LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

Bible Quotation for today/Do to others whatever you would have them do to you
Matthew 7:6.12-14. Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.

Report: Suleiman to Back Any Govt. Line-up that Enjoys Support of Parliamentary Majority
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman is leaning towards advocating the formation of a 24-member government that distributes portfolios equally between the March 8, March 14, and centrist camps, reported the daily An Nahar on Friday. His visitors quoted him as saying that he will endorse any cabinet line-up that enjoys the support of the majority of lawmakers. “The lack of this support will only complicate the political situation in Lebanon, especially at the beginning of the summer season that the president is hoping would be promising,” they added. “A government dispute will only negatively affect the situation in the country,” they noted. Efforts will now focus on garnering the support of the majority of lawmakers over the 24-minister government, they revealed. Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam is seeking the formation of a cabinet of national interests that can supervise the parliamentary elections that are scheduled for June 16. The March 8 camp has been demanding the formation of a political cabinet, while the March 14 alliance is seeking one whose ministers will not run in the elections.
Salam's latest efforts to form the government were met with the March 8 camp's insistence to obtain veto power, which he rejected by explaining such a cabinet will be unproductive.

Suleiman Warns of Extending Parliament's Mandate, Calls for Exerting Efforts for Consensus
Naharnet /President Michel Suleiman warned on Friday of extending the tenure of the parliament, calling on MPs to exert efforts to reach consensus over a new electoral law. “Stepping over the people's will to select their representatives, which was stated in the law and based on democracy” is a red line, Suleiman told his visitors. He pointed out that the extension of the parliaments term may have negative repercussions on Lebanon's reputation, economy and the trust granted to it by foreign counties. “Constitutional deadlines were created to be respected,” Suleiman added. He called on lawmakers to exert efforts to reach consensus over a new electoral law instead of “wasting chances” on political bickering. Consultations are ongoing among the Lebanese foes to reach an agreement on a new electoral law that would govern the upcoming parliamentary elections despite media reports saying that the foes are already discussing the possibility of extending the parliament's tenure. Speaker Nabih Berri postponed a parliamentary session on May 15 to allow more consultations over the matter. The parliament's electoral subcommittee held a meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday and is set to hold another session in the afternoon to discuss the hybrid proposals. On Thursday, the Speaker scheduled another parliamentary session for Saturday, which is set to be decisive on whether to extent the parliament's tenure of hold the polls.

March 8 Awaiting LF, Mustaqbal's Replies on Hybrid Draft, Berri Says Won't Call for Parliament Session without Consensus
Naharnet /Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned the meeting of the parliamentary electoral subcommittee to 12:00 p.m. on Friday, awaiting the feedback of the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal bloc regarding the remarks raised by the March 8 camp over the hybrid electoral law. Berri stressed after the afternoon meeting that he does not favor the extension of the parliament's term, “not even for one single day.”"Extension after May 31 requires an extraordinary parliamentary session,” he noted. MTV reported that Berri told Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam that he would have to form a “broad cabinet that gathers everyone if elections were postponed.”
The speaker also announced that he will not call for a plenary parliamentary session if no consensus over an electoral law was reached."Either we agree on an electoral law or we agree on extension, or else we'll definitely go to elections under the 1960 law,” he said during Friday afternoon's discussions. “I have always said I will go with consensus,” he pointed out. On Thursday, the Speaker scheduled a parliamentary session for Saturday, which is set to be decisive on whether to extend the parliament's tenure or hold the polls. MTV explained adjourning the parliamentary subcommittee's session, saying that the lawmakers of the March 8 coalition are waiting for answers from LF MP George Adwan and al-Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat on the draft under discussion. Berri said the draft is “not based on any unified standards.”
The same source added, however, that March 8's most important remarks are related to the “districts of Beirut and the need to follow the same standards in all electorates.”
Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told reporters after leaving the parliamentary subcommittee's meeting: “Everyone is seeking a consensual formula over the hybrid law and no one has discussed the option or idea of extension until now.” The parliament's electoral subcommittee resumed talks at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the hybrid proposals.
Speaking after the meeting, Mustaqbal bloc MP Ahmed Fatfat said: "We categorically reject the 1960 law and reject that elections be held under it and we believe that only the hybrid law can pull the country out of the current dilemma." "We will carry on with defending the hybrid law as a long-term law that paves the ground for national ties and proper representation and we don't mind discussing any amendments," he added.He stressed that Mustaqbal will only accept the extension of parliament's term "if it is a technical extension for a very short period that does not exceed five months." Fatfat noted that the Phalange Party "did not raise the issue of dividing Beirut, but rather the South and the North, and we agreed to that but we received a strict answer that the South will not be divided." "Speaker Berri has pledged that political balance will always be preserved and we consider this an achievement," added Fatfat. He stressed that Mustaqbal and the Lebanese Forces are "in continuous and full contact with the Phalange Party," adding that "we consider ourselves to be one team."For his part, LF bloc MP George Adwan said he urged Berri to "hold a session for endorsing consensus."
"We cannot allow a return to the war era by extending parliament's mandate and we cannot return to the 1960 law," said MP Sami Gemayel in the name of the Phalange Party after the meeting. "Everyone is exerting efforts to reach the desired solution," Gemayel added. "We said in the meeting that we cannot have a law that contains a selective approach and we cannot consider that certain electorates cannot be modified because such an approach cannot lead to an electoral law," he said. Gemayel underlined that no party must take their own interests into consideration while seeking an electoral law, "but must rather follow a unified standard that applies to everyone regardless of the final result." "We have to put objective standards instead of deciding who will win in advance or deciding who will the 128 MPs be," Gemayel noted, adding that "everyone must show positivity in order to achieve proper representation for everyone."
He called for holding a plenary session and putting all laws to a vote. Meanwhile, Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad said: "We would have prefered if Berri's formula was discussed further.""The hybrid law is the most bizarre law I have ever witnessed, it lacks consistency and it is extremely selective. MPs would be elected according to the winner-takes-all system in places where March 14 is strong and according to proportional representation in electorates where March 14 is weak," Fayyad charged."We gave the proposal a chance despite all the aforementioned remarks and we tried to introduce some essential amendments, but only a few amendments were accepted and the largest part of amendments has not been approved until the moment," he added.
He explained that Sidon, Bsharri and Batroun were excluded from the proportional representation system in the proposal of Mustaqbal and the LF.
"We suggested that one of the two MPs be elected under proportional representation but we have not reached a result. However, we will not spare any effort aimed at moving forward and we hope there will be a consensual proposal for all the Lebanese," Fayyad added.
"We realize the gravity of the situation and we urge everyone to rise above any sensitivities that might impede reaching an agreement. We will maintain our contacts in a bid to reach consensus and we're in a state of permanent communication with our allies," the lawmaker said. He called for avoiding political vacuum and holding elections on time "or as soon as possible." Fayyad stressed that the amendments suggested by Hizbullah and the FPM are based on scientific and objective standards. For his part, Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun slammed the hybrid law as "based on inconsistent standards and political ends that are obvious in many of its points."
"We're trying to avoid two bad options: extension and the 1960 law, that's why we're trying to start from a bad law that does not meet our aspirations in order to achieve amendments that can improve Christian representation," Aoun added. "We cannot divide Mount Lebanon in an absurd manner for the sake of the special status of the Druze which we respect, but this role must not be at the expense of Christians," he noted.
"Is it acceptable to cancel the elections for the sake of certain figures?" Aoun asked rhetorically. He revealed that Berri will raise his own hybrid proposal for discussion again, noting that the distribution of seats and the discussion of Berri's proposal might lead to an agreement. "This is the only solution in order to avoid the 1960 law or extension," Aoun stressed.
Tashnag Party's MP Hagop Pakradonian said: "We were positive in the discussions and the 1960 law is behind us now and there is consensus on the hybrid law from the angle of proper Christian representation.""We cannot accept a second Doha Agreement and we are not the weak link," Pakradonian said, adding that "the Armenian seats in Metn, Beirut and the Bekaa are not negotiable and they belong to their owners and to the Armenian parties." "Non-Armenian parties cannot swap seats at our expense and I call on our allies and others to understand this point," he said. But Armenian MP Serge Torsarkissian said: "Where is 'constructive ambiguity' in adding a district to Ashrafiyeh with the aim of securing the win of March 8?" "We were also surprised when they said that without dividing Ashrafiyeh they would not agree to any solution," Torsarkissian added. "Speaker Berri's proposal does not contain any standards, that's why we urge our colleagues to be realistic so that we can reach a result," he went on to say. Berri postponed a parliamentary session on May 15 that was dedicated to discuss the Orthodox Gathering's draft electoral law, for lack of quorum, after Al-Mustaqbal and the LF struck a last-minute deal on the hybrid proposal which was also backed by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front and March 14's independent Christian MPs. The Orthodox draft that considers Lebanon a single district and stipulates that each sect elects its own MPs under on a proportional representation system, is strongly backed by Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement. Meanwhile, the proposal of the March 14 alliance, excluding the Phalange party, calls for 54 MPs to be elected under the winner-takes-all system and 46 percent via the proportional representation system.The country would be divided into six governorates.

Plumbly, Eichhorst Meet Salam and Berri, Stress Necessity of 'Quick' Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/ U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly and European Union Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst met on Friday with Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam at his residence in Msaytbeh and later on with Speaker Nabih Berri where discussions focused on the importance of forming a new cabinet.After meeting Salam, Plumbly urged all political parties to hold what he described as “positive” consultations with the PM-designate in order to form a new government as soon as possible. Plumbly reiterated the U.N.'s support for Salam and the necessity to form the cabinet in order to handle a number of pressing issues mainly the influx of Syrian refugees to Lebanon. On her part, Eichhorst stated that discussions focused on the efforts exerted by the PM-designate in order to line-up a cabinet. The ambassador emphasized that the EU backs all ongoing efforts to build on the consensus that agreed to designate Salam to form the cabinet. At this critical stage, it is necessary for Lebanon to have a cabinet that takes decisions and runs the state to confront all the challenges, said the ambassador.
The EU has long been a supporter of all the successive governments formed over the years, she said, while hoping that efforts continue to reform the country, address social matters, and give the youths what they need in order to achieve their future. Moreover, after meeting Berri, Plumbly and Eichhorst said in a joint statement “We informed Speaker Berri of our continued strong support for the early conduct of elections in accordance with constitutional requirements and in line with international standards, and our hope that a way forward which ensures this will be agreed. “We stress again the importance of elections for stability and confidence in the country, and for overcoming the pressing challenges Lebanon faces today." Consultations are ongoing among the Lebanese foes to reach an agreement on a new electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary elections despite media reports saying that they are already discussing the possibility of extending parliament's tenure. Speaker Nabih Berri postponed a May 15 parliamentary session, aimed at discussing an electoral law, to allow more consultations over the matter. The parliament's electoral subcommittee held a meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday and is set to hold another session in the afternoon to discuss the hybrid proposals.
On Thursday, the speaker scheduled another parliamentary session for Saturday, which is set to be decisive on whether to extent the parliament's tenure or hold the polls.

Hariri Denies Agreeing to Exchange Parliament Term Extension for 8-8-8 Cabinet Formula
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday “categorically” denied a media report claiming that he had proposed to Speaker Nabih Berri to exchange the extension of parliament’s term with the so-called 8-8-8 cabinet line-up formula in addition to the rotation of portfolios. A report published Friday in As Safir newspaper said should Berri reject the alleged deal, al-Mustaqbal Movement would refuse to extend parliament’s mandate and would submit the nominations of its candidates as of next Monday according to the 1960 electoral law. But a statement issued by Hariri's press office said the report is "untrue and unfounded and aims at hindering the adoption of a new electoral law, especially after the consensus reached by theMarch 14 forces and the Progressive Socialist Party on the hybrid electoral draft law." It also said that the report aims at "keeping Lebanon in a state of political imbalance and instability.""Hariri and the al-Mustaqbal Movement are keen on holding the parliamentary elections within the constitutional deadline, and have exerted all possible efforts and submitted more than one initiative to the political allies and opponents in order to reach a consensual electoral draft law that takes into consideration the demands and concerns of all parties without any exception," said the statement. "However, all the initiatives and efforts were faced by the intransigence and categorical refusal of the others in an attempt to disrupt carrying out the elections within the constitutional deadline," it added. The statement said the publication of such "fabricated news" is an attempt "not only to portray the al-Mustaqbal Movement as standing behind the postponement of the parliamentary elections, but also to drive a wedge between the movement and its allies in March 14." "It seems that this alliance, which was consolidated in the hybrid electoral draft law on which these forces agreed yesterday, upsets the forces behind the publication of such fabricated news," Hariri's press office added. The press office stressed that Hariri and al-Mustaqbal Movement will not hesitate to do everything in their capacity to facilitate the formation of a new cabinet.

Israel might strike Syria again soon, report says
Now Lebanon/The Wall Street Journal late Thursday cited US officials as saying that Israel could strike a weapon shipment from Syria to Hezbollah “in the near future.” “Israeli and Western intelligence services believe [Yakhont] missiles, which have been sold by Russia to Syria in recent years, could be transferred to the militant Hezbollah group within days,” the US daily reported. Yakhont missiles are advanced anti-ship weapons that were originally supplied to Syria by their top European ally Russia. Earlier in the day, The New York Times reported that Russia provided the regime of President Bashar al-Assad with the more effective radar-fitted missiles after providing it with a previous version of the Yakhont missiles. According to the daily, the Yakhont anti-ship missiles would enable the regime to “counter any effort by international forces to reinforce Syrian opposition fighters by imposing a naval embargo, establishing a no-fly zone or carrying out limited airstrikes.” The reports come after CIA director Brennan on Thursday met Israel's Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, who reaffirmed that Israel "will not permit the transfer of weapons" from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to television reports. And on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned against any moves that would further destabilise the situation in Syria. Meanwhile, The New York Times earlier in the week cited an unnamed Israeli official who warned Damascus against transferring arms to Hezbollah.
Israel twice last week carried out air strikes near Damascus, attacks a senior Israeli source said were aimed at preventing the transfer of sophisticated weapons to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia ally of Assad and Israel's arch-foe Iran. The Syrian regime threatened reprisals following the strike and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah announced that Damascus would provide his group with more advanced weaponry.

Chamoun: Mixed electoral proposal not practical
Now Lebanon/National Liberal Party chief MP Dori Chamoun said on Thursday that the mixed electoral law proposal was not practical. “We approved of the mixed electoral law in principle, but I consider that it is not a practical [proposal]… it needs at least a year for the distribution of constituencies to be discussed,” Chamoun told NOW in an interview. “We need time to prepare people and teach them about proportionality and how it works,” he added. Chamoun went on to say that both the 1960 electoral law and the mixed electoral proposal were not good for the country. “We support [an electoral law based on] non-sectarian based individual constituencies. We support a non-sectarian parliament that does not exceed 99 MPs, and a senate formed of 22 Christians and 22 Muslims,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Lebanese Forces alongside the Future Movement, independent Christian MPs and the Progressive Socialist Party announced the formulation of a mixed electoral law before parliament's scheduled meeting. However, this proposal was rejected by March 14’s Kataeb party and the Free Patriotic Movement. The main Christian political parties in Lebanon expressed their refusal to accept the 1960 electoral law in a meeting in April at the seat of the Maronite patriarchate in Bkirki, as well as their openness to an alternative to the Orthodox proposal, which calls for proportional voting along sectarian lines.
The gathering brought together the LF, Marada Movement, Kataeb and FPM, all of which had previously voiced support for the Orthodox proposal.

Electoral sub-committee fails to reach consensus
Now Lebanon/ Lebanon’s rival political parties have fallen short of reaching a consensus on a new electoral law, spurring fears of an extension of the parliament’s term as well as the holding of parliamentary elections under the auspices of the 1960 law. Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat reiterated that his party, along with the Progressive Socialist Party and the Lebanese Forces, “utterly refuse” to contest the elections under the Orthodox electoral draft or the 1960 law. “The mixed electoral law is the solution,” Fatfat said following the electoral sub-committee’s meeting on Friday. He also stressed that if a “technical extension” of the parliament’s term is to take place, it will not exceed five months. Speaker Nabih Berri, however, had announced earlier on Friday that he does not support the extension of the parliament’s term. “I am not with the extension of the [parliament’s term], even if it is for one day,” the speaker said. Meanwhile, LF lawmaker George Adwan noted that his party called on Berri to hold a parliamentary session to vote on the electoral laws, but the latter said he was against holding a session if no consensus is reached on one law. He also claimed that the mixed electoral law his party proposed along with the Future and the PSP “is supported by the majority of parliament.” However, Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel criticized the mixed electoral law saying that “we cannot divide some provinces and keep others undivided [because that is] considered a red line.”
The Kataeb official called for “setting objective standards for the electoral law,” in order to “let people choose their MPs [instead of] deciding beforehand the MPs who are going to win.”
Gemayel also called for a plenary session where each MP can vote for the electoral law they want. Development and Liberation bloc MP Ali Fayyad also lashed out at the mixed electoral law suggested by the LF, PSP and Future Movement, saying that “it has several flaws.”“[This law] was set under the standard of the interests of the March 14 coalition,” the Amal official said.
He added that Amal has suggested amendments to the said law, but “the majority of these amendments were not accepted.”
Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun also shared the Kataeb and Amal Movement’s criticism of the mixed electoral law. “The mixed law is not based on one standard… If the province of Mount Lebanon is to be divided for sectarian purposes, then why don’t we divide other provinces, such as Beirut for example?” “We are trying to make amendments to the mixed law in order to ensure fair representation for the Christians.”The Free Patriotic Movement lawmaker also stressed that his party is “trying to avoid the extension of the parliament’s term and the [adoption of the] 1960 electoral law.”
Aoun later said that “our last chance is to discuss the mixed electoral law proposed by Berri and add amendments to it.”
Speaker Nabih Berri presented a mixed electoral law suggesting that 50% of the voting be done according to the Orthodox proposal and 50% be done according to the 1960 electoral law. However, he withdrew his electoral law proposal on Thursday after what was described as “extreme” criticism by the Future Movement. The parliamentary sub-committee tasked with discussing electoral draft laws resumed its meetings on Friday after a series of sessions failed to achieve any breakthroughs in the electoral law deadlock. The parliament's general assembly was set on Wednesday to vote on the law to adopt for the upcoming elections, but the speaker postponed the session after the LF, PSP and Future proposed their mixed electoral draft before the scheduled session. However, this proposal was rejected by March 14’s Kataeb party and the FPM.
If the parliament fails to agree on a new electoral law by a May 19 deadline, the 1960 law that governed the 2009 parliamentary vote would go into effect for the upcoming elections scheduled for June 16.

Geagea: Maronite Patriarchate supports mixed electoral law
Now Lebanon/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Friday that the Maronite Patriarchate supports the mixed electoral law. “Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai has called for an electoral law agreed on by everyone without going into the small details of any [proposed] electoral law,” Geagea’s press office quoted him as saying. He also said that the patriarch considered discussions into details of the electoral draft laws as the job of politicians and parties. The Maronite Patriarchate’s decision was made clear in the [final statement] of the Bkirki meeting in April 3,” he added. On Wednesday, the LF alongside the Future Movement, independent Christian MPs and the Progressive Socialist Party announced the formulation of a mixed electoral law before parliament's scheduled meeting. However, this proposal was rejected by March 14’s Kataeb party and the FPM. The next day, FPM MPs and media outlets lashed out at the LF and Geagea for striking a deal for a new mixed electoral law proposal, with MP Ziad Aswad accusing the latter of “betraying Christian interests and selling them for cheap.”The main Christian political parties in Lebanon expressed their refusal to accept the 1960 electoral law in a meeting in April at the seat of the Maronite patriarchate in Bkirki, as well as their openness to an alternative to the Orthodox proposal, which calls for proportional voting along sectarian lines. The gathering brought together the LF, Marada Movement, Kataeb and FPM, all of which had previously voiced support for the Orthodox Law.

Al-Rahi Urges Officials to Stop Treason Accusations over Electoral Law, Seek Consensus
Naharnet /Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Friday called on all politicians in Lebanon to continue to seek consensus over a new electoral law, urging an end to the “treason accusations” among Christians leaders.“After six years of proposing draft laws and wasting days and months in studying proposals and holding consultations and meetings, failing to reach a new law for parliamentary elections would harm the image of the parliament and political officials in Lebanon, and subsequently the image of Lebanon and the dignity of its people,” al-Rahi said in an appeal to Lebanon's leaders from Colombia.
He urged "all officials, especially Speaker Nabih Berri, to continue to seek consensus and to vote on a new electoral law.”
And as he called on everyone to facilitate the process, he stressed that "the country's interest is bigger and more important than the interest of any party."
"The country's interest lies in staging the elections, refraining from harming the institutional course and consitutional authorities, and respecting the democratic cycle and rotation of power that distinguish Lebanon from the rest of countries in the region," al-Rahi added. The patriarch urged "all parties and politicians to stop all the campaigns of treason accusations and insults and not to return to a past that everyone has left behind, especially those who are personally concerned with it." Al-Rahi called on everyone to "shoulder their historic responsibility before the court of national conscience and not to disappoint the hopes of the people and the future generations."
The rival parties have failed so far to reach a consensual electoral law, after the March 14 forces endorsed a hybrid law that did not receive the approval of the Phalange Party and the March 8 camp, who have demanded several amendments.The Lebanese Forces' endorsment of the aforementioned hybrid law sparked a fierce media campaign against the party, which LF leader Samir Geagea has described as "an elimination war that is being waged by the Syrian regime and Hizbullah" with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun as its cover.

Zahra: FPM Seeking to Achieve Political Gains, Not Electoral Law
Naharnet/ Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra slammed on Friday the Free Patriotic Movement's campaign against the party, saying that it is seeking to reach an agreement over a parliamentary electoral law that enjoys the consensus of all sides.He said during a press conference in response to the FPM campaign: “The Movement is seeking to achieve political gains, not an agreement over an electoral law.”
“The LF is keen on Christians and the whole of Lebanon in that it seeks to fortify the entire country” and not just achieve personal interests, he explained.
It is therefore working on reaching an agreement over an electoral law that enjoys the consensus of all sides, added the MP.
Zahra accused the FPM of misleading the public, saying: “They promise the people with paradise and then hold others responsible for failing to reach it.”
He stated that the FPM is attempting to tarnish the image of the LF in order to make political gains for the elections, which will be held according to the 1960 law that has been rejected by all powers. In addition, he lauded Speaker Nabih Berri on behalf of LF leader Samir Geagea for “his keenness to reach an electoral law that enjoys consensus.”
On the Orthodox Gathering electoral law, Zahra said the LF no longer supported it because it became clear to it that it can never be implemented. “We will vote for the Orthodox Gathering law as a last resort if we fail to reach an agreement over another one,” he revealed. “We will vote for it even though we know that it cannot be implemented,” he stressed. The Orthodox draft considers Lebanon a single district and stipulates that each sect elects its own MPs under on a proportional representation system,. The proposal was backed by the FPM, Marada Movement, Phalange Party, and LF. It was rejected by President Michel Suleiman, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the Mustaqbal Movement, MP Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front, and the independent Christian March 14 lawmakers. A parliament session that was scheduled for Wednesday to vote on the law was suspended due to a lack of quorum after those opposing the proposal announced that they will boycott the meeting. FPM members have since slammed the move, accusing the LF of squandering the rights of Christians.

U.S.: Russia's Missile Shipment Will Embolden Syria
Naharnet /Russia's shipment of anti-ship missiles to Syria will "embolden" the regime and fuel the country's civil war, the U.S. military's top officer said Friday.
General Martin Dempsey's comments were the first official confirmation from the U.S. government that Moscow had sent advanced "ship-killer" cruise missiles to President Bashar Assad's regime.
"It is at the very least an unfortunate decision that will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a news conference when asked about the reported shipment of missiles.
"It's ill-timed and very unfortunate."At the same press conference, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the United States would continue to confer with Russia on the Syrian conflict and that both countries shared an interest in preventing a potential regional war that would be explosive.State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki also expressed concern over Russian arms shipments to Syria, but downplayed reports of anti-ship missiles being sent to Damascus as not new."We remain concerned about any aid that is being provided to help the Syrian regime by the Russians or anyone else, including any form of missile," Psaki said.
"That's a concern we've expressed publicly, and the secretary and others have expressed privately as well."
The New York Times reported on Friday that Russia had sent Syria a shipment of upgraded Yakhonts anti-ship missiles that would make any naval blockade of Syria more difficult.
"Russia had previously provided a version of the missiles to Syria," The Times wrote. "But those delivered recently are outfitted with an advanced radar that makes them more effective," it added, citing American officials.
But Psaki took issue with the timeline, saying: "We're not aware of new shipments of these specific missiles."
"These specific missiles, the Yakhont anti-ship missile was reported in December of 2011."U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned last week that such missiles sales would be "destabilizing" amid reports Moscow was planning to go ahead with a million deal to sell sophisticated surface-to-air missiles to Syria.Psaki, however, also stressed that Washington was "pleased" that Moscow was working with the United States to try to organize an international peace conference on Syria.SourceAgence France Presse.

Pakistan Mosque Bombs Kill Eight
Naharnet /Twin bomb attacks on Friday killed at least eight people outside mosques in northwest Pakistan, where the party of cricket star Imran Khan is forming a coalition government, officials said.
The blasts took place near two mosques in the Baazdara area of northwestern Malakand region, senior local administration official Amjad Ali Khan told Agence France Presse. "The blasts killed at least eight people and wounded more than 30 others," Khan said. It was not immediately clear whether the bombs were planted or suicide attacks. He said local officials are having problems reaching the far-flung, mountainous area and there is no mobile phone coverage. Local police official Riaz Khan confirmed eight people had been killed and more than 30 others wounded in the attacks.Northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is on the frontline of a nearly seven-year Taliban insurgency and abuts the semi-autonomous tribal belt where Pakistani troops are fighting against homegrown militants.Source/Agence France Presse.

US renews concern at Syria arms shipments
Now Lebanon/The United States remains concerned about Russian arms shipments to Syria, a top US official said Friday, but downplayed reports of anti-ship missiles being sent to Damascus as not new. "We remain concerned about any aid that is being provided to help the Syrian regime by the Russians or anyone else, including any form of missile," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "That's a concern we've expressed publicly, and the secretary and others have expressed privately as well." The New York Times reported on Friday that Russia had sent Syria a shipment of upgraded Yakhonts anti-ship missiles that would make any naval blockade of Syria more difficult. "Russia had previously provided a version of the missiles to Syria," The Times wrote. "But those delivered recently are outfitted with an advanced radar that makes them more effective," it added, citing American officials. But Psaki took issue with the timeline, saying: "We're not aware of new shipments of these specific missiles.""These specific missiles, the Yakhont anti-ship missile was reported in December of 2011."
US Secretary of State John Kerry warned last week that such missiles sales would be "destabilizing" amid reports Moscow was planning to go ahead with a million deal to sell sophisticated surface-to-air missiles to Syria. Psaki, however, also stressed that Washington was "pleased" that Moscow was working with the United States to try to organize an international peace conference on Syria.

Can Obama Save Turkey from a Syrian Quagmire?
Soner Cagaptay and James F. Jeffrey/New York Times/May 17, 2013
More decisive American engagement would simultaneously end doubts about the United States’ commitment to Syria and save Turkey from being pulled further into a conflict that threatens to derail the impressive political and economic progress of the last decade.When Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met President Obama at the White House on Thursday, the most pressing topic was the war in Syria. Turkey has not faced a threat on this scale since Stalin demanded territory from the Turks in 1945. In 2011, the Turkish government severed all diplomatic ties with the government of Bashar al-Assad and began to support the Syrian opposition groups seeking to oust him. But, thus far, this policy has failed, and it has exposed Turkey to growing risks, most recently two deadly bomb attacks in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli that were most likely planted by pro-Assad forces in retaliation for Turkish support of the Syrian rebels. Turkey’s blessing over the past decade has been its reputation as a stable country in an otherwise unstable region. In November 2012, the global ratings agency Fitch rated Turkish bonds investment-grade for the first time since 1994. The country’s improved international reputation has alleviated a chronic economic problem: lack of capital. A steady infusion of foreign investment for over a decade has ushered in phenomenal growth, at some points exceeding 8 percent annually, and propelled Turkey into the Group of 20 industrialized nations.
Turkey has become a majority middle-class society for the first time in its history, helping Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party win three successive elections since 2002.
But the war in Syria threatens these gains, and Mr. Erdogan’s political future. Turkey will not be immune to the fallout from a Somalia-style failed state next door — or from a rump Assad regime seeking revenge against Turkey for supporting the rebels. Turkey grows because it attracts international investment; and Turkey attracts investment because it is deemed stable. A spillover of the mess in Syria risks ending the country’s economic miracle.
Turkey has a community of over 500,000 Arab Alawites, whose ethnic kin in Syria have, with few exceptions, supported the Assad regime against the Sunni-led rebels. This sectarian conflict threatens to seep across the border into Turkey, pitting Syrian rebel fighters and Sunni Turks against pro-Assad Alawites, especially in the country’s southernmost province, Hatay, where the Alawite community is concentrated. There is also a risk of chemical weapons’ being deployed and spreading toxic agents over Turkish territory; and the proximity of Qaeda fighters in Syria poses a serious threat to Turkey’s vaunted stability.
The Syrian war has also awakened Turkey’s once dormant Marxist militant groups. These groups vehemently oppose any government policies they see as serving American imperialist interests and have already launched a number of attacks, including one at the United States Embassy in Ankara on Feb. 2. Turkish media reports that these Marxist groups, in cooperation with elements of Mr. Assad’s regime, may have been behind the May 11 attack that killed 51 people in Reyhanli.
This is bad news for Mr. Erdogan’s bid to remake the Turkish political system with a strong French-style presidency. Mr. Erdogan has aligned all the domestic political stars to be elected president in 2014. He has even made peace with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the P.K.K., a move that would have been an unthinkable taboo just a few years ago. By entering a peace process with the P.K.K.’s reviled leader, the imprisoned Abdullah Ocalan, Mr. Erdogan has effectively ensured the country’s domestic stability in the run-up to 2014 and secured himself at least some Kurdish support. Yet an economic downturn brought on by the war in Syria could upset his plans.
Mr. Erdogan is aware that unless he secures greater American assistance against the Assad regime, Turkey could become the big loser in Syria, and Mr. Erdogan the big loser at the ballot box if he can’t cobble together an absolute majority in 2014. This is also bad news for the United States, which sees Turkey as one of the few stable, strong pillars of Western values in the region.
Turkey’s government believes that unless the balance of power in Syria is tilted in favor of the rebels now, the Syrian conflict will turn into an interminable sectarian civil war that pulls Hatay Province, and with it the rest of Turkey, into turmoil.
Only Washington can change the equation. Following the May 16 summit meeting between Mr. Obama and Mr. Erdogan, two options seem to be on the table.
The infusion of American power, by arming the rebels or enforcing a no-fly zone, would change the military and regional dynamic and help unite the often squabbling “Friends of Syria” behind American leadership. Only direct American military engagement will rally the disparate parties that want to act against Mr. Assad into unified action.
The wars in Kuwait and Bosnia are cases in point in proving the value of American leadership. It would tilt the balance of power in favor of the rebels and provide diplomatic cover for Turkey as it faces the wrath of Iran and Russia. By presenting Moscow with a counter-incentive, threatening to act alone if Moscow does not use its influence to bring an end to the conflict, the United States could demonstrate that it is serious about engagement. This would also lighten the pressure on Turkey, which is hesitant to take further steps in Syria without at least tacit Russian consent. Russia is Turkey’s historic nemesis and the only country in the region with an economy and military larger than Turkey’s. The Turks fear the Russians and will not confront them alone.
If convincing the Russians proves impossible, Washington should consider creating a buffer zone in northern Syria along the Turkish border to protect rebel-captured areas. A buffer zone, protected by American airpower and an international coalition, would endow the rebels with a staging ground from which to launch operations against Mr. Assad and it would also help Turkey push the conflict back into Syria by transferring rebels and their headquarters into the buffer zones on Syrian territory rather than offering sanctuary to militants on Turkish soil. (There would most likely be regional support for such a policy, including from Jordan, which would also benefit from a buffer zone inside southern Syria.)
More decisive American engagement would simultaneously end doubts about the United States’ commitment to Syria and save Turkey from being pulled further into a conflict that threatens to squander its progress toward resolving the Kurdish conflict and undermine its impressive economic achievements.
**Soner Cagaptay, the author of the forthcoming book The Rise of Turkey: The 21st Century’s First Muslim Power, is director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where James F. Jeffrey, a former United States ambassador to Turkey and Iraq, is a distinguished visiting fellow.

France: West should place 'decisive sanctions' against Iran
By JPOST.COM STAFF05/18/2013/Iranian stalling tactics at IAEA talks, deadlock on UN investigation into suspected nuclear bomb program justify increased pressure by US, Europe, according to French defense minister.
Iran's inflexible stance on curbing its nuclear program should lead the US and European nations to implement "decisive sanctions" against the Islamic Republic in the coming months, AFP cited French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying on Friday. According to Le Drian, the Western nations should pressure the advancement "in quantity and quality" of Iran's uranium enrichment program through sanctions and dialogue
In regards to accusations of Tehran's use of stalling tactics at the IAEA talks, aimed to resume an investigation into suspected atomic bomb research, and parallel negotiations with world powers, Le Drian said that "[more] than ever we have a responsibility to defeat this strategy of procrastination and concealment to ensure nuclear non-proliferation." "This responsibility justifies the strong commitment of ours, alongside our American allies and European partners, for the implementation of decisive sanctions," he added during a talk at a Washington think tank.Diplomatic efforts to resolve a dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran says is peaceful but the West suspects is intended to give Iran the capability to build a nuclear bomb, have been all but deadlocked for years, while Iran has continued to announce advances in the program.The United Nations' nuclear agency failed to persuade Iran on Wednesday to let it resume an investigation into suspected atomic bomb research, leaving the high-stakes diplomacy stymied. On Thursday, Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief negotiator said Tehran is prepared to pursue nuclear diplomacy with world powers before or after next month's presidential election. Negotiations between Iran and the six powers - Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany - have been deadlocked since a meeting last June.Any movement in the decade-old standoff will now probably have to wait until after Iranians vote on June 14 for a successor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Jalili reiterated that Iran would never abandon its right to enrich uranium. Major powers want Tehran to suspend its enrichment activities to reassure the world that it is not seeking nuclear weapons. Iran denies having any such goal.France spelled out on Friday that it would oppose a peace conference for Syria if Bashar Assad's regional ally Iran is invited, clouding the prospect for a US-Russian initiative to end the two-year-old war.No date has yet been agreed for the international meeting, which appears to face growing obstacles France has hoped the Syrian conflict could be resolved through political means, though without inclusion of the Assad family, AFP cited Le Drian as saying.Reuters contributed to this report

Jordan’s Salafists threaten Hezbollah
Written by : Mohamed Al-Daameh /Amman, Asharq Al-Awsat—Muhammad Al-Mawmani, the Jordanian minister of information and communications, said that the Jordanian Armed Forces and border security forces are fully prepared to defend the borders and safeguard the country’s security and stability. Mawmani’s statements came as a response to an inquiry regarding the arrival of Hezbollah members on the Jordanian–Syrian border, and claims that they are playing a leading role in battles in the border city of Dara’a, although the minister said he possessed no new information on the situation inside Syria. In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mawmani said that the Jordanian military possessed the readiness and professionalism to deal with any emergency and prevent any party from violating the borders or disrupting security. He added that Jordan is eager to maintain its security, and the Armed Forces are carrying out their duty to prevent any infiltration from or into Jordanian territory. However, some Jordanian Salafists warned Hezbollah fighters not to approach the Jordanian borders. In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Muhammad Al-Shalabi, a senior member of the Salafist movement in Jordan, said: “If the malicious [Hezbollah Secretary General] Hassan Nasrallah thinks the Sunni people will remain passive about the murderous crimes committed against our brothers in Syria, then he is deluded. His deceits have been exposed to everyone.” Shalabi added that “Nasrallah has deceived the Sunnis in Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab and Islamic states by convincing them he deserved their support for Hezbollah’s struggle against Israel. However, the murders his party’s forces are carrying out against the Sunnis in Syria indirectly serve Israel, and he and the Syrian regime represent a burden on Muslims.” He also said: “If Nasrallah and the rawafid [a derogatory term referring to Shi'ites] that follow him think that the land of Jordan is the same as Syria and Lebanon, they will be met by a blazing fire for the wretched.”Approximately 500 followers of the Jordanian Salafist movement are fighting in Syria against the regime’s army, according to recent figures released by the Salafists.
A source close to Hezbollah mentioned in a statement that the party’s military units, which are fighting in Syria alongside the regime, have played a prominent, if not decisive, role in the Syrian army’s recapture of the town of Kherbet Ghazala, which occupies a strategic position on the road between Damascus and Dara’a. The source also said that the party’s fighters are proceeding quickly to the south and that they have reached Dara’a, meaning they are close to the international border with Jordan.

Israeli official: We underestimated Assad
By BEN CASPIT, LIOR NOVIK/J.Post
Defense official: Israel thought Assad would fall sooner; J'lem sees fall of Assad, take over by rebels as less ideal scenario. The debate over the situation in Syria and President Bashar Assad's chances for survival has sharpened recently within the Israeli defense establishment. A senior defense official claimed recently in closed conversations that Israel has erred in its estimates of how quickly Assad would fall from power in Syria. According to the official, Israel has "underestimated" Assad's strength and the inner life force of the Syrian regime Currently, there are differing opinions within the defense establishment about what to expect in Syria and what outcome for its northern neighbor would benefit Israel.The opinion that the fall of Assad and the assumption of power by the rebels would be good for Israel has become less popular recently, as it has emerged that the infiltration of extremist Jihad and al-Qaida elements is deeper and wider than was originally estimated. There are those who believe Israel should prepare for a scenario in which Assad survives, if not in his previous role as the president of "Big Syria" - then at least in his current situation in which he holds power in Damascus and in the corridors to the large coastal cities.
This scenario, which actually would entail the breaking up of Syria into three separate states, is likely the optimal scenario as far as Israel is concerned. However the defense establishment is stressing that all scenarios are possible in Syria and a change in policy by the West that will lead to military intervention could tip the scales toward one side or the other.
The defense official's comments came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed Israel's fears on Thursday, when he officially announced that Russia will indeed complete the sale of the S-300 advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria. “Missile defense systems are delivered to protect the country that buys them from air strikes. But these contracts were signed long before air strikes on Syria were launched last year and now,” Lavrov said in an interview with Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen TV channel. Moscow is honoring previous agreements and has not signed any new contracts with Damascus, he stressed.
“Those who do not plan aggressive actions against a sovereign state have nothing to worry about, because air defense methods – and this is clear from the name – are a purely defensive system required to repel air attacks,” Lavrov said. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin in a summit in Sochi on Tuesday not to sell the state-of-the-art S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Syria. Israeli officials declined to comment on Lavrov’s latest interview, which appeared to contradict a statement he made last week that Russia would not sell the S-300 advanced air defense system to Syria. CIA director John Brennan arrived in Israel on Thursday on a surprise visit to discuss the situation in Syria, an Israeli official said. Brennan held talks soon after his arrival with Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon in Tel Aviv, the official added.
Channel 10 reported that Ya’alon told Brennan that Israel “will not permit the transfer of weapons” from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon.