LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 04/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Luke 5:1-11. While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and
listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw
two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were
washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and
taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to
Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in
reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at
your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a
great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their
partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats
so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at
the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For
astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with
him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of
Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching
men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and
followed him.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Lebanon: The Battle for Canceling
the Elections/Elias Harfoush/03 September 2009
Manipulation mars the Hariri tribunal.By
Michael Young
September 03/09
Power on auction in Lebanon.By
Joseph A. Kechichian/September
03/09
Obama already has a simple recipe for making Middle East peace-
The Daily Star
September 03/09
NOW We’re Talking: Sleiman in the
hot seat. By: Hayeon Lee, Now Lebanon/September
03/09
Michel Sleiman/Now
Lebanon/September 2, 2009
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 03/09
Elias
Zoghbi: Project to topple the
state, continues/Future News
MP Zahra praises Hariri’s patience
and wisdom/Future News
Rice:
U.S. Looking Forward to Lebanese Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
Hariri Proposes Rotating Portfolios
as Rift Emerges Between FPM and Berri-Naharnet
Jumblat
for Syrian-Saudi Partnership to Help Lebanese Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
Hariri
Rejects Opposition's 'Logic' and 'Preconditions'-Naharnet
March 14 for More Decisive
Judicial Stance Against Symbols of Hegemony-Naharnet
Hariri: Opposition can't 'impose its conditions-Daily
Star
March
14 Forces lash out against attacks on judiciary-Daily
Star
Fadlallah and Jumblatt warn of foreign schemes-Daily
Star
Lebanese, Israeli armies hold talks on Resolution 1701-Daily
Star
Qabalan says Baabda Palace iftar brought groups together-Daily
Star
Mikati declares himself 'centrist,' not March 14 member-Daily
Star
FDI
in Lebanon low despite booming tourism-Daily
Star
Gunmen abduct shop owner in Burj al-Barajneh-Daily
Star
Authorities investigating spate of robberies, car thefts-Daily
Star
Baroud pledges to improve prison conditions-Daily
Star
What
different Lebanese factions think of Turkey-Daily
Star
Poor
communication plagues swine-flu management-Daily
Star
Authorities hold debt-ridden businessman in custody-Daily
Star
Palestinians urge removing obstacles to Nahr al-Bared rebuilding-
The Daily Star
Barbed
Wire Aimed at Keeping Israeli Cows Away-Naharnet
Maronite Church Warns
Officials That They Will Be 'Eradicated' Unless Cabinet is Formed-Naharnet
Jumblat: We Share
Ayatollah Fadlallah's Political Views-Naharnet
Opposition Rules Out
Cabinet Formation by End of September-Naharnet
Gunmen abduct shop owner in Burj al-Barajneh
Daily Star staff/Thursday, September 03, 2009
BEIRUT: Unknown gunmen kidnapped a Lebanese citizen outside his shop in Beirut’s
southern suburbs, and no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
Citing security sources, An-Nahar newspaper said the assailants in a beige Envoy
SUV without a license plate seized Ali Mohammad al-Sayyed, 39, as he stood
outside his shop in Burj al-Barajneh around 5:20 p.m. Tuesday. Investigations
are under way to determine Sayyed’s whereabouts and the identity of the
kidnappers, the sources said. – The Daily Star
Lebanon: The Battle for Canceling the Elections
Thu, 03 September 2009/Al Hayat
Elias Harfoush
Three months after the results of the Lebanese elections were announced, the
debate over the identity of the winner continues: Is it the parliamentary
majority as revealed by the ballot boxes, or is it the "popular majority" as
announced by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the wake of the results?
Regardless of what is being said about the reasons behind the pending cabinet
crisis today in Lebanon, the real reason for this crisis has to do with the fact
that the disagreement between these two results is unsettled, or say, the
rejection of the result of the elections, after the opposition failed to
obstruct it. Before the elections, the opposition used to say: Let us end the
political deadlock by conducting early parliamentary elections and whoever wins
will be allowed to govern accordingly! But when the results came contrary to
their expectations, the majority, which won the elections, was not allowed to
impose its numerical superiority on the cabinet formation, in keeping with logic
and democratic customs. Neither the majority is able to do so, nor the
opposition is willing to abandon its obstructing ability represented by the
failure of any government to appoint Shiite ministers unless with the
opposition's consent. In this context, the mere meeting of the majority
deputies, as the one that took place two days ago, has become a sin that should
be condemned and considered to be aiming at hindering the efforts to form a
cabinet.
As such, the "model" of the withdrawal of the Shiite ministers during the famous
cabinet paralysis period under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government,
extended and is being repeated with today's attempts to form the cabinet. In
brief, the opposition's stand is as follows: If you dare to do it, then go ahead
and form a government without the Shiite ministers we want! It is the same
predicament that faced Siniora at the time, although the country was and is
still filled with respectful Shiite figures who can represent their sect par
excellence.
This obstructive behavior also applies to the stance of the "Free Patriotic
Movement" leader Deputy Michel Aoun who raised the ceiling of his demands and is
calling for the implementation of proportional representation in the cabinet
formation. According to his calculations, his share goes up to six ministers. He
then made a concession and agreed on five ministers. This gives him the largest
number of Maronite seats in the cabinet, although the opposition group he
belongs to did not win the majority of seats in the parliament.
In practice, such a proposal means that applying the rule of "national
partnership" which the opposition calls for, will inevitably end up by dividing
the cabinet seats among those who control their sects, regardless of their
representative seize at the broad national level. In his statement a few days
ago, Hezbollah's Deputy Nawwaf al-Mousawi said that there isn't just one
majority in Lebanon, but rather "many majorities", each of which should be
respected with what it represents in the cabinet on this basis. In practice,
this only means eradicating the idea of ending the monopoly of the powerful
parties over the sectarian representation, which could allow for a broader and
more comprehensive national representation. What is going on today is that the
most representative Maronite leader defends his Maronite share, and so does the
Shiite leader. Likewise, the Druze leader turns his political position upside
down for the sake of his sect's interests. His coup was lauded by the same
opposition group that leveled all kinds of accusations against him yesterday.
Therefore, we are not ahead of a "national partnership" even though it is
labeled as such. We are ahead of an allocation of the government pie among sects
and confessions. We are not ahead of the representation of "many majorities" in
the government, but rather ahead of the dismantling of the national fabric among
those who have the louder voice in defending sectarian interests, even though
they are labeled otherwise. This might be the heaviest cost Lebanon will pay to
form this government which is falsely called a "national unity government",
though it lacks any sort of unity or nationalism.
Zoghbi: Project to topple the state, continues
Date: September 3rd, 2009
Source: Future News
Elias Zoghbi, of the March 14 alliance, said Thursday the opposition is still
going on with its project to topple the state, media outlets reported.
Zoghbi said: “The threats that the March 14 alliance and the Maronite Patriarch
Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir warned against ahead of the parliamentary elections,
were not based on illusions to deceive voters. Laying obstacles before cabinet
formation proves that the project of the minority led by Hizbullah is continuous
but in other shapes. He noted “the Syrians are linking the International
Tribunal to the formation of the Lebanese government especially after Iraq
declared its intention to demand suing Syria before an international court for
allegedly sheltering terrorists.” “Restoring the parliamentary majority was
necessary for forming a political shield to confront the old renewed project
that was disclosed recently through several political stances launched by
prominent opposition political and religious figures,” Zoghbi concluded.
Michel Sleiman
September 2, 2009
Now Lebanon
On September 1, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the speech delivered
by President Michel Sleiman during the Iftar he hosted yesterday at the
presidential palace:
“...Honorable guests, during the days and nights of this holy month, the hearts
of the Lebanese are praying for the one who founded life on the basis of joy,
cooperation, solidarity and generosity. I am certain that our meeting around the
table of spiritual and national partnership between Muslims and Christians
embodies the qualities of the holy Month of Ramadan and Lebanon’s inheritance in
terms of plurality and the unity of the hearts, fate and vision.
"Last year, and on this very occasion, we were feeling our way to political and
security stability, thus turning the page of the roaming incidents between
Tripoli and Akkar, Saadnayel and Taalabaya, the South, Ain al-Hilweh and other
places. We also announced from this very location the launching of the national
dialogue table which addressed the defense strategy and the efforts exerted by
the constitutional authorities and the national institutions to overcome the
major crises and events which surrounded us... Today, the holy Month of Ramadan
has come again as we have regained civil peace, and the trust of the world and
the Lebanese people, whether those living in Lebanon or abroad, in us. The
economic and developmental wheel has thus started to turn, heralding a promising
future which should in no way witness what happened in the past.
“Honorable guests, we owe it to the people to move forward with development and
reform and we have no right to misuse the assignment they have given us or
undermine their security and livelihood. So are we incapable of forming a
national unity government, three months after democratic and transparent
parliamentary elections were held?
“Are the international developments and the concerns and social and economic
status of the people not worthy of sacrifices and cooperation to secure a
governmental formation that would tend to the affairs of the country? Yes, the
developments are catching up with us and we should be prepared to face them, to
alleviate the damage which might be entailed by them and benefit from the
prevailing climate openness and dialogue.
"The time has come for each of us to relinquish some of the interests of his
team to enhance Lebanon’s strength, unity, pride and stability... Moreover, our
national and patriotic duty forces us to form a government that would pursue our
efforts on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly session which will be
held mid September so we can claim our rights and position, especially as we are
getting ready to join the UN Security Council for 2010-2011, with all that this
participation carries in terms of preventing any settlements at Lebanon’s
expense or at the expense of its national interests. So, how can we be invited
to play an efficient role in finding solutions to the problems threatening world
security and peace, while we have so far been unable to form a national unity
government that is awaited by the citizens?
“The casting of accusations of obstruction and stalling in the prevailing
climate of tensions will not do any good and will increase the acuteness of the
division without serving any side. Gentlemen, while the constitution by which we
abide and which we defend is the limit of our prerogatives, there is no limit
for the will of national unity which forces us to make sacrifices and
participate, and not monopolize power or uphold narrow interests. The
constitution ordered the president of the republic to protect it and play a
guaranteeing role in democratic life. It is also corroborated that the people
were the source of all authorities and that deputies represented the entire
nation, without overlooking the necessity for the prime minister-designate and
the deputies to consult and the necessity to see cooperation with the president
of the republic to form a government.
“Therefore, based on my constitutional responsibilities to protect the unity of
the country, I call on you to adopt constructive and calm initiatives, far away
from tense speeches and through direct dialogue to facilitate the formation of a
government that would serve public interests... Let us work on the
implementation of the Taif Accord to uphold and strengthen the national
coexistence pact through the national dialogue table which should be formed once
again in parallel to these developments, to complete the role for which it was
launched in the first place. Gentlemen, Imam Ali said that whoever is blessed by
God with many things, people will need him. If he does not use his blessings as
he should, they will disappear and vanish.
“Therefore, we should not waste our national role to the point where the people
would no longer need us and where the spirit of tribalism would start to
prevail, for this will divide us into conflicting emirates far away from the
spirit of democracy and the logic of the civil state. The Lebanese people will
not allow that and will not forgive us for it. In the end, I would like to
welcome you to this gathering and congratulate you on the arrival of this holy
month.”
NOW We’re Talking: Sleiman in the hot seat
Criticism against the president continues as he tries to resolve the cabinet
crisis
Hayeon Lee,
Now Lebanon , September 3, 2009
President Michel Sleiman is under attack from Jamil as-Sayyed and the opposition
media (AFP)
President Michel Sleiman has recently been criticized by former Intelligence
chief Jamil as-Sayyed and the opposition media for his inability to help form a
government three months after the parliamentary elections. Nonetheless, Sleiman
has made low-key efforts – including hosting a meeting with disputing political
leaders Premier-designate Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement head Michel
Aoun, and his Iftar speech on Tuesday – to improve the situation.
In response to the recent criticism directed against Sleiman, NOW hit the
streets and asked Lebanese what he could and should do as consensus president to
facilitate the cabinet formation, and what the attacks on him mean.
George, 21, Naccache
First you have to know that before Michel Sleiman came into power, we didn’t
have a president for how long. Two years? And this president came into power
just as a way to soothe the situation, but I don’t think he has any power
whatsoever. He’s just a figurehead… You can’t compare the strength of the
president to parties such as Hezbollah, Amal, Future. They’re much stronger than
him… [As for the attack by Jamil as-Sayyed], he’s one of the generals who got
attacked for facilitating the death of Hariri, and he was in prison for years…
It’s only natural for him to attack the president. I don’t think the president
can do anything… I think he should big up his game a bit. How? I don’t know.
It’s not easy being the president in Lebanon because you have so many parties…
different religions… you can’t be one-sided at all. It’s not easy, and I wish
him luck.
Samir, 24, Akkar
First of all, Michel Sleiman didn’t really become a president because of some
real agreement. He became the president because of the crisis… Since Taif in
1990, the capacity of the president is really limited; I don’t think Sleiman can
do anything to improve the situation. [His efforts] are just protocols… He’s
being under attack because he’s a formal general. Jamil as-Sayyed understood [Sleiman’s]
personality as soldier before being a politician… So at some point, [Sayyed]
blamed him… Also, the media in Lebanon is not really free. The media here is
somehow steered, directed toward some external forces. There’s Syria, Iran,
America, France, everyone… [These media attacks] mean that something will happen
soon. I don’t know. It can be the usual skirmishes. Or something much heavier,
like on the southern borders with Israel.
Stephanie, 30, Chouf
I really don’t know the details of the constitution, but if you’re pointing to
what Jamil as-Sayyed said, I think we should put him back in jail for good… And
he shouldn’t be the one pointing fingers [at the president]. Actually I think [Sleiman]
is doing a lot [to improve the situation], but he can’t do more. It’s not up to
him to decide. Iran is deciding, Syria is deciding, everyone is interfering, so
I don’t think he can control them… Maybe he’s under attack because he’s trying
to form the new cabinet, and they don’t want to form it.
Akram, 58, Baalbek
In my opinion, [Michel Sleiman] can’t do anything. It’s a government of an
international alliance, so by himself, he cannot do anything. The only
possibility is to communicate with and call on all the different [internal]
forces… Michel Sleiman can’t be anything but the president of the republic, so
he cannot be against the state. And the other parties and forces in Lebanon, I
believe, aim to reverse the system against Michel Sleiman…
Majid, 16, Aley
He can’t do much because the politicians are so stubborn with their opinions,
and they won’t change. So it’s so hard for him. He’s trying his best I think,
but he’ll lose. It’s not his fault…
Samer, 27, Hasbaya
Sleiman can’t do much because he is a consensus president. He was not brought to
do much. The way they brought him limited his powers… And because now, the
balance is tipping toward Hezbollah, who are more powerful than March 14 now.
It’s obvious. They are gaining ground. So, he cannot do much. He should just
pass time and try to keep the political arena calm; the economy is still tough.
And you also have a General Aoun, who should have been the president if the same
practice was adopted as for the speaker and the prime minister. By that, I mean
that Aoun enjoys the biggest representation among Maronites and Christians.
Hence his legitimate right to be the president. Sleiman has stolen the
presidency from Aoun democratically in the latter’s eyes. [The media attacks]
are probably linked to something Syria was trying to negotiate and didn’t work
out. So now they’re attacking the court because it found new leads incriminating
Syria.
Hariri: Opposition can't 'impose its conditions'
Maronite Bishops urges all factions to back Sleiman
By Nafez Qawas/Daily Star correspondent
Thursday, September 03, 2009
BEIRUT: Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said that while he was keen on
having the opposition take part in the national unity cabinet he was in the
process of forming, the opposition’s participation ought not to be governed by
preconditions. “We want the minority to take part in the next cabinet but not
according to its own conditions but rather in line with the [democratic]
principle of majority and minority,” he said during an iftar banquet held at his
residence in Qoreitem.
Hariri explained that that a minority does not “impose its conditions on the
majority, or dictate what the majority is supposed to do.”
“We have extended our hand to the minority, expressed openness and willingness
to form a national unity cabinet but this does not mean we have to do what they
want,” he said.
“In all honesty, we reject this logic. I Saad Rafik Hariri will not accept this
logic,” he said.
The premier-designate said he was not being “defiant, and I am not shutting the
door in face of government formation.”
“It’s not the time for a defiant attitude, we don’t want to be defying each
other we want to build a country,” he said.
“They have the right to make whatever request they want, but the electorate’s
choices ought to be respected at the end of the day,” he added.
“If people endorsed their platform they would have voted for them,” Hariri said.
He added that the parliamentary majority “extended its hand to the majority
despite all the huge sacrifices we made over the last few years.”
Concerning ongoing consultations on the formation of a government, Hariri said
he hoped that a cabinet would see the light in 15 days before President Michel
Sleiman heads to the United Nations General Assembly, which will open on
September 15, to deliver Lebanon’s address.
“I can consult with whomever I want, but leave it for President Sleiman and
myself to form the cabinet,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hariri had met caretaker Telecommunications Minister
Gebran Bassil to pursue dialogue concerning the government.
On Monday, Sleiman hosted Hariri and Free patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun
to discuss government related issues.
Aoun, who travelled abroad, tasked his son-in-law Bassil with following up on
talks with Hariri.
“As you know the government formation process still faces certain difficulties
but we are determined to form a government that will serve the people’s
interests,” Hariri told his visitors at the iftar. In other news, Speaker Nabih
Berri missed his weekly meting with President Sleiman at the Baabda Palace on
Wednesday. Berri has refrained from commenting on the issue of the government in
the past three weeks.
Later on Wednesday, Berri held talks with Progressive Socialist Party leader
Walid Jumblatt at his residence in Ain al-Tineh.
Following the meeting Jumblatt told reporters that it was necessary to boost
Syrian-Saudi ties, “in order not to oppose Iran but to form a new government in
Lebanon.”
Tackling the issue of the cabinet formation, the Council of Maronite Bishops
issued a statement on Wednesday following their weekly meeting urging for a
swift birth of the government.
“Love for the homeland requires an understanding among the Lebanese to face the
dangers,” said the statement read by Monsignor Youssef Tawq.
“They [officials] have to make up their minds and form a cabinet that would deal
with Lebanese affairs first,” it added.
The bishops called on all groups to support Sleiman and to work together “to
rebuild the state and face threats.”
“Sleiman has brought domestic leaders together to revive the role of state
institutions to enhance Lebanon’s prosperity as well as its relations with other
states and international organizations,” it added. The statement said that
continuous deadlock in Lebanon was forcing the Lebanese to emigrate. “Brain
drain is a direct consequence of emigration,” the bishops added. They said that
a state of unrest in the country leads to sectarianism, “while political leaders
are most likely pursuing their personal interests.”
The bishops, who held the meeting in the northern town of Diman, hailed the
country’s ability to survive the global financial crisis. It also praised the
success of the 2009 tourism season.
The statement also touched upon the bishops’ position on the Arab-Israeli
conflict. “Israel’s right-wing government refuses to negotiate a fair settlement
of the conflict,” they said. In other government-related news, Lebanese Forces
(LF) boss Samir Geagea said in an interview with the Central News Agency agency
on Wednesday that it was “high time,” after 10 weeks of deliberations, for
President Sleiman and Premier-designate Hariri “to form the new cabinet
according to what they believe is suitable, but without excluding any party.”
“By now, the positions of all parties should be clear,” the LF leader added.
Geagea said that his party was not involved in bickering over the distribution
of portfolios. He also stressed that the LF’s “political weight is known to
all,” adding that Christians within the March 14 alliance would be able to
decide on their ministerial representation “during a five-minute meeting.”
Hariri Proposes Rotating Portfolios as Rift Emerges Between FPM
and Berri
Naharnet/Premier-designate Saad Hariri has suggested the concept of rotating
ministries as the Free Patriotic Movement criticized Speaker Nabih Berri for
describing some of its demands as unconstitutional. FPM sources told An Nahar
daily that Hariri suggested to Caretaker Telecommunications Minster Jebran
Bassil during their meeting on Wednesday to swap portfolios, meaning the
opposition would get the education instead of the telecommunications ministry
and the labor instead of the energy ministry. The sources added that FPM leader
Gen. Michel Aoun had asked Hariri during their last meeting for a complete study
on the "rotation concept." However, they said Hariri's response to three issues
– the number of seats that the FPM would get, the key ministry and the right of
each team to name its ministers – was negative. Aoun has been insisting on
getting five portfolios – 4 for Maronites and one for an Armenian –, a key
ministry and naming Bassil as a minister despite opposition by majority MPs. Al-Liwaa
daily said the Hariri-Bassil meeting was fruitless after the FPM official
insisted on getting three major portfolios and rejected the PM-designate's
rotation offer. Furthermore, Bassil wasn't able to get Hariri's consent on the
FPM's right to name its own ministers.Although the two sides didn't agree on a
date for another meeting, sources close to Qoreitem told As Safir newspaper that
Hariri was awaiting Bassil's reply. However, a Change and Reform bloc member
said: "What we understood is that the ball is still in the premier-designate's
court."
Meanwhile, the FPM's TV station, OTV, criticized Speaker Nabih Berri for
"considering the division of ministries an unconstitutional step in the absence
of a cabinet although Berri himself presided over parliament twice in the summer
of 2005" when there was no government. Media reports said earlier in the week
that Hariri had suggested division of ministries although the Premier-designate
denied making such a proposal to Aoun. Beirut, 03 Sep 09, 10:08
Rice: U.S. Looking Forward to Lebanese Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said Wednesday that Washington
was looking forward to the outcome of cabinet formation in Lebanon.
"We very much await the formation of a new government in Lebanon. That's
obviously work for the people and the government of Lebanon to do. And we look
forward to the outcome," she said in response to a question by An Nahar's
reporter during a press conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York.
Also asked about a possible meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly
between Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and
U.S. President Barack Obama, Rice said: "I'm not able to make any announcements
today about a potential meeting related to the Middle East on the margins of the
General Assembly."
Rice also challenged Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to behave himself during his
upcoming first-ever U.N. visit. Rice, speaking as the incoming president of the
U.N. Security Council this month, cited broad U.S. anger over Libya's
enthusiastic homecoming for Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only man convicted in
the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland. Gadhafi is among the
world leaders expected to attend the 192-nation U.N. General Assembly and
possibly other high-level meetings in late September, including a U.S.-sponsored
session on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament to be held by the 15-nation
Security Council and chaired by Obama. Rice also said she was assured by her
counterparts at the Libyan U.N. mission "that their intention is to confine
their program to New York City." Gadhafi had wanted to stay during at Libya's
2-hectare estate in Englewood, New Jersey, and pitch a ceremonial Bedouin-style
tent to entertain guests. He decided to stay in New York amid rising opposition
to a visit by Englewood residents and officials.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 03 Sep 09,
08:37
Jumblat for Syrian-Saudi Partnership to Help Lebanese Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has said that it is
necessary to boost ties between Damascus and Riyadh in order to help the process
of Lebanese government formation. Jumblat told As Safir that he agreed with
President Michel Suleiman who asked for the quick formation of the cabinet to
face challenges. "But at the same time, I consider the Syrian-Saudi partnership
a basis that guarantees the regional atmosphere for cabinet formation." This
partnership would later lead to an Arab-Iranian dialogue. "Consequently, I back
Speaker Nabih Berri's insistence on the importance of the S-S equation," he
said. Following talks with Berri at his residence in Ain al-Tineh, Jumblat told
reporters that it was necessary to boost Syrian-Saudi ties, "in order not to
oppose Iran but to form a new government in Lebanon." He also told al-Manar
TV station that a government of top leaders was useless. Al-Liwaa daily,
meanwhile said Jumblat is expected to visit Cairo soon to meet with top Egyptian
officials. Beirut, 03 Sep 09, 11:06
Hariri Rejects Opposition's 'Logic' and 'Preconditions'
Naharnet/Premier-designate Saad Hariri said Wednesday that the opposition's
participation in a national unity cabinet should not be governed by
preconditions.
Hariri said during an Iftar in Qoreitem that the minority does not "impose its
conditions on the majority, or dictate what the majority is supposed to do." "We
want the minority to take part in the next cabinet but not according to its own
conditions," he said. Hariri added that the majority had extended its hand to
the opposition and had expressed willingness to form a national unity government
"but this does not mean we have to do what they want." "We reject this logic,"
he stressed, adding he wasn't being "defiant." "They have the right to make
whatever request they want, but the electorate's choices ought to be respected
at the end of the day," Hariri told his guests. Hariri hoped that the cabinet
would see light within 15 days before President Michel Suleiman heads to New
York to attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting there. Beirut, 03 Sep 09, 08:19
Fadlallah and Jumblatt warn of foreign schemes
By Maher Zeineddine/Daily Star correspondent
Thursday, September 03, 2009
BEIRUT: Senior Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah and Progressive
Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt on Wednesday stressed on the need
to face US-Israeli schemes that aim to “weaken Lebanon’s domestic front and sow
the seeds of inter-Muslim strife.” Jumblatt visited Fadlallah at his residence
in the Beirut southern suburb of Haret Hreik, for the first time in more than
three years. The talks, which lasted for over an hour, were attended by deputy
head of the PSP Dureid Yaghi and Minister of State Wael Abu Faour.
Following the June 7 polls Jumblatt held similar talks with political foe
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The meeting Wednesday surveyed
political developments that followed the assassination of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. “We are glad to be able to renew political as
well as intellectual discussions with Sayyed Fadlallah after a long pause due to
political circumstances and the summer 2006 war [with Israel],” Jumblatt told
reporters. “We share his [Fadlallah’s] political views concerning what is being
plotted for the region,” Jumblatt said. In August, Jumblatt announced his
departure from the March 14 Forces, describing his alliance with the coalition
as “driven by necessity.”However on Monday, Jumblatt took part in a large-scale
meeting for the parliamentary majority at the residence of Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri in Qoreitem. Jumblatt said he attended the
meeting to “express support” for Hariri in his so-far-difficult task of forming
a national unity government. Jumblatt said Wednesday he remained part of the
parliamentary majority, while adding that it was “high time the alliance revives
its rhetoric and slogans.”He also expressed hope that inter-Lebanese and
inter-Muslim strife can be avoided. “We should return to the basics and assess
the true challenges and threats that await us,” he said. Fadlallah, meanwhile,
accused foreign powers of running Lebanese politics. The cleric described
Jumblatt’s recent stances as “important,” and hoped that others would follow
suit. “It is essential that all groups join forces in order to prevent foreign
meddling through politics and the judiciary into domestic affairs,” he said.
“Foreign powers benefit from and extensively use tools such as politics,
sectarianism, and racism to sow the seeds of strife among Sunnis and Shiites,”
he added. – The Daily Star
Manipulation mars the Hariri tribunal
By Michael Young
Daily Star staff/Thursday, September 03, 2009
We’ve reached the point where we can assume that virtually everything currently
being said about the Special Tribunal for Lebanon dealing with Rafik Hariri’s
assassination is manipulation. That includes the statements last week by the
former head of the General Security directorate, Jamil al-Sayyed, the former
parliamentarian Nasser Kandil, the former minister Wi’am Wahhab, and various
pro-Syrian Lebanese mouthpieces, not to mention Syria’s own foreign minister,
Walid al-Moallem.
In his press conference on Sunday, Sayyed stated that Hariri had been killed
three times: on the day of his assassination; when the four generals, including
himself, were arrested; and when they were released. But it’s Syria and its
followers who this year have tried three times to kill the Hariri tribunal:
after the generals were released, when the opposition falsely described this as
a declaration of innocence; when someone leaked selective information to Der
Spiegel, which published a flawed account of the Hariri assassination suggesting
it was mainly a Hizbullah operation; and this past week, when Syrian and
pro-Syrian figures and media made a concerted effort to discredit the tribunal,
declaring its work “politicized.”
The Syrians continue to concentrate their forces against the conclusions reached
by Detlev Mehlis, the first commissioner of the United Nations team conducting
the Hariri investigation. It’s not difficult to see why: Mehlis was the only one
of the three commissioners who began cornering the culprits. Since then, neither
of his successors, Serge Brammertz or Daniel Bellemare, has distanced himself
from Mehlis’ broad findings. Had they done so, this would have been difficult to
conceal even in their exceedingly terse reports. That is why a Syrian priority
is to smear the German judge, even as Syria’s peons have now started biting at
Bellemare, whom Wahhab affirmed is dying of cancer.
The misinformation surrounding the tribunal forced its spokeswoman, Radhia
Achouri, to issue a statement last week saying that speculation about when the
body would accuse suspects was unfounded. “There is no set deadline for an
indictment,” she said, adding “but this does not at all mean that the prosecutor
does not see a need to inform the Lebanese public on whether there is one or
not.” It’s a pleasure to know that Bellemare will inform us of something, since
we don’t even know what ailment he has been suffering from for the past two
months, though some leaked information and an educated guess suggest it is not
cancer.
For all the talk of indictments coming soon, Achouri made it indirectly clear
that Bellemare just doesn’t have enough yet to accuse anyone. This may be
obvious, however repeated enough times it sounds remarkable when we realize that
the Hariri investigation began four years ago. A tribunal source admitted to me
this past summer that the investigation was “a tough, tough one.” Did this mean
there might in fact be no indictment at all? “Theoretically yes,” the person
answered, “yet we are optimistic enough to think that this is not a likely
scenario.”
However, the prosecutor continues to leave important questions unanswered. For
example, Achouri has said that Bellemare no longer considers the so-called
“crown witness,” Mohammad Zuheir al-Siddiq, of interest to his case. That’s a
peculiar assertion. Recall that it was on the basis of Siddiq’s deposition,
among other factors, that the four generals were arrested. Mehlis also felt he
had enough to arrest Siddiq as a suspect. Therefore, does his now being off the
hook mean the generals are innocent? Prosecution sources say no, that the
generals may still be indicted, but that their release was necessary under by
the tribunal’s rules. Had Bellemare kept them in preventive detention, he would
have had 90 days to indict or declare them innocent. He did not have enough to
indict, so he released them to avoid declaring them innocent.
But back to Siddiq. The prosecution today says that it no longer considers him a
suspect or a witness. However, if he gave false testimony, there must have been
a reason for this. He could have been planted to mislead or discredit
investigators, which begs the question as to who put him in such a position.
There are also legal implications for lying under oath. Yet the tribunal has
simply decided that Siddiq isn’t of value to its work anymore, case closed. How
is that remotely explainable or credible?
It is ambiguities like these that have allowed opponents of the tribunal to
damage its credibility. Achouri has insisted several times that the tribunal is
not “politicized.” Doubtless she’s right, but she’s also missing the point:
What’s important is that it’s the others, those who want the tribunal to fail,
who are playing politics – perpetually placing the institution on the defensive,
seeking to tarnish its conclusions even before they come out. There is no sense
being an ostrich on such matters. Punch the tribunal enough times and it will
soon feel the pain – all the more so when it has no rejoinder in the way of
solid evidence to indentify the guilty.
The continued, coordinated denunciations of the tribunal by Syria and its
Lebanese partisans are further evidence of who was behind the killing of Rafik
Hariri. There never was anyone else, and United Nations investigators reached
that conclusion long ago, which worries Damascus. But what worries those who
want to see justice done is something else: Is the Hariri tribunal actually
moving closer to punishing the criminals?
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR.
Six world powers press Tehran for quick nuclear talks
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Marilyn Gerlach /Reuters
KOENIGSTEIN: World powers meeting in Germany on Wednesday pressed Iran to make
good on an offer for talks on its disputed nuclear program, saying they wanted
Tehran to agree to meet within weeks. Volker Stanzel, political director in the
German Foreign Ministry, issued a statement urging Iran to talk after he chaired
a meeting with his counterparts from Russia, China, the United States, France
and Britain on Tehran’s nuclear program.
The West suspects Iran is pursuing the means to produce atomic bombs under cover
of a civilian nuclear fuel program. Iran denies the charge and says it only
wants electricity from nuclear power. “Iran should be aware of the urgent need
to restore confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program
through full cooperation with the international community,” Stanzel said on
behalf of the six powers. His statement was a response to remarks by Iran’s
chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, who was quoted by Iranian state
television on Tuesday as saying Tehran was ready to talk to world powers. “With
reference to Dr Jalili’s statement this week that Iran is ready to resume talks,
I expect Iran to respond to the offer of talks [made] in April by agreeing to
meet before [the] UNGA [UN General Assembly),” Stanzel said. The UN General
Assembly meeting is on September 23-25.
A senior European official said the world powers were expressing a desire for a
meeting, rather than a concrete expectation that one would take place.
The official said the powers wanted a meeting with the Iranians within two weeks
and that there was disappointment that there had been no movement on the issue
since April.
Jalili was also quoted on Tuesday as saying Iran had prepared an updated nuclear
proposal, but the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said on
Wednesday he was still waiting for Iran to hand it over. US President Barack
Obama has given Iran until later this month to take up a six-power offer of
talks on trade benefits if it shelves nuclear fuel production, or face wider
sanctions that could target Iran’s vulnerable gasoline sector. Last week, the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran had slowed its expansion of
uranium enrichment and met some demands for transparency but allegations it
researched how to build atom bombs look credible and Tehran must address them.
Russia and China, close trade partners of Tehran, may resist expected calls from
Western powers to squeeze Iran’s lifeblood oil sector by pointing to new Iranian
gestures of cooperation with IAEA inspectors, as cited in the agency report. A
Western diplomat said it was unclear how Russia and China have reacted to the
IAEA report last week. “At the moment they’re [Russia and China] looking pretty
cautious,” the diplomat said, adding that Moscow and Beijing might prefer to
wait and see what is in Tehran’s counterproposal before moving ahead with
discussions on a possible four round of UN sanctions. On Monday, German
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Iran should realize how “very serious” this
month’s deadline is for negotiations on its nuclear program.
Elbaradei insists Iran threat ‘hyped’
William J. Kole
Associated Press
VIENNA: The global threat posed by Iran’s suspect nuclear program is “hyped”
because there’s no hard proof that Tehran has an ongoing effort to build an
atomic weapon, the head of the UN nuclear agency asserts in a magazine
interview.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei told the
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by a group of prominent scientists,
that there’s still cause for concern – just not panic.
“We have not seen concrete evidence that Tehran has an ongoing nuclear weapons
program,” the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize laureate told the Bulletin for its
September/October issue.
“But somehow, many people are talking about how Iran’s nuclear program is the
greatest threat to the world,” added ElBaradei, whose Vienna-based agency long
has played a key role itself in raising international concern about Iran’s
intentions.
“In many ways, I think the threat has been hyped. Yes, there’s concern about
Iran’s future intentions and Iran needs to be more transparent with the IAEA and
the international community … But the idea that we’ll wake up tomorrow and Iran
will have a nuclear weapon is an idea that isn’t supported by the facts as we
have seen them so far.”
Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and geared solely toward generating
electricity. The US and key allies contend it is covertly trying to build a
nuclear weapon.
ElBaradei steps down on November 30 after 12 years as head of the IAEA. Western
diplomats have criticized him for not taking a harder line on Iran, although as
recently as June, he suggested Tehran wants to gain nuclear weapons capability.
The IAEA, which circulated the interview late Tuesday, said it had seen a draft
of ElBaradei’s remarks.
ElBaradei’s interview with the Chicago-based Bulletin – best known for its
symbolic Doomsday Clock, which tracks the threat of a global cataclysm – was
released ahead of a meeting next week of the IAEA’s 35-nation board to review
the threat posed by Iran, North Korea, Syria and others.
In his latest report, which was shown to reporters last week, ElBaradei said
Iran is stonewalling the IAEA on “possible military dimensions” to its nuclear
program.
ElBaradei acknowledged that Iran has been producing nuclear fuel at a slower
rate and has allowed UN inspectors broader access to its main nuclear complex in
the southern city of Natanz and to a reactor in Arak. But he gave a blunt
assessment: “Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities.”
US President Barack Obama has given Iran something of an ultimatum: Stop
enriching uranium or face harsher penalties. In exchange, Tehran could get trade
benefits from six countries – the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany
and Russia – that were engaging in closed-door talks being held Wednesday at an
undisclosed location near Frankfurt.
“We still have outstanding questions that are relevant to the nature of Tehran’s
program, and we still need to verify that there aren’t undeclared activities
taking place inside of the country,” ElBaradei told the Bulletin.
He said a dialogue sought by Obama to build trust and normalize relations with
Iran is “the only way forward.” He said talks also were key in dealing with
North Korea, which recently conducted two nuclear test blasts.
In the interview, ElBaradei also took a swipe at the United States over its 2003
invasion of Iraq, justified by Washington at the time because Saddam Hussein
allegedly had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction.
Just before the invasion, ElBaradei had told the Security Council that his
experts found no evidence of such weaponry – and none has surfaced since.
“The United States spent $3 trillion to come to the same conclusion we came to
before the war for something like $5 million,” he said.
Although ElBaradei’s advisers insist he’s not anti-American, the IAEA chief has
had a rocky relationship with the US during his tenure. In 2005, Washington
tried unsuccessfully to block his appointment to a new term because his
statements were seen as critical of US policy in Iran and Iraq.
But Obama has praised ElBaradei for his proposal to set up a secure
international nuclear fuel bank to help ensure uranium doesn’t fall into the
hands of rogue nations or terrorists.
Power on
auction in Lebanon
By Joseph A. Kechichian, Special to Gulf News
Published: September 02, 2009, 23:12
Even if Sa'ad Hariri manages to form a government after Eid Al Fitr, epochal
challenges await Lebanon, a country held hostage to regional and international
political vagaries that hardly concern its suspicious population. Syria and
Saudi Arabia, Iran and France, countless powers that deploy troops to serve with
the United Nations Interim Forces in South Lebanon, the US, Russia, and many
others miraculously display disproportionate levels of interest towards the
small Mediterranean state.
Outside interference is so prominent that most Lebanese actually believe that
the entire world truly cares about them. Though that is hardly the case, and to
satisfy this dependence phenomenon, many are willing to sell their souls to the
highest bidder - happy in the illusion that they matter.
The history of the past few decades illustrates that irrespective of religious
affiliation or socio-political station, local actors will gladly place regional
interests ahead of the country's intrinsic needs, which are similar to those in
many developing countries - strengthen existing institutions, encourage foreign
investments, create wealth, educate citizens, and unleash creativity.
Yet, and except for hard-working non-governmental organisations and a few
maverick citizens who rely on themselves to introduce meaningful changes, no
Lebanese politician or government official devotes time, nor does he display the
inclination to work on sorely needed nation-building requirements.
Most are busy tooting horns, conducting interminable meetings that redefine
boredom, reacting to what an opponent may have said, or chiming support to what
an ally neglected to clarify. Frequent press conferences occupy the elite who
receive a cortege of ambassadors in their respective homes in a carefully
orchestrated parade that is the envy of global logisticians.
Comical communiqués presumably clarify what someone meant to say but did not
have the time during hastily arranged presentations. The sum total of these
performances makes Barnum and Bailey, one of the world's most colourful
circuses, look amateurish.
Beirut is now confronted with a classic struggle for power that reminds one of
the movie The Godfather, where leading families competed for turf, and were all
ruined in the process. The latest ruminations have the Free Patriotic Movement
leader Michel Aoun insisting that his son-in-law, Communications Minister Gebran
Bassil keep his post, though the latter lost his parliament seat three months
ago.
Aoun is also adamant that President Michel Sulaiman should not have a say in the
key interior ministry portfolio, perhaps to prevent the highly capable
incumbent, Ziad Baroud, from applying the laws of the land.
Of course, Aoun's demands are not limited to nepotism, but are part of a larger
agenda to oust the president of the republic from office. That objective failed
on several occasions, most recently in June this year, when Aounists could not
garner a clear majority in parliament.
Even the good general's erstwhile allies within Hezbollah sought to distance
themselves from his stormy and often vulgar outbursts that border on the
disastrous. A key error this last week was the one committed by otherwise
skilful Shiite clerics and laypersons who fell on to Aoun's dangerous rhetorical
orbit.
The party regretted the spat that emerged between the Shiite leader Mohammad
Hussain Fadlallah and Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, which
reawakened dormant concerns, ranging from outright division of the country to
the adoption of a confederal system of government.
In a state where religious figures play prominent political roles, one should
not be surprised when spiritual leaders adopt expedient formulas, even of the
dubious variety. At every nasty turn, the Lebanese threaten to make core changes
in their system of government, forgetting that it took a bloody civil war to
produce the 1989 Ta'if Accords - which have not been fully implemented - and the
intervention of the Qatari ruler to elect a president in 2008.
Unless the real objective is regime change, Beirut will persist as a
parliamentary democracy, the only such paradigm in the Arab world. Those who may
be contemplating a complete revamp of this form of government ought to announce
what the alternative would be. For it seems that the obstructionism practiced in
Beirut is no longer over a Cabinet formation, or a portfolio to a favourite son,
but to simply overturn election results or even usher in regime change.
What is often overlooked is that no one today has a monopoly over any part of
Lebanon's glories for the simple reason that the few that deserved such an
epithet were achieved by previous generations.
Rather than selling their country to the highest bidder, the Lebanese ought to
think of renting it out, because their actions - or lack of responsible
decisions to look after the interests of the population - seem to ensure that
the republic as it exists today will not survive unless the silliness stops.
Why should the Lebanese continue to finance the existence of a country when
officials feel at ease to bargain or propose dramatic altercations to the system
of government?
In any country, citizens establish greatness by producing great leaders who, in
turn, instill real patriotism as one is made to appreciate the soil that
nurtures him and that will become his eternal resting place. When people elevate
mediocre officials as their representatives, they embark on a slippery slope,
which impoverishes them and guarantees catastrophes. When will Lebanese leaders
end their ongoing auction?
**Dr. Joseph A. Kechichian is a commentator and author of several books on Gulf
affairs.
Michel Sleiman
September 2, 2009
Now Lebanon
On September 1, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the speech delivered
by President Michel Sleiman during the Iftar he hosted yesterday at the
presidential palace:
“...Honorable guests, during the days and nights of this holy month, the hearts
of the Lebanese are praying for the one who founded life on the basis of joy,
cooperation, solidarity and generosity. I am certain that our meeting around the
table of spiritual and national partnership between Muslims and Christians
embodies the qualities of the holy Month of Ramadan and Lebanon’s inheritance in
terms of plurality and the unity of the hearts, fate and vision.
"Last year, and on this very occasion, we were feeling our way to political and
security stability, thus turning the page of the roaming incidents between
Tripoli and Akkar, Saadnayel and Taalabaya, the South, Ain al-Hilweh and other
places. We also announced from this very location the launching of the national
dialogue table which addressed the defense strategy and the efforts exerted by
the constitutional authorities and the national institutions to overcome the
major crises and events which surrounded us... Today, the holy Month of Ramadan
has come again as we have regained civil peace, and the trust of the world and
the Lebanese people, whether those living in Lebanon or abroad, in us. The
economic and developmental wheel has thus started to turn, heralding a promising
future which should in no way witness what happened in the past.
“Honorable guests, we owe it to the people to move forward with development and
reform and we have no right to misuse the assignment they have given us or
undermine their security and livelihood. So are we incapable of forming a
national unity government, three months after democratic and transparent
parliamentary elections were held?
“Are the international developments and the concerns and social and economic
status of the people not worthy of sacrifices and cooperation to secure a
governmental formation that would tend to the affairs of the country? Yes, the
developments are catching up with us and we should be prepared to face them, to
alleviate the damage which might be entailed by them and benefit from the
prevailing climate openness and dialogue.
"The time has come for each of us to relinquish some of the interests of his
team to enhance Lebanon’s strength, unity, pride and stability... Moreover, our
national and patriotic duty forces us to form a government that would pursue our
efforts on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly session which will be
held mid September so we can claim our rights and position, especially as we are
getting ready to join the UN Security Council for 2010-2011, with all that this
participation carries in terms of preventing any settlements at Lebanon’s
expense or at the expense of its national interests. So, how can we be invited
to play an efficient role in finding solutions to the problems threatening world
security and peace, while we have so far been unable to form a national unity
government that is awaited by the citizens?
“The casting of accusations of obstruction and stalling in the prevailing
climate of tensions will not do any good and will increase the acuteness of the
division without serving any side. Gentlemen, while the constitution by which we
abide and which we defend is the limit of our prerogatives, there is no limit
for the will of national unity which forces us to make sacrifices and
participate, and not monopolize power or uphold narrow interests. The
constitution ordered the president of the republic to protect it and play a
guaranteeing role in democratic life. It is also corroborated that the people
were the source of all authorities and that deputies represented the entire
nation, without overlooking the necessity for the prime minister-designate and
the deputies to consult and the necessity to see cooperation with the president
of the republic to form a government.
“Therefore, based on my constitutional responsibilities to protect the unity of
the country, I call on you to adopt constructive and calm initiatives, far away
from tense speeches and through direct dialogue to facilitate the formation of a
government that would serve public interests... Let us work on the
implementation of the Taif Accord to uphold and strengthen the national
coexistence pact through the national dialogue table which should be formed once
again in parallel to these developments, to complete the role for which it was
launched in the first place. Gentlemen, Imam Ali said that whoever is blessed by
God with many things, people will need him. If he does not use his blessings as
he should, they will disappear and vanish.
“Therefore, we should not waste our national role to the point where the people
would no longer need us and where the spirit of tribalism would start to
prevail, for this will divide us into conflicting emirates far away from the
spirit of democracy and the logic of the civil state. The Lebanese people will
not allow that and will not forgive us for it. In the end, I would like to
welcome you to this gathering and congratulate you on the arrival of this holy
month.”