LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
September 18/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint
Luke 7,31-35. Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What
are they like?They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one
another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge,
but you did not weep.' For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor
drinking wine, and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came
eating and drinking and you said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a
friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by all her
children."
Saint Silouan (1866-1938), Orthodox monk
Writings (copyright Archimandrite Sophrony [Sakharov])"Adam, where are you?":
answering the call of the Lord
My soul yearns after the Lord and I seek Him in
tears. How could I do other than seek Thee, for Thou first didst seek and find
me, and gavest me to delight in Thy Holy Spirit, and my soul fell to loving
Thee. Thou seest, O Lord, my grief and my tears. Hadst Thou not drawn me with
Thy love, I could not seek Thee as I seek Thee now; but Thy spirit gave me to
know Thee, and my soul rejoices that Thou art my God and my Lord, and I yearn
after Thee even to tears. The Spirit of Christ whom I had of the Lord desires
the salvation of all, that all should know God. The Lord gave the thief
Paradise. Thus will he give Paradise to every sinner. With my sins I am worse
than a noisome cur but I began to beseech God for forgiveness, and he granted me
not only forgiveness but also the Holy Spirit, and in the Holy Spirit I knew
God...My soul knows that the Lord is merciful but his mercy passes portrayal. He
is exceeding meek and lowly, and when the soul sees Him she is all transformed
into love for God and her neighbour, and becomes meek and lowly herself. But if
a man loses grace, he will weep like Adam cast out of Paradise... O Lord, grant
unto us the repentance of Adam, and Thy holy humility.
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Danger signs point to rough going for Lebanon's nascent dialogue-
The Daily Star 17/09/08
Egypt's repenting Islamists face a cold welcome-By
Hussam Tammam 17/09/08
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September
17/08
Geagea Ready for Reconciliation
with Franjieh-Naharnet
Franjieh Gives Ultimatum to Government on Bsarma Shooting Attack-Naharnet
MPs
Mouawad, Boulos for Speedy Probe into Bsarma Shooting-Naharnet
EU not eager to put Hezbollah on terror list, EU
official says-European Jewish Press
Hizbullah Accuses U.S.-Europe-Israel of Interfering in Dialogue-Naharnet
Thorny issues may be still uncertain process in
Lebanon after ...Xinhua
2 Killed, 3 Wounded in Clashes
between Lebanese Forces, Marada in Koura-Naharnet
Christian factions clash in north Lebanon, 2
dead-Reuters
Two killed in Lebanon in clashes over banner-AFP
Can't we all just get along?Los
Angeles Times
Nasrallah Insists on Broadening Participation in the National Dialogue-Naharnet
Washington: Dialogue a Step to Move Lebanon Beyond Divisions-Naharnet
PSP
Denies Jumblat had Dispatched Envoy to Iranian Embassy-Naharnet
Shatah: Public Sector to
Receive Pay Raise Sept. 25-Naharnet
Fatah Issues 24-Hour
Ultimatum to Saadi Killers-Naharnet
Spanish FM: Hizbullah Arms
an Internal Issue-Naharnet
Next Round of National
Dialogue Set for Nov. 5-Naharnet
Dialogue Launched,
Suleiman for Strategy Based on 'Our' Armed Forces, Resistance 'Capabilities,'
Diplomacy-Naharnet
Graduation of Third Class
of U.S.-Trained ISF Recruits-Naharnet
Fannas Fears he is
Becoming an Endangered Species-Naharnet
MP Franjieh: Dialogue
Conference the Last Chance to Pacify Lebanon-Naharnet
Wahab's Bodyguards Shoot
Citizen-Naharnet
Sniper Fire Targets
Taalabaya Mourners Sparking Clash-Naharnet
Clashes break out during funeral in Bekaa village-(AFP)
Sleiman bans failure at opening of dialogue-(AFP)
Israeli official urges UNIFIL to crack down on Hizbullah-Daily
Star
'Don't expect any solution' to emerge from national dialogue - analysts-Daily
Star
More ISF troops complete US training-Daily
Star
Moratinos: Israeli violations hamper implementation of 1701-Daily
Star
Shepherd killed in Western Bekaa-Daily
Star
LCP urges leaders to tackle sectarianism-Daily
Star
Youth NGO hosts Beirut's version of Hyde Park-Daily
Star
Somber procession marks anniversary of Sabra and Chatila massacre-Daily
Star
Assad: Syria will not cut its strategic ties with Iran-Jerusalem
Post
Shamseddine Rejects Weapons Targeting Citizens-Naharnet
Christian factions clash in north Lebanon, 2 dead
Tue Sep 16, 2008
TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) - Two people were killed and three were wounded in a
clash between supporters of rival Christian factions in north Lebanon overnight,
security sources said on Wednesday. The violence, the latest in a series of
deadly clashes in several areas of Lebanon in recent days, came hours after
rival Lebanese leaders held a first session of talks aimed at discussing
divisive issues and easing sectarian and political tensions.
The sources had little detail on how the firefight began in a village in the
northern Kora province, but they said it pitted supporters of the pro-Syrian
Marada party against followers of the anti-Syrian Lebanese Forces group. One
supporter of each group died in the exchanges, the sources said. Three people
were wounded.
Marada is allied to the powerful Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah while the
Lebanese Forces is part of a Western-backed alliance led by Sunni politician
Saad al-Hariri. The Lebanese security forces deployed in the area and conducted
contacts with officials from both sides to contain the situation, the sources
said.
Leaders of both camps met on Tuesday and agreed to step up reconciliation
efforts and to begin discussion on the divisive issue of Hezbollah weapons in a
second round of talks scheduled for November. The Hariri-led alliance wants
Hezbollah's military arm integrated into the Lebanese army. The Shi'ite group
and its allies say its weapons are needed to defend Lebanon against any "Israeli
threats". Hezbollah maintains a strong guerrilla army that fought a 34-day war
with Israel in 2006. It used some of its military muscle in May to rout
supporters of its opponents in Beirut.(Writing by Nadim Ladki; Editing by Catherine Evans)
2 Killed, 3 Wounded in Clashes
between Lebanese Forces, Marada in Koura
Naharnet/Two people were killed and three wounded in clashes that
broke out at dawn Wednesday between the Lebanese Forces and Marada Movement in
the town of Bsarma in the northern Lebanese province of Koura. Lebanese Forces
(LF) supporter Pierre Ishaq and Youssef Franjieh, head of Marada's Bsarma
office, were killed in the fight. LF sources said the clashes erupted when
supporters of Suleiman Franjieh's Marada Movement in Bsarma tore down banners
the LF had put up for a ceremony commemorating the LF Sept. 21. They said that
when LF members came back to replace the shredded banners they were "surprised
by an armed ambush that targeted them followed by heavy gunfire."Marada sources,
in return, accused the LF of assassinating Youssef Franjieh. They said Lebanese
Forces members provoked the fight with Youssef Franjieh when they tried to put
up banners near Marada's office in Bsarma. "This action was a deliberate
provocation aimed at dragging our members into a fight so the assassination of
official Youssef Franjieh could be carried out," one Marada source said. He said
that Pierre Ishaq was killed and three bodyguards of LF official Farid Habib
were wounded in self-defense. Meanwhile, press reports said security forces
raided the house of Syrian Social Nationalist Party member Ghassan Ghazi --
suspected of causing the Bsarma clashes – and arrested him. The force – made up
of police and army troops -- confiscated a collection of weapons from his house.
Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 08:30
Geagea Ready for Reconciliation with
Franjieh
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called
for banning weapons in north Lebanon and gatherings by partisans of all
political factions to avoid non-desired repercussions of the Bsarma shooting.
Geagea, addressing a press conference at his residence in Meerab, also said he
is ready for reconciliation with Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh
provided no other faction takes part in it to "avert political investment."
Geagea disclosed that Lebanese Forces partisans in Bsarma had lodged a complaint
with the police station in the city of Amioun at 11pm Tuesday against "threats."
He asked why Marada official Youssef Franjieh, who was killed in the shooting,
was dispatched from Bnishii to Bsarma although he is in charge of Franhieh's
security guards. The Bsarma shooting, according to Geagea, was not spontaneous
"it dates six months back and I had sent messages to Franjieh asking him to cool
down his people particularly in Bsarma to avoid trouble because they were
constantly attacking our flags and placards."Geagea, after calling for wisdom
and self-restraint, said the state of Lebanon should be the only authority that
protects its citizens. "The Lebanese Forces in the north and the rest of Lebanon
is protected first by God and the state of Lebanon."However, Geagea said: "If
the state ceased to exist we would find a way (to protect ourselves." The ban he
called for on gatherings by partisans of political factions does not include a
mass scheduled for Sunday in remembrance of Lebanese Forces "martyrs," Geagea
explained.
Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 19:07
Franjieh Gives Ultimatum to Government on Bsarma Shooting Attack
Naharnet/Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh on Wednesday gave an ultimatum
to the Lebanese government on the Bsarma shooting attack in north Lebanon. "I
give the government a 15-day to one-month ultimatum to reveal the truth behind
the shooting incident in Bsarma," Franjieh told a news conference.
His ultimatum came a few hours after two people were killed and three wounded in
clashes between the Lebanese Forces and Marada Movement in the town of Bsarma in
the northern province of Koura. Lebanese Forces (LF) supporter Pierre Ishaq and
Youssef Franjieh, head of Marada's Bsarma office, were killed in the fight.
Three other people were wounded. "What a coincidence that Youssef Franjieh was
killed in the shooting attack, only two months after he announced on OTV that he
had opened fire on Samir Geagea during the Ehden Massacre," the Marada leader
said. A statement by the Lebanese Forces, however, said the clashes erupted when
Marada members in Bsarma tore down banners the LF had put up. It said that when
LF members came back to replace the shredded banners they were "surprised by an
armed ambush that targeted them followed by heavy gunfire." Marada sources, in
return, accused the LF of assassinating Youssef Franjieh. They said Lebanese
Forces members provoked the fight with Youssef Franjieh when they tried to put
up banners near Marada's office in Bsarma.
"This action was a deliberate provocation aimed at dragging our members into a
fight so the assassination of official Youssef Franjieh could be carried out,"
one Marada source said. He said that Pierre Ishaq was killed and three
bodyguards of LF official and MP Farid Habib were wounded in self-defense.
While holding Habib "directly responsible" for the Bsarma attack, Franjieh held
the Lebanese Forces responsible for provoking the shooting incident.
"Let the judiciary then decide," he concluded. News reports said security forces
raided the house of Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) member Ghassan Ghazi
-- suspected of causing the Bsarma clashes – and arrested him. The said the
force – made up of police and army troops -- confiscated a collection of weapons
from his house.The SSNP, however, denied in a statement that Ghazi had been
arrested for this reason. The statement said Ghazi was detained against the
backdrop of a lawsuit filed by LF's Bsarma official accusing him of making
threats against him. Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 14:33
MPs Mouawad, Boulos for Speedy Probe into Bsarma Shooting
Naharnet/MP.Nayla Mouawad and Jawad Boulos on Wednesday expressed
"regret" for the Bsarma clash, saying violence had "destroyed our community and
weakened the Christian's mere existence." The two called in a joint statement
for exerting "relentless efforts to contain this accident and its
repercussions."
The statement noted that sparking trouble in the north "hurls us into the cycle
of violence … that spares nobody." "We urge the legal security forces,
especially the Lebanese Army, and the judiciary to speed up the investigation
into the Bsarma incident," the statement added. Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 18:20
Hizbullah Accuses U.S.-Europe-Israel of Interfering in
Dialogue
Naharnet/Hizbullah on Wednesday accused the United States, Europe
and Israel of trying to list a topic on the agenda of the Conference on National
Dialogue.
Hizbullah's international relations official Nawaf Moussawi made the charge in
an address to a Palestinian delegation from the Beirut refugee camps of Sabra
and Chatilla. "The Lebanese People would not allow the Americans, the European
governments and Israel to impose their own agenda on the national dialogue,"
Moussawi said. "Such an agenda has one item which is disarming the resistance
and Hizbullah," he added. Moussawi pledged: "This item would not be on the
dialogue agenda. The National Dialogue Conference would tackle how to build a
strong capable state that, along with its people and army, would confront
Israeli aggressions." Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 18:40
Nasrallah Insists on Broadening Participation in the
National Dialogue
Naharnet/Hizbullah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday
insisted on broadening the participation in the national dialogue.
Nasrallah made the remark during an iftar held by the Islamic Resistance Support
Association. "Some parties totally supported and were loyal to the resistance
during the (July) war, and we are loyal to them, that's why we insist to include
them in the dialogue…when everyone is present, we will be able to discuss all
controversial issues seriously and positively," Nasrallah said. Only 14 leaders
took part in the first session of the national dialogue sponsored by President
Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace. "We are serious about the dialogue… and we
respect all the participants," he stressed.
Nasrallah hailed Suleiman's speech during the opening session of the dialogue.
The president had called for the adoption of a defense strategy "based on our
armed forces and benefiting from the resistance capabilities." Nasrallah said
Hizbullah wants discussions to yield positive results and doesn't seek to
obstruct them.
He said those who demanded that Lebanon's sovereignty be preserved "should be
devoted to the resistance." The Hizbullah leader said Democratic Party official
Saleh Aridi's assassination aimed at "creating conflict between the resistance
and other parties because some have no interest in the agreement between the
Progressive Socialist Party and Hizbullah that was mediated by Youth and Sports
Minister Talal Arslan."Nasrallah accused some parties of seeking civil war in
Lebanon to "win the parliamentary elections." Beirut, 16 Sep 08, 21:53
Washington: Dialogue a Step to Move Lebanon Beyond
Divisions
Naharnet/The Bush administration has described the national
dialogue launched at Baabda Palace on Tuesday as an attempt to move Lebanon
forward and end political divisions. "Lebanon has started a national dialogue
and this is a Lebanese effort designed to move that country forward. It has had
longstanding political divisions," State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack
said Tuesday. "My understanding is this is an attempt to try to move the country
beyond those political divisions and in a more positive direction," he added.
The first session of dialogue brought together 14 leaders who agreed to try to
mend fences following a Qatari-brokered deal in May that put an end to the
country's 18-month political crisis. Asked about the controversial issue of
Hizbullah's arms, McCormack said: "There are Security Council resolutions that
govern the flow of arms into Lebanon, and we would expect all parties to abide"
by them.(AP photo shows Lebanese President Michel Suleiman laughing during the
opening session of the national dialogue) Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 08:32
PSP Denies Jumblat had Dispatched Envoy to Iranian Embassy
Naharnet/The Progressive Socialist Party on Wednesday denied that
Walid Jumblat had dispatched his special envoy to the Iranian embassy in Beirut.
"This report is fabricated," said the statement issued by the PSP."The party
practices its political role openly and transparently and not covertly under no
circumstances," the statement added. The daily As Safir said Jumblat on Tuesday
dispatched a senior aide to meet with Iranian ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed
Riza Shibani. Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 13:45
Shatah: Public Sector to Receive Pay Raise Sept. 25
Naharnet/Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah said public sector
employees will receive the LL 200,000 pay raise on September 25. The Cabinet
last week approved a proposal to raise the monthly salary by LL 200,000
retroactive to May 2008. The Cabinet also announced a 67 percent raise in the
minimum monthly wage to LL 500,000 (333 dollars, 234 euros), retroactive to
April. Beirut, 17 Sep 08, 10:19
Fatah Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum to Saadi Killers
Naharnet/The daughter of Jund al-Sham member Imad Kroum was
slightly wounded when a hand grenade was tossed overnight at the house of her
father in the southern refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh. The explosion increased
tension in the camp. It came after Fatah's Ain al-Hilweh military commander Col.
Abdul Hamid Issa issued a 24-hour ultimatum to hand over the killers of Mohammed
al-Saadi to Lebanese authorities. Issa said he gave the camp's Follow-Up
Committee the names of three suspects believed to have killed al-Saadi. "Either
they hand themselves in to the Lebanese government or they will be subjected to
the risk of being killed," Issa warned. Saadi was killed in clashes between the
mainstream Fatah faction and Jund al-Sham in Ain al-Hilweh on Monday. Beirut, 17
Sep 08, 11:11
Next Round of National Dialogue Set for Nov. 5
Naharnet/A statement from President Michel Suleiman's office at
the end of the three-hour dialogue launched at Baabda Palace on Tuesday said the
next session will be held November 5. The statement said the president would
meanwhile mediate bilateral talks to "consolidate the reconciliation." "Agreeing
to dialogue means that all subjects are open to discussion," said Suleiman, who
chaired the talks. "The only thing banned here is failure or reaching a
dead-end." The main focus of the dialogue is trying to forge a defense strategy
for Lebanon. The statement by the president's office said the 14 leaders
participating in the talks agreed to "launch dialogue on a national defense
strategy ... to reach a shared vision on this strategy." Hizbullah has been
vying to broaden participation in the dialogue to include more of its allies,
but has faced harsh opposition. "We are serious about dialogue," Hizbullah chief
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech Tuesday evening. "But we
demand broadening the dialogue table," Nasrallah said. Nasrallah, who does not
attend the talks for security reasons, was represented at the dialogue by head
of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc Mohammed Raad. Beirut, 17
Sep 08, 09:50
MP Franjieh: Dialogue Conference the Last Chance to Pacify
Lebanon
Naharnet/MP Samir Franjieh said the Conference on National
Dialogue launched at the Baabda Palace on Tuesday could be the "last chance" to
pacify and protect Lebanon against regional threats. Franjieh made the remark in
a radio interview as President Michel Suleiman launched the dialogue, in which
14 leaders took part in addition to Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
Franjieh said he expects the first round of dialogue to produce "at least a
clear agenda" of topics to be tackled in future meetings that are expected to be
held after the Fitr holiday. He praised a reconciliation meeting held on Monday
between representatives of the Progressive Socialist Party and Hizbullah, saying
it helps in decreasing tension. Beirut, 16 Sep 08, 15:00
Sniper Fire Targets Taalabaya Mourners Sparking Clash
Naharnet/Clashes raged in the Bekaa Valley town of Taalabaya on
Tuesday between mourners and unidentified gunmen who opened fire from hills
overlooking the area targeting a funeral procession. The clashes blocked traffic
for nearly one hour along the highway that links Taalabaya to adjacent Saadnayel.
Angry mourners were trying to burry Abdullah Mohieddine Adewi, when they came
under fire from hilltop positions to the east. Adewi was killed when assailants
from the Abu Hamdan clan, opened fire at a group of young men leaving a sidewalk
café which also wounded four people overnight Monday. Taalabaya residents
responded to the sources of fire and went into a brief confrontation with army
units deployed in the region. Beirut, 16 Sep 08, 14:28
LEBANON: Can't we all just get along?
The Los Angeles Time/It's kiss-and-make-up time in Lebanon. After
clashes in May brought the country to the brink of a civil war, everyone's
reconciling.
One of Lebanon’s staunchest U.S. allies, Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt,
sent representatives to meet with leaders of the Iranian-backed Shiite militant
group Hezbollah on Monday. The aim was to make amends after fighting between the
two groups left dozens dead.
Following the come-together, Hezbollah-allied labor minister Mohammad Fneish
told reporters:
“The meeting marks the beginning of a new era and aims to facilitate the
dialogue atmosphere… There will be further meetings, but this does not mean that
we reached agreement on all controversial issues."
Kissing and making up with Hezbollah doesn't mean Jumblatt’s throwing his lot in
with the pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian side of Lebaon's political divide (as he did
during much of the 1980s and 1990s). His party leaders stressed that they would
not drift away from the Western-backed coalition facing off against Hezbollah.
Jumblat’s rep, state minister Wael About Faour, said after the meeting:
We maintain that dialogue is the best way to solve all political disputes… We
disagree with Hezbollah over some points and agree over others. And this meeting
does not mean we are walking out on our allies... This meeting happened in total
coordination with our allies.
The reconciliation meeting took place as Sunni leader Saad Hariri toured various
Lebanese towns, pushing for an easing of sectarian tensions between Shiites and
Sunnis, even as his Future Television channel continues to pump out sectarian
hate messages.
The big reunion that the Lebanese still await: one between Hariri and
Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was close to Hariri's slain father,
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Although Lebanese leaders signed an agreement in the Persian Gulf country of
Qatar in May, tensions linger. Security in the country remains shaky. A car bomb
last week killed a member of a pro-Hezbollah Druze party.
The assassinated figure, Saleh Aridi, was reportedly a key figure in mediations
between Jumblatt and Hezbollah over the last months. Looks like not everyone
supports the current love-in.
aimed at resolving the country's long-standing difficulties. Credit:
DALATI NOHRA / European Pressphoto Agency
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Sleiman bans failure at opening of dialogue
Participants agree to produce shared vision on defense strategy
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BEIRUT: Lebanon's rival factions launched national reconciliation talks on
Tuesday to resolve lingering disputes after a crisis that brought the nation to
the brink of civil war, with the thorny issue of Hizbullah's weapons topping the
agenda. The talks brought together 14 political figures from the country's rival
camps who agreed to try to mend fences following a Qatari-brokered deal in May
that put an end to a damaging 18-month political crisis.
"Agreeing to dialogue in and of itself means that all subjects are open to
discussion," said President Michel Sleiman, who chaired the talks. "The only
thing banned here is failure or a reaching a dead-end." A statement from
Sleiman's office released after a three-hour meeting said the next session will
be held on November 5, adding that the president would mediate bilateral talks
in the meantime to "consolidate the reconciliation"
Sleiman will be heading to the United States to meet US President George W. Bush
on September 25. Sleiman is also expected to visit Tehran after his trip to
Washington. The main focus of the dialogue is on forging a defense strategy for
Lebanon but there is widespread skepticism that an agreement can be reached.
The participants agreed to "launch talks on a national defense strategy ... to
reach a shared vision on this strategy," the statement said.
They also agreed on "putting an end to all security tensions and enhancing the
ongoing reconciliation efforts in different areas in Lebanon," the six-point
statement added. Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri, who took part in the
talks, had launched reconciliation initiatives in Tripoli and the Bekaa. His
efforts in the North led to the signature of a reconciliation agreement, also
known as the Tripoli Document.
Delegations from Hizbullah and the Progressive Socialist Party also held a
reconciliation meeting on Monday. But there have been heightened security
concerns in the country following the killing last week of a pro-Syrian
politician in a car bombing and a number of violent incidents. Six makeshift
bombs exploded early on Monday in a mixed Sunni-Shiite area of southern Beirut
and two similar bombs were defused by the Lebanese Army near a church north of
the capital. The dialogue participants also agreed to "stay away from all forms
of political incitement through the media."
The participants also reiterated their commitment to issues that were agreed on
in earlier dialogue sessions. The dialogue follows on from a 2006 initiative in
which the same 14 factions held several round-table meetings in a bid to forge
political unity. Hizbullah refuses to disarm, arguing that its weapons and
resistance army are essential to defend the country against Israel. But members
of the March 14 Forces argue that Hizbullah's weapons undermine the authority of
the state which should be the sole decision-maker on matters of defense. In his
opening address at the beginning of the talks, Sleiman told the 14 participants
that Israel was still the main foreign threat facing Lebanon.
"Our defense strategy should be based on our armed forces and should benefit
from the capabilities of the resistance," Sleiman said. "Such strategy should
benefit from all our points of strengths without ignoring diplomacy," he added.
Besides Sleiman, participants in the session were Arab League chief Amr Moussa,
Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Free Patriotic Movement
leader Michel Aoun, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, Loyalty
to the Resistance MP Mohammad Raad (representing Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah), Hariri, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, former President Amin
Gemayel, ministers Mohammad Safadi and Elias Skaff, and MPs Michel Murr, Butros
Harb, Ghassan Tueni, and Hagop Pakradounian.
Addressing the dialogue's closed session, Moussa praised Sleiman's call for
national dialogue and said he hoped Lebanon would succeed in overcoming is
problems. A senior Hizbullah source on Tuesday praised Sleiman's opening
statement at the dialogue session, saying that "Hizbullah adopts every single
word in the president's address." - AFP, with The Daily Star
Nasrallah urges broader participation in talks
BEIRUT:Daily Star/ Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
called on Tuesday for increasing the number of participants in Lebanon's
national dialogue, which kicked off on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace under
the auspices of President Michel Sleiman. Nasrallah said that other parties in
the opposition had the right to sit at the table and discuss Lebanon's defense
strategy. "The parties which stood by the resistance in the summer war of 2006
and contributed to Lebanon's victory deserve to take part in the dialogue," he
said. "This move will not obstruct the dialogue ... on the contrary, it will
help it succeed," he added.
Addressing an iftar banquet in Beirut, Nasrallah praised Sleiman's opening
statement at Tuesday's dialogue session, as well as the final statement that was
released after the meeting. The Hizbullah chief also highlighted one item in the
six-point final statement, namely the issue of stopping all forms of political
incitement through the media. "We stress that the media issue is extremely
important if we want to ease tension in the country," he said.
"All parties vowed to end such incitement in Doha last May, but some of the
pro-March 14 media has not yet committed to the agreement made in Doha," he
added. Nasrallah said he wished he had been able to attend Tuesday's dialogue
session, explaining that security concerns prevented him for participating in
the talks.
The Hizbullah leader vowed "to make every effort to make the state capable of
protecting all its citizens."Speaking about the May clashes between
pro-government and opposition forces, Nasrallah said that what "some opposition
parties have done in May has helped in avoiding endless sectarian strife in the
country."
He also praised the "success of Hizbullah's war strategies," and quoted a
ranking US military official as saying that Washington was considering building
up the Georgian army on the model of Hizbullah. "The Americans want to copy our
model in order to enable the Georgians to fight the strong Russian Army." -
Hussein Abdallah
Lebanese banks'immune' to worldwide crisis?
Industry players credit central bank for laying down the law on risky
instruments
By Osama Habib -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BEIRUT: Low investments in the American market, abundant liquidity and tough
Central Bank regulations have allowed Lebanese banks and financial institutions
to remain immune to the fallout of the global financial crisis, leading bankers
and investors said on Tuesday. Local bankers interviewed by The Daily Star all
expressed confidence that Lebanon's financial sector would continue to grow and
prosper both locally and regionally despite the troubles in the US and European
markets.
All of these bankers gave credit to the conservative lending policies of most
banks and to the tough regulations of the Central Bank - which literally
prohibits institutions from making any investments in US subprime papers. "We
simply don't have any subprime paper in the US," said Makram Sader, the
secretary general of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL). "What is more
important is that Lebanese banks are very liquid and most of this cash is in
foreign currencies," Sader said. Nearly 50 percent of bank assets in Lebanon are
in cash, a ratio is considered very high by international standards, according
to the Central Bank.
Governor Riad Salameh recently instructed Lebanese banks to finance only 60
percent of any real estate loan while the rest of the money should be paid up
front by the investors. This step was adopted to avoid any subprime real estate
crisis similar to the one which took place in the US.
"We can't take unforeseen risks with the deposits of our customers and for this
reason we study carefully any big loan proposal," Sader said.
He added that because Lebanon does not have a last resort such as oil, local
banks prefer to keep large amounts of cash to weather any crisis.
"The Gulf countries peg their currencies to the US dollar and use their massive
oil reserves as a last resort. But in Lebanon we do not have such minerals and
for this reason we count on prudent lending policies," he said. He added that in
the Gulf banks invest nearly 90 percent of the depositors' money while in
Lebanon the banks only use 50 percent of the deposits to make any investments.
Citing an example, Sader said that total retail bank lending, including housing,
car and personal loans, does not exceed $5.6 billion. He added that 40 percent
of the retail lending goes to housing.
"According to the calculations of the ABL, total housing loans are close to $1.7
billion and this covers 36,000 clients," Sader said.
Francois Bassil, the chairman of the ABL and the president of Byblos Bank, told
reporters after meeting Finance Minister Mohammad Shatah on Tuesday that local
banks ask any investor seeking a loan for a real estate project to provide
collateral worth twice the amount of the desired loan. Jean Riachi, the chairman
of FFA Private Bank, told The Daily Star that Salameh prohibits any financial
institution and banks to make investments in risky instruments.
"What history has proved is that even the biggest banks around the world have
made wrong assumptions despite their high rankings among some rating agencies,"
Riachi said. He added that some of the banks which suffered setbacks in the
recent crisis used to preach the Lebanese banks about prudent lending and
investment policies. "Now this attitude is no longer acceptable by the Lebanese
banks. This is not a question of the banks being big or small because what
matters now is the leverage ratio [i.e. solvency ratio] of the banks," Riachi
said. He added that many Lebanese banks and private banks have much better
leverage ratios than banks with billions of dollars in capital. "Now the
investors feel more confident in the Lebanese banking system and this will
probably pay off in the long run," Riachi said.
Other bankers stressed that the biggest challenge still facing the local banks
is the public debt, currently worth more than $45 billion. But most believe that
this issue could be resolved if the government implemented fiscal reforms and
speeded up the privatization of the telecom sector.
Clashes break out during funeral in Bekaa village
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BEIRUT: Clashes erupted in the Bekaa Valley town of Taalabaya on Tuesday between
mourners and unidentified gunmen who opened fire from hills overlooking a
funeral procession for the victim of an earlier shooting incident. The clashes
blocked traffic for nearly one hour along the highway that links Taalabaya to
adjacent Saadnayel. The mourners came under fire from hilltop positions as they
were trying to bury the victim of a shooting incident on Monday night in the
mixed village in the Bekaa Valley. "Abdallah al-Adawi was seriously injured by a
bullet to the head when somebody fired on him from a car that was passing him as
he crossed the road with a group in the village of Taalbaya," a security report
said on Tuesday. He later died of his injuries, the report said, adding that two
others were wounded.
According to LBC television, Taalabaya mourners responded to the sources of fire
on Tuesday and entered into a brief confrontation with army units deployed in
the area.The attack came as rival political figures met on Tuesday for national
reconciliation talks.
Eddawi was a member of the Future Movement headed by parliamentary majority
leader MP Saad Hariri. In June, three people died in clashes between supporters
of Hizbullah and the Future Movement in Taalbaya and the neighboring village of
Saadnayel, which both have mixed Sunni and Shiite communities.
Overnight on Sunday, six makeshift bombs exploded in the Corniche al-Mazraa
neighborhood, a mixed Sunni-Shiite area of southern Beirut, causing damage but
no casualties. On Tuesday a security report said a surveillance camera had
recorded shots of the car from which bombs were hurled into Corniche al-Mazraa.
Security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the tape also
includes footage of a biker "wandering suspiciously in the area."
The camera, according to the sources, is owned by one of the shops that was
targeted Monday by a bomb explosion. Police investigators are launching a hunt
both for the biker and a white BMW vehicle seen in the footage, they added. -
AFP and Naharnet, with The Daily Star
Israeli official urges UNIFIL to crack down on Hizbullah
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The secretary general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Aharon Abramowitz, called
on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to do more to stop
Hizbullah from ignoring UN Resolution 1701, Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post
reported on Tuesday. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which put an end to
the summer 2006 war stipulates that no armed activity should take place south of
the Litani River.
Abramowitz addressed the issue of Hizbullah activities in South Lebanon when he
met with UNIFIL's commander, general Claudio Graziano. He called on Graziano to
stop Hizbullah from repairing its infrastructure near Israel's border and he
asked UNIFIL to submit more extensive reports. "Graziano told Abramowitz that
his forces were making every effort to prevent violations of Resolution 1701,"
the Israeli daily said.
Meanwhile, Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted a senior officer in the Israeli
military as saying on Tuesday that Hizbullah has made downing an Israeli
aircraft flying over Lebanon one of its top priorities. Brigadier General Yossi
Baidatz, the head of Military Intelligence's research division, told the Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hizbullah considers hitting an
Israeli aircraft violating Lebanese airspace politically acceptable by all of
the country's sects. - The Daily Star
'Don't expect any solution' to
emerge from national dialogue - analysts
Talks may succeed in calming tensions but are unlikely to produce change
By Michael Bluhm -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BEIRUT: Lebanon's feuding political camps will almost certainly not resolve the
nation's most vexing issues during the national dialogue process launched on
Tuesday, but the talks might at least calm the fragile security situation until
parliamentary elections slated for next year or the shakeout of the regional
US-Iranian standoff, a number of analysts told The Daily Star on Tuesday.
March 14 politicians have wanted the conference to focus exclusively on a
national defense strategy, as a way to fold the arms of March 8 leader Hizbullah
under the aegis of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), and President Michel Sleiman
called in his speech opening the dialogue for adopting a strategy intertwining
the LAF and Hizbullah. However, the prospects for the US- and Saudi-backed March
14 camp to agree with the Syrian-backed March 8 alliance on such a strategy are
"nil," said retired General Elias Hanna, who teaches political science.
Hizbullah proved itself to be Lebanon's strongest group militarily during May's
civil strife, so it has no incentive to open the assets of its organization to
the LAF, Hanna added.
"Hizbullah has its own military agenda," he said. A defense strategy "means you
should put in a certain mechanism to share Hizbullah intelligence, as well as
arms. Is Hizbullah ready to share all of this now? Why should it do it now?"
Hizbullah has grown so powerful that provisions in UN Security Council
resolutions 1559 and 1701 for disarming the group cannot be broached at the
talks, a reality acknowledged by parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri on
Monday. The Cabinet granted Hizbullah's military wing further legitimacy with
its August program statement, which explicitly mentions the resistance as part
of the nation's defense strategy, Hanna said. The dynamic of Hizbullah's
position represents a situation without historical precedent here, requiring an
inventive approach, but Lebanon's political elite are incapable of producing an
innovative solution, he added.
"You have to create something for Hizbullah," Hanna said. "You cannot disarm
Hizbullah. You cannot implement [Resolution] 1701. You have bypassed 1701 and
given the resistance certain cover" with the program statement.
While decisions to make war or peace should ideally rest with state
institutions, the issue has become so politicized that it obscures the fact that
Lebanon has more frequently been the victim of its neighbors' aggression than
the aggressor, said Shafik Masri, professor of international law. Against that
backdrop, Hizbullah can easily turn the debate to the right to defend, and March
14 cannot present a better alternative to defend against an Israeli assault than
with the military prowess of Hizbullah, Masri added.
"Lebanon is always in a defensive position," Masri said. "It is not a question
of declaring war, it's a question of defense. When it comes to defense, no one
can say, 'Do not do anything.' Here I expect the Hizbullah attitude will be
this: OK, you want us to remain under the patronage of the army - tell us what
we can do if there will be an Israeli attack tomorrow."
Because of that logic, Masri said he doubted any defense strategy would emerge
from the dialogue. However, his skepticism "does not mean that strategy will
never be achieved - but in this meeting, of course not. If we are lucky, we can
reach the broad outlines."
While March 14 politicians have concentrated on defense, some March 8 figures
have said they want to add other items to the dialogue's agenda, which March 14
representatives have rejected. Beyond the intractability of the defense issue,
the two sides also appear to have diverging views on why they are coming to the
negotiating table, said Timur Goksel, former senior adviser to the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon and a professor of international relations.
"Everybody has a different idea of what the subject matter is," Goksel said.
"Don't expect any solution."
Despite March 14 opposition to expanding the agenda, the scope of the dialogue
should not be limited to Hizbullah's role, said Oussama Safa, executive director
of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. Lebanese people have more real and
immediate security concerns than a national defense strategy, as deadly violence
in the Bekaa on Tuesday and the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp on Monday
underscored, Safa added. In addition, residents of Beirut are still awaiting
Sunni-Shiite reconciliation after May's clashes, he said.
Lebanese citizens are plagued by many security issues of vital importance, "and
the defense strategy is not one of them," Safa said.
"If the defense strategy is the only item, it would be a big mistake," he added.
"The dialogue has to include other issues. These meetings should open the
process for the dialogue."At the same time, the dialogue process should not come
at the expense of state authorities, which the Constitution gives exclusive
rights to decide on certain policy matters, Safa said.
"I wouldn't want the dialogue ... to replace the work of institutions," he
added. "This should be for extra-institutional issues." "The dialogue is a
long-overdue process," he said. "It should be an opportunity for a true,
home-grown Lebanese reconciliation process. It's been a long time that people
haven't seen their leaders getting together."On top of security matters, the
squabbling factions should also use the dialogue mechanism to agree on how to
keep under control the dangers inherent in the coming campaign for the pivotal
general elections scheduled for next May, Safa said. While politicians will
undoubtedly spin the outcome of the talks for gain in the already rolling
campaign, the ongoing conciliatory atmosphere of the dialogue alone should help
to reduce security tensions, Goksel said.
"National dialogue is a good conflict-management technique," he said. "I'm not
minimizing the fact that they are getting together. It's going to help cool down
the temperature in the country."Absent any deal on defense strategy, the main
benefit of the national dialogue might well be in promoting a more peaceful mood
in the country in the run-up to the poll, as well as before the climax of the
regional showdown between the US and its allies against Iran and its partners,
Masri said. The US and Israel will soon see changes in their political leaders,
while Israel continues indirect talks with Syria and the West is locked with
Iran in a standoff over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
"The mere meeting of the different political parties [in Lebanon] is in itself
helpful," Masri said. "We are fully convinced that the Lebanese arena will never
be in a calm situation in this chaotic regional situation. "The best we can
reach here, pragmatically, is to have that kind of a dialogue which will calm
down the internal front. This intention will not lead to reconciliation, I'm
sure, but if it will lead to gaining time pending the results of the regional
arena, it will be good."
More ISF troops complete US training
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Daily Star/BEIRUT: The US Embassy in Lebanon on Tuesday announced that the third
class of 167 Internal Security Forces (ISF) police recruits graduated from a
US-funded police training program. US Ambassador Michele Sison presented the
cadets with their completion of training certificates and "encouraged them to
share their newly acquired knowledge with their colleagues," the embassy said in
a statement. The embassy added that the ISF cadets were trained in a 10-week
program that "focused on the latest policing and law enforcement skills and the
application of these skills to specific situations." "The curriculum includes
modern police practices, understanding democratic policing and human rights,
criminal investigation procedures and other essential law enforcement skills,"
it said. "All Lebanese will see the benefits of your enhanced training at
traffic checkpoints and at intersections throughout the country," Sison said,
according to the statement.
Moratinos: Israeli violations hamper implementation of 1701
Hizbullah's weapons 'an internal issue' for Lebanese
By Mohammed Zaatari and Elias Sakr -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BLAT/BEIRUT: Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said on Tuesday
that United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 has not yet been
implemented, citing Israel's daily violations of Lebanese airspace. Speaking
during a news conference at the base of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL)
Spanish contingent in the Southern village of Blat, Moratinos said the matter of
Hizbullah's weapons "is an internal issue."
"It should be discussed during dialogue talks," he added. Moratinos also hailed
the efforts exerted by peacekeepers to preserve security and stability in South
Lebanon. Spanish peacekeeping troops came under attack after the UNIFIL's
mandate was beefed up in the aftermath the summer 2006 war. The blast near the
Israeli border on June 24, 2007, killed three Spaniards and three Colombians,
all six operating as part of the Spanish contingent.
Moratinos said following a meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora that
intensive efforts to complete the peace process in the Middle East were
"progressing positively" with the Palestinians as well as the Syrians engaging
in negotiations with Israel. Moratinos also expressed his country's wish to
promote the role of UNIFIL in preserving peace and implementing UN Resolution
1701. He added that he considers efforts to reinforce unity and the sovereignty
of the Lebanese state encouraging. Moratinos also played down the possibility of
an new Israeli war against Lebanon.
The minister had told As-Safir newspaper in remarks published Monday that
Lebanese political leaders must come up with their own solutions to their
problems.
"The Lebanese should change things from the inside and not wait for solutions
from the outside," he added. He also urged the Lebanese state to put together a
negotiation strategy with Israel similar to Syria's. Regarding Syrian-Lebanese
relations, Moratinos described the two countries' efforts to establish official
diplomatic ties as "constructive."Moratinos met with Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri in Ain al-Tineh shortly after the end of the first dialogue session
between rival Lebanese political factions on Tuesday. Moratinos stressed after
his talks with Berri that the start of national dialogue is "promising and
positive."
He added that a "good" Lebanese-Syrian relationship would be "reciprocally
beneficial" to both states.
Moratinos delivered to Berri an invitation to visit Spain. The Spanish foreign
minister, who concluded his visit to Lebanon by meeting with President Michel
Sleiman, said he was "comfortable" with Sleiman's latest visit to Syria. "The
Lebanese-Syrian relationship is getting back on the right track following the
visit," he added.
Moratinos also stressed the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their
homeland and said he supported the liberation of the occupied Shebaa Farms and
the village of Ghajar. Moratinos also delivered to Sleiman an invitation from
Spanish King Juan Carlos to visit Spain.
Shepherd killed in Western Bekaa
By Mohammed Zaatari -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
JEZZINE: A shepherd, Mohammad Ammar, and his son, Ali, 22, from the town of
Mashghara in the Western Bekaa, were shot in the southern town of Jezzine on
Monday by a 26-year old man, identified as "Mike H.," with a hunting rifle,
leaving Ali dead and Mohammad wounded. The Ammars worked on the land of the
Saydet Machmoucheh Convent and were crossing the forest between the villages of
Sabbah and Machmoucheh with their sheep at noon when they were shot. Mike H.,
who is from the area, reportedly blocked their way and shot and killed Ali, who
was standing behind the flock. The assailant then headed toward Mohammad, and
fired at him, wounding him in his legs. Security forces arrested Mike H. and
opened an investigation into the case. Mike H. pleaded guilty and said that he
had warned the shepherds earlier not to cross his land with their sheep, "but
they had disobeyed" him.
LCP urges leaders to tackle sectarianism
Daily Star staff-Wednesday, September 17, 2008
BEIRUT: The Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) said on Tuesday that Lebanon's
political system was plagued by sectarianism, which fuels divisions and allows
for foreign interference. "National dialogue sessions should first address
sectarianism in Lebanon," an LCP statement said. The party said that changes
needed to be made to the selection of participants in the dialogue. The LCP also
called for discussion of how best to strengthen Lebanon against Israeli threats.
The party said that the national dialogue talks should free the political system
of sectarianism, focus on building a state on the basis of the rule of law and
equality, create a modern democratic state free of corruption and develop a
strong national economy that limits emigration, high prices and debts. The party
added that "Israeli adventures" would fail, and that the "American project" had
to be confronted. - The Daily Star
Danger signs point to rough going for Lebanon's nascent
dialogue
By The Daily Star -Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Editorial
Reasonable people are entitled to reasonable expectations about the national
dialogue that officially began - and promptly adjourned for seven weeks - at
Lebanon's Presidential Palace on Tuesday. In order for such judgments to be
formed, however, it is crucial that all the players involved - both Lebanese and
not - recognize what have been some very worrying signs of late. And in order
for them to increase the odds of success in the negotiations, it is also
important that steps be taken to prevent the country's parlous security
situation from undermining the dialogue.
The need for wariness comes not from a single incident but from several. A key
figure in the reconciliation process was assassinated in Aley last week, a
series of blasts shook the Beirut neighborhood of Corniche al-Mazraa in the
early hours of Monday morning, and Tuesday saw the Lebanese Army drawn into
pitched battles with residents of a mixed Sunni-Shia village in the Bekaa
Valley. Coincidence? Perhaps, but there is also a very strong possibility that
some or even all of the parties that have joined the dialogue (and/or their
foreign sponsors) are simultaneously working to undermine it.
For those who are sincere in the desire to help the Lebanese sort out their
internal problems, these and other security breaches that have plagued Lebanon
despite May's Doha Accord should be viewed as warning signals. This country has
been used repeatedly as a battleground by regional actors, and its political
parties are sickeningly receptive to the demands of foreign powers. No one
should be surprised if old habits are proving difficult to break.
Some outsiders have tried a very different tack this time: Individuals like
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Arab League Secretary General
Amr Moussa, for example, have invested both their time and their credibility in
a Lebanese reconciliation. Turkey's government has come to the fore as a force
for tension reduction in the broader Middle East, but especially between Israel
and Syria, two countries with long histories of meddling in Lebanon. Then there
is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose members risk their lives
every day to keep the peace in the South. Each of the above has a vested
interest in supporting the reconciliation process, but also in being aware of -
and working to defend against - potential threats to the process.