had not gone unnoticed by Israeli intelligence. Closely monitoring Hezbollah's activities, they knew in advance the locations of most sites. As each room was completed, it had been added to Israel's target list so, once fighting started, it could quickly be destroyed — its civilian hosts in many cases becoming collateral damage due to Hezbollah's illegal use of such a tactic.Me: According to the best estimates I’ve been able to find, about 900 Lebanese were killed in the fighting; 650 of them were Hezbollah combatants. Posted at 4:42 PM
Days of decline
By Israel Harel
Iran's race to develop a nuclear bomb, alongside its president's calls for the destruction of Israel, have caught us at one of our worst moments. The public has no confidence in senior government ministers, who proved their lack of wisdom and their haplessness in the Lebanon war. Their lack of seriousness, and especially their lack of responsibility, is also evidenced by the way they have clung to positions that the war, as well as the period that followed it, clearly proved them unfit to hold. This crisis of civilian leadership is occurring simultaneously with a no less fateful crisis of military leadership. For many years, the public wanted to believe that "the Israel Defense Forces is different" - in other words, that the army was free of the structural and moral ills that plagued civilian systems. But it was not only in terms of their functioning that the war revealed the nakedness of most senior commanders. When it came to setting a personal example, for instance by marching in front of their troops into battle, or drawing personal conclusions, the commanders' norms proved debased, just like those of the politicians. In both realms, the civilian and the military, those responsible for the failures are refusing to draw conclusions. They have managed to cling to the altar and survive because the public is apathetic, or has despaired, and is not girding itself for a civilian struggle.
These norms did not develop in a vacuum. A specific worldview nurtured the norms of behavior that led to these days of decline in which the army and the government alike find themselves. Now, when the results of this culture have slapped us in the face and are threatening our existence, there is virtually no prime ministerial candidate in the political system whose norms, or abilities, can be said to differ from those of the leaders of this failed government, and from whom salvation might therefore arise. Even worse, it is also difficult to point to any suitable candidates for the post of chief of staff among the army's top ranks. Few in these ranks have been blessed not only with professional and command skills, but also with integrity like that of the previous generation of commanders.
Fear should strike us in light of the possibility that those responsible for the inconceivable results in Lebanon, among both the political and the military leadership, will be manning the top civilian and military posts if the worst of all happens, and we are forced to repel an attack by the Iranians, or the Syrians, or a coalition of both (with the possible additions of Hezbollah and an all-out Palestinian offensive).
Indeed, if we do not stir ourselves to prevent this absurdity, those who were unable to defeat even a brigade-sized Hezbollah force will be the ones leading us to war against massive, well-equipped armies whose soldiers, as was demonstrated during the Iran-Iraq war, are driven by deep religious faith and are willing to sacrifice themselves to achieve their goal. And if that was the case when Muslims were fighting Muslims, one can imagine what kind of motivation they would have in a fight against the Zionist Satan, the enemy of Islam.
But instead of the public debate focusing on these fateful issues, it has been focused - despite the fact that it is clear to everyone that it is not his rhetoric that will embroil us with the Iranians - on Avigdor Lieberman. The ideology of destroying Israel - which many Israelis prefer to ignore or to claim is meant solely for "internal" consumption - is completely independent. It is certainly not affected by conciliatory, or appeasing, language from Israel. Moreover, Lieberman could not conduct an adventurous policy against Iran even if he wished to do so.
The job that Olmert is giving him is devoid of executive authority. When it comes to setting overall strategy, a prime minister, even a failed one, cannot concede his supreme authority in either the diplomatic or the operational spheres. In the formal hierarchy, Lieberman is preceded by the defense minister and the foreign minister. There is also a cabinet, an IDF General Staff, a Mossad and additional agencies that are supposed to be losing sleep over Iran's nuclear program.
Lieberman, despite his fighting rhetoric, is not a monster. He is merely a political opportunist, very similar to other politicians who, unlike him, enjoy a halo of legitimacy because they are not alien in appearance, accent and behavior. Like them, he, too, wets his finger, waves it about and points in whichever direction the wind is blowing. His partnership with Ehud Olmert, a case of birds of a feather flocking together, reflects the political predicament in which the heads of Kadima and Labor now find themselves compared to their situations six months ago.
Lieberman's entry into the government will not turn Israel into an adventurer. Perhaps the opposite is true. His influence, which he inflated by raising immature and irresponsible ideas, is greater in the opposition. In order to stop voters from flocking to Lieberman, a government that is defending itself against accusations of hesitancy, and even defeatism, might be tempted into reckless adventures. But once the principal inciter is domesticated, his rhetoric will be domesticated along with him. Nevertheless, his entry into the government underscores our key governmental problem: For the last half year, the prime minister's chair has been occupied by a man who makes bizarre and even irresponsible decisions, in the political and security realms alike.
The Third Item in the Lebanese Consultation
Walid Choucair Al-Hayat - 27/10/06//
If it is true that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry wanted to move the political sectarian tension in Lebanon from the street to the dialogue table through his consultation initiative, then it is also true that Lebanon will head toward the unknown if the consultation remains doomed to failure as long as positions remain worlds apart, as they are now between the Lebanese. This scenario is also possible if Michel Aoun's Free National Current-Hezbollah alliance, and their allies from the opposition, insist on changing the balance of power within PM Fouad Siniora's government.
The continuation of political rift in this way can only lead to a clash that generates a State which ranges between complete political paralysis and a power vacuum, as a result of dramatic incidents by Hezbollah, Aoun, and the opposition in the street, in accordance with the prepared scenarios that this team does not stop talking about.
Berry has struck a blow by calling for dialogue and consultation, even though he is convinced that it might be aimless and uncalculated. He knows in advance that it might help him to buy time to avoid a political or public explosion, hoping for better circumstances that could help him activate his initiative toward a circumstantial settlement that puts tension on hold for a while, and allow Lebanon to breathe for a few months.
Berry was clear when he hinted that the regional atmosphere was not conducive to easing the internal Lebanese tension and narrowing the political differences that are gripping the country. If the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies has limited the agenda of the 15-day 'consultation', which he called for next Monday, to the national unity government and the election law, this does not annul the fact that the bone of contention between the majority and the alliance between Hezbollah, Aoun, and the opposition, is greater than those two points, because it addresses the position toward the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in Southern Lebanon, the Lebanese-Syrian relations, and toward an international court to try those accused of assassinating martyr, Premier Rafik Hariri. When the alliance, which aims to change the government, insists on placing this item on the negotiating table, it implies the major points of differences mentioned before. When the majority and the March 14 forces call for including the issue of changing the President of the Republic (the discussion was on holding early presidential elections by comprise agreement between the Lebanese on the grounds that President Emile Lahoud stays in office until November, next year), the majority symbolizes, through this demand, the major discordant views listed above, as well.
Berry placed a third point on the agenda when he discovered that he is bound to the formal dialogue agenda. He exploited his legislative position (not his position as the moderator of the dialogue) to impose the discussion of the economic and financial issues on the sidelines of the dialogue, or in the Chamber of Deputies, having warned of the perils of this situation because of the coming Lebanese financial engagements in early 2007, and the Paris-3 Conference, where possible financial contributions will be made for reconstruction, the necessary reforms to address the growing debt, and ways to boost the economy. He is betting on the fact that all the parties at odds, particularly the alliance that is intent on toppling the government by any means, will realize that the economic situation requires a minimum of consensus that could be an incentive to deal with consultation as a truce that allows to buy some time until after the Paris-3 Conference. It would not be unrealistic to say that Berry is betting that any Lebanese will try to avoid the possibility of being accused of blocking a solution to the already crumbling economic situation that is destined for further deterioration if Lebanon does not seize the opportunity of support in the Paris-3 Conference to stop this deterioration and prevent it from utter decline. The street will not benefit from any team, because the economic situation will rebound on this street if it is used by the opposition. Berry placed a third item on the agenda, and referred it to the joint parliamentary committees and the other loyalist and opposition parliamentary blocs, in the hope that he can make up for the failure of the consultation conference by holding dialogue in the Paliament, especially as those seeking to topple the government will make use of the economic situation to go to the streets
INTERVIEW-Christian leader foresees turbulence in Lebanon
27 Oct 2006 10:07:23 GMT
Source: Reuters
Background
Lebanon crisis
More By Alistair Lyon, Special Correspondent
THE CEDARS, Lebanon, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Former Christian militia chief Samir Geagea expects turmoil in Lebanon that may spill into the streets as Hezbollah and its allies campaign against the anti-Syrian government, but no slide into civil war.
Geagea's Lebanese Forces, now a political party, has one minister in Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's Western-backed cabinet, which is resisting demands from Hezbollah and its main Christian ally Michel Aoun for a national unity government.
"I see some turbulence, but it will not be destructive or fatal," Geagea told Reuters in an interview on Friday.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has asked politicians to start talks on Monday on a unity cabinet and new electoral law.
Speaking at his well-guarded home at the Cedars ski resort in the snow-powdered peaks of north Lebanon, Geagea said he favoured dialogue, but criticised Berri's agenda as too narrow. He said it was more important to discuss what had led to Israel's devastating 34-day war with Hezbollah and how to apply the U.N. resolution that halted the conflict on Aug. 14.
Resolution 1701 demands a weapons-free border zone in the south policed by the newly deployed Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers, and indirectly calls for Hezbollah's disarmament. Geagea said the best way to achieve this would be to recover the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area, which is claimed by Lebanon and which Hezbollah cites as a reason to keep its arms.
"PARALYSED PRESIDENCY"
Geagea rejected calls for a cabinet giving Hezbollah and its allies more than the five ministries they now hold.
Siniora's government, formed after last year's elections, was at least functioning, he said, whereas the presidency held by Syrian-backed Emile Lahoud was a legacy of the era of Syrian tutelage over Lebanon and was "completely paralysed". Geagea said he would not run for the presidency, reserved for Maronite Christians in Lebanon's power-sharing system, next year because "you have to compromise your attitude and beliefs".
He would focus instead on rebuilding the Lebanese Forces as a political party after what he said was 15 years of repression that ended when Syrian troops left Lebanon in April 2005. He said rearming the party was out of the question "because we would be betraying our own beliefs in the state". His goal was a pluralistic, sovereign, democratic, independent Lebanon.
Geagea, 54, the only Lebanese militia chief to be jailed after the 1975-90 war, spent 11 years in solitary confinement, serving four life terms for political murders. Amnestied by parliament 15 months ago, the former medical student has always said he was a political prisoner victimised for opposing Syria's grip on Lebanon, which was loosened only after last year's assassination of ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri.
Syria denies involvement in Hariri's killing and subsequent assassinations of anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon.
Geagea said he had received death threats this year -- "two or three letters ... written in a very Alfred Hitchcock way".
LESSONS OF CAPTIVITY
He said his prison experience had deeply affected his personal outlook, without shifting his political convictions.
"I see things from a much wider angle. I can easily understand others, even though I am in contradiction with them politically," Geagea said quietly. "I can even love them."He remains a hero to many Maronites. Even his old foes mostly backed his release, setting aside past animosity for a man they once feared for his military adventures and readiness to ally with Israel against Syria and Palestinian guerrillas.
Of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, one of his bitterest wartime foes, he said with a smile: "Now he is my bitterest friend."
Jumblatt, once a Syrian ally, now denounces Damascus.
"It was war unfortunately, but now things have taken a completely different turn and here we are, all together, with a clear political agenda," Geagea said of his new-found Druze and Sunni Muslim allies.
Geagea said he had learned in captivity that anger was "a real poison" falsifying reality. He said he had never despaired.
"In jail I reflected a lot on everything that occurred in my life," he said. "Of course there were many, many things that I will not do again. So in this meaning it was very enriching."