LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
MARCH 20/2006
News from miscellaneous
sources for 20.3.06
Lahoud vows to stay on; backs Hezbollaha's arms struggle-Peninsula On-line
President Lahoud vows to stay on-Kuwait News Agency
Lebanon President Proposes Early Elections-Houston Chronicle
News From the Daily
Star for 20/03/06
Fatah to collect Palestinian arms in Lebanon's
refugee camps-AFP
Lebanese politicians react to Lahoud's 'lies'
Siniora to focus on economy, dialogue, Syria, in EU
talks
Chidiac plans to host new show on LBC
Larsen heads to Egypt to discuss Resolution 1559
Qassem: Hizbullah is ready to retaliate against
Israeli attack
Brazilian police find love letters among Qoleilat's
belongings
Sfeir urges government to improve living conditions,
create jobs
HRW slams use of military courts to prosecute dissent
Seminar
highlights Kamal Jumblatt's feats
Lahoud strikes back at March 14 barrage during
Al-Jazeera interview
Fatah to collect Palestinian arms in Lebanon's refugee
camps
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Monday, March 20, 2006
RASHIDIYEH, Lebanon: Fatah's chief in Lebanon said Sunday his Palestinian
faction would round up weapons from refugee camps amid growing calls for
militias in the country to be disbanded. "We have decided to collect all the
weapons we possess, including individual arms, and put them in secure places
(inside the camps), in accordance with the wishes of the inter-Lebanese dialogue
conference," said Sultan Abu al-Aynayn. Leaders from across the political and
religious spectrum have been meeting in Beirut to solve such contentious issues
as the presence of armed Palestinians outside refugee camps.
There are believed to be 380,000 Palestinians living in Lebanon, many of them in
dire conditions in 12 refugee camps.
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri said Tuesday that participants in the
inter-Lebanese talks supported disarming Palestinians outside the camps in six
months and "the state re-establishing its authority on all Lebanese territory."
Abu al-Aynayn also asserted the authority of the Palestine Liberation
Organization - of which Fatah is the largest faction - as the only legitimate
representative of Palestinians in Lebanon. The PLO does not include Palestinian
Islamist groups such as Hamas, which trounced Fatah in January's elections, or
pro-Syrian groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine-General Command, which has been involved in a number of shooting
incidents outside Palestinian camps.
The inter-Lebanese dialogue is expected to resume on March 22. - AFP
Lebanese politicians react to Lahoud's 'lies'
By Leila Hatoum and Maher Zeineddine -Daily Star staff
Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT/ CHOUF: Druze MP Walid Jumblatt slammed the remarks President Emile
Lahoud made during an Al-Jazeera interview late Saturday night, saying that
Lahoud's "lies" emerged from "commands" given to him by the Syrian regime.
Speaking to reporters from his residence in Moukhtara Sunday, Jumblatt said: "It
is not surprising to see that ... he wants the fate of Lebanon to remain a
hostage of the Syrian regime."Jumblatt added: "One of the things which Lahoud
spoke of was that the arms of the resistance would remain until the Palestinian
cause finds a solution ... he said that because the Syrian regime wants use the
issue of the Palestinian weapons in Lebanon and the arms of the resistance
[Hizbullah] as an excuse to send more weapons and ammunition and mercenaries to
Lebanon to hinder the building of our state."Lahoud had said during his
interview that the arms of the resistance should remain until Palestinian
refugees return to their homeland, and until the Arab-Israeli conflict is over.
Siniora to focus on economy, dialogue, Syria, in EU talks
By Raed El Rafei -Daily Star staff
Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: Premier Fouad Siniora will focus on the need for urgent economic reform,
broader domestic political dialogue and better relations with Syria in his talks
with EU foreign ministers in Brussels Monday. In an interview with AFP, Fouad
Siniora said Saturday he "will underline ... Lebanon's desire for greater
cooperation with the EU, our main trading partner, explain our program of
political and economic reform and the intra-Lebanese dialogue" aimed at
establishing "our sovereignty and independence.""I intend during this visit to
Brussels to explain the plan of reforms that will allow Lebanon to adapt better
to a changing world," Siniora said. "The reforms are necessary, because if we do
not carry them out well today, then it will cost us even more in the future," he
added. Last year, Siniora announced the holding of Beirut I donors' conference,
an international conference grouping the U.S., the EU and Arab countries in
addition to international financial institutions in an attempt to aid the
Lebanese economy. But the conference was postponed because of the tense
political situation.
"Despite this delay, I hope the conference can be held in the coming months,"
Siniora said.
The program, which was put forward by Siniora, includes fiscal reforms and
privatization of the telecommunications and electricity sectors. Referring to
his program of reforms, Siniora said they should lead to the "opening of Lebanon
for investment, [and] increasing the role of the private sector in attracting
investment and assuring economic growth."
A spokesperson from Siniora's office told The Daily Star Sunday that there was
no dispute about the "general direction" of the reform program, adding, however,
that there might be discord over some points. The spokesperson said the Beirut I
donors' conference will not take place before Cabinet endorses the reform
program.
The Cabinet still has not discussed the program and ministers are currently
studying it. Lebanon's Gross Domestic Product posted zero growth last year as a
result of the political crisis, after surging 5 percent a year earlier,
according to figures released this week by Audi Bank. Siniora, however, said
there was marginal growth of 1 percent, and the World Bank has put it at 2
percent. Siniora's trip comes just ahead of the April 1 entry into force of an
association agreement with the EU, which will improve trade prospects with
Europe.
The prime minister also said the accord will highlight Lebanon's position in the
Arab world as "a model of openness and pluralism.""We can be a good mediator
between the Arab and Islamic worlds and Europe," he said, adding that the
continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the center of disagreements
between East and West. Meanwhile, Siniora met Saturday with French Ambassador,
Bernard Emie, who said that Siniora's talks with European foreign ministers
would give them the opportunity to support the Lebanese government as well as
the political and economic reform program.
Emie also reiterated his support for the national dialogue.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, said Saturday that he accepted
Syria's invitation and would visit Damascus "when the opportunity is available,"
contrary to earlier media reports that said Salloukh had turned the invitation
down.
Saloukh said he agreed with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem to meet at the
sidelines of the upcoming Arab summit in Khartoum and discuss "matters of common
interest."He added he had declined to make the visit right away because of his
"busy schedule," but said that he would make an official visit to Damascus "as
soon as possible."
Earlier last week, Saloukh received an invitation from Moallem to visit Syria to
discuss the Arab foreign ministers' summit in Khartoum which will take place at
the end of March. Salloukh denied that Moallem's intention behind the invitation
was to impose Syria's policy on Lebanon during international conferences, in
reference to the Khartoum summit.
"We are coordinating with Syria as we are doing with other Arab countries," he
said adding that the visit to Syria would be "a step toward establishing
brotherly relation between the two countries."
Saloukh is accompanying Siniora on his visit to Brussels.
Siniora will reportedly be visiting Syria following the decision of the
participants in the national dialogue to establish diplomatic relations with
Syria and get Syrian confirmation of the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms.
- With agencies
"The Lebanese Army has always supported the arms of the resistance. These are
the arms that forced Israeli to revise its expansionist policy in Lebanon, and
they should keep them until the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict and until the
Palestinians regain their homes in Palestine," Lahoud said. Jumblatt said: "This
means tying Lebanon's fate for decades until there is a Palestinian state ...
Palestine has its own resistance fighters and they will prevail there."
He accused Lahoud of being "the remains of the Syrian regime in Lebanon."
"We will not enjoy stability in Lebanon as long as a dictatorship regime that
uses the resistance and the Lebanese people for its own ends, is our neighbor,"
Jumblatt added.
Jumblatt also reasserted that the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese but the Syrian
government has sovereignty over the territory, and added that Hizbullah has
"with thanks, fulfilled its duties in liberating the land, and should now lay
down its arms."
Lahoud had also slammed Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and reminded the
public that Geagea was a warlord convicted of assassinating former Prime
Minister Rashid Karami, among others.
Geagea said Lahoud's words show how "empty" the Lebanese presidency is. He also
promised that a solution to the issue of the presidency is near. The March 14
forces have been trying to oust Lahoud, and the issue is on the agenda of the
country's national dialogue this Wednesday. But Lahoud has refused to step down,
and said during Saturday's interview that none of the current politicians has
the right to ask him to resign because they have a black past.
Lahoud had also told Al-Jazeera that he prefers Free Patriotic leader MP Michel
Aoun to be the next president.
Commenting on this position, Aoun said he didn't take Lahoud's favoring him as
an offense, as some newspapers portrayed it, adding: "There is no crisis on the
presidency level, but on the ruling level. Limiting the crisis to the president
is just settling personal scores by some."Lahoud had also said he had no problem
with late former Premier Rafik Hariri, neither with his son MP Saad Hariri, who
now heads the Future Movement.
Lahoud had said that it was Hariri who approached him first about becoming a
president back in 1993 when Lahoud was an army commander.Lahoud added that
Hariri also told him that he was willing to renew his presidential term.
Although there was no official response from Hariri's press office, Lebanese
Arabic daily Future newspaper, owned by Hariri, asked Sunday, "how can the
Lebanese believe that Hariri himself had promised Lahoud to reach the Baabda
[presidential] Palace, and then promised to renew his term?"
Shortly before he was assassinated last year, Hariri had said that he was
against extending Lahoud's term back in 2004.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi denied media reports that he had
"forbidden" Lebanon's national television Tele Liban (TL) from broadcasting
Lahoud's interview with Al-Jazeera, after TL announced it was going to do so.
Saudi-based Web site Elaph reported the news Sunday saying that TL, which is
controlled by the Information Ministry didn't broadcast the interview based on
Aridi's orders.
But Aridi said he doesn't interfere with TL which is "a television for all the
Lebanese. I don't own TL."
He added that the reason for not airing the interview was that TL had received a
video cassette of the interview very late and didn't have the proper equipment
to decode it. A Presidential Palace source said Lahoud had "expected a rise in
the rhythm of attacks ... against him in the next two days in an attempt to
create a certain atmosphere shortly before the kick-off of the third round of
the national dialogue." "Those who were hurt by the facts and the truth which
Lahoud made public were the first to blow their trumpets slamming Lahoud and
calling him names, which shows the low level which these people have reached,"
said the source.
Chidiac plans to host new show on LBC
Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: Prominent LBC presenter May Chidiac, who survived an assassination
attack that severed her left hand and left leg last September, said she would
return to Lebanon soon to continue her work as a broadcast journalist. In an
interview with French magazine Paris Match published Saturday, Chidiac said she
is planning to host a new political television program on LBC after the
completion of her treatment in France. "They wanted to silence me and they were
targeting my tongue and mind, not my body," she said, referring to those who
tried to kill her by detonating a bomb placed under her car seat on September
25, 2005. She added, however, that it was "unfortunate for those behind her
assassination attempt that she could still think freely and speak out." "If I
don't continue my work as a journalist, it means that they have won the battle
and that's what I cannot accept," said the 42-year-old anchorwoman, who was the
second anti-Syrian journalist to be targeted following the withdrawal of Syrian
troops in April 2005.
Samir Kassir, a prominent columnist for An-Nahar, was killed in June and Gebran
Tueni, the newspaper's general manager was killed in December. The television
interviewer expressed her disappointment over the international community's
reluctance to investigate the series of bombings that targeted Lebanese figures
that began in October 2004 when Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade
survived an attempt on his life. The UN Security Council has offered to provide
only technical assistance to the Lebanese investigation into the bombings.
Chidiac said that none of the UN investigators looking into former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination have interviewed her. "Such reluctance has
given the assassins a green light to continue committing crimes," she said,
noting that Tueni was killed three months after the attempt on her life.
"Gebran was my friend. I cry for him more than I cry for myself," she added. -
Naharnet
Larsen heads to Egypt to discuss Resolution 1559
Aoun says Saad hariri played role of 'pacifier' in national talks
By Majdoline Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy Terje
Roed-Larsen began his regional tour to discuss the Lebanese situation with
several key Arab leaders during the weekend, as the country's politicians
evaluated the first two rounds of dialogue and prepared for the third round,
expected to kick off Wednesday. Larsen, Annan's special envoy on the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, left Saudi Arabia for
Egypt after he held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdel-Aziz and
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh Saturday, and "lauded the
important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the efforts to resolve
the multiple conflicts in the Middle East," an official statement by the UN
said. Larsen will be meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa and
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit and will be heading to Jordan,
Qatar and Lebanon and is due to present his report to the UN Security Council on
progress in implementing 1559 early next month.
According to the UN statement, talks with Saudi leaders were "constructive and
forward-looking," the special envoy said, with a "strong convergence of
views.""We are working hand in hand, and the secretary general and I are looking
forward to continuing this partnership," Larsen was quoted as saying.
According to the statement, the two sides discussed the implementation of
Resolution 1559, which calls for the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and
political independence, the withdrawal of foreign forces, and the disarming and
disbanding of militias in the country. "Discussions focused in particular on the
ongoing national dialogue amongst all factions in Lebanon, which to date have
yielded a consensus on the need to establish formal diplomatic relations between
Syria and Lebanon and to delineate in full the international border between the
two countries," it said.
This came as parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri left for Saudi Arabia
Saturday on a private visit.
But no comment was made by Hariri's press office on whether he would meet
Larsen. However, a spokesman said he will be back in the country by Wednesday,
to take part in the third round of national dialogue. And as the UN envoy was
discussing Lebanon's national dialogue and the implementation of 1559 with Arab
leaders, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said the first two rounds
of the country's national dialogue had witnessed heated debates, but added that
majority leader MP Saad Hariri had played the role of a "pacifier" at the
roundtable. "The debate heated up at several points, and someone had to play the
role of a mediator, and this is what Hariri did ... he helped bridge
communication between different parties," Aoun said.
Aoun, who was talking to a local radio station, said the Shebaa Farms are
Lebanese, and added that the current debate around its identity stemmed from a
mistake by the UN while demarcating the Blue Line following Israel's withdrawal
in 2000.
Aoun also expressed his belief that the next stages of the national debate will
not be "as hard as some expect."
"There is a huge change in Hizbullah's position [from maintaining arms] ... it
is natural that Hizbullah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
participate in the national dialogue so that the party switches from resistance
to political work following the achievement of the resistance's goals. "Such a
change cannot take place immediately, it has to happen gradually so that
Hizbullah can integrate in the national life as a political party that enjoys
vast public support," he said.
Aoun also tackled the issue of presidency, and refused to say there is a
"presidential crisis."
"We have a 'ruling crisis,'" he said, adding that the solution would be through
conducting early parliamentary elections, "which will lead to electing a new
president after the current president steps down," he said.
But talking to the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI),
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Saturday the presidential change was
imminent, and added: "If we can reach this change through the national dialogue,
it will be less costly than other ways," in a hint to the possibility of
resorting to public demonstrations by the March 14 Forces as one of the means to
topple Lahoud. Geagea added that discussions to choose a new name for the
president are currently taking place, and added that next Wednesday, when the
third round of the national dialogue kicks off, will bring a clearer image as to
who the new president would be. "I am with a strong president ... but the
strength is not only in public support ... a strong president should enjoy honor
and integrity, and this is very important," he said.
Geagea added that he did not oppose Aoun reaching presidency, but said, "if
circumstances prevent Aoun from being president, there are a lot of strong
Christian candidates."Geagea also discussed the issue of disarming Hizbullah,
saying the national dialogue is dealing with two different points of view on it.
"This issue will take a lot of discussions because it is very delicate and
complicated," Geagea said.
Qassem: Hizbullah is ready to retaliate against Israeli attack
Daily Star staff-Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Sunday the
party "is all set to retaliate against any Israeli attack." In a conference
organized by Hizbullah in Baalbek, Qassem stated the national dialogue was aimed
at "convincing the parties to reach common interests" and Hizbullah agreed to
participate as it considered it "a positive step toward resolving some of
Lebanon's problems." "We have proven the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms,
which are to be recovered via diplomacy or resistance. We haven't reached a
decision yet," he added. He further said his party "refuses any guarantees" as
what happened in Jericho, was the result of "an Israeli-U.S.-British deal, which
proves that we cannot trust guarantees." Qassem expressed his party's
willingness to discuss the future of the resistance.
"Citizens won't succumb to the calls of the UN Security Council," he added. He
clarified that "the resistance was founded in 1982 and since then, it has not
hurt any sect, on the contrary, it protected the Christians before the Muslims
and never used its weapons." "Why should others fear the resistance, yet we
don't have the right to be afraid of Israel?" he asked.
When asked about the issue of President Emile Lahoud, Qassem replied "If we
consider the president's term illegal then Parliament is illegal and all
decisions taken since the extension are invalid." "A big faction of the Lebanese
don't think that Lahoud is the problem," he said. He also mentioned that "the
U.S. is trying to use Lebanon as a lever to exert pressure on Syria and comfort
Israel." He praised the consensus between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic
Movement and expressed the group's rejection of any deal over ousting the
presidency and keeping the resistance's arms. - The Daily Star
Brazilian police find love letters among Qoleilat's belongings
Daily Star staff-Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: The arrest of Al-Madina Bank's former executive secretary Rana Qoleilat
is still making headlines in Brazil, as its media and locals follow the issue
around the clock. It was reported on Saturday that the Sao Paolo-based police
found love letters among the belongings of the woman suspected of having a
connection to the murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
Among the letters found, there are some that relate the tale of Al-Madina Bank
and other related scandals.
One letter highlighted a relationship between Qoleilat and a man named
"Mahmoud," who works in the real estate sector. Qoleilat reportedly met Mahmoud
through a deal that turned into a love story.
According to another letter addressed solely to "dear brother," Mahmoud took
advantage of this passion and Qoleilat could never refuse any of Mahmoud's
demands. Qoleilat acknowledged in the letter that she transferred money from the
bank to Mahmoud, adding elsewhere "if you [plural] don't deposit a sum of the
money in my account, you will seriously hurt me; do you want me to talk?"
Qoleilat's letter added: "Everything I experienced makes me more convinced that
I can't trust anybody."
"Had I done this to a dog, it would have shown me loyalty, but from them, [I can
get] nothing ... dear brother, this is not a document, this group does not know
anything about trust."The media reported that Lebanon will file a request to the
judicial authorities in Brazil next week to extradite Qoleilat after the
Lebanese Foreign Ministry dispatched a diplomatic portfolio to Brazil on
Saturday. Lebanon's Ambassador Fouad Khoury is expected to receive the portfolio
and transmit the extradition request to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.
Diplomatic sources said Qoleilat could be handed over to the Lebanese
authorities in the coming days. - The Daily Star
Sfeir urges government to improve living conditions,
create jobs
By Maroun Khoury -Daily Star correspondent
Monday, March 20, 2006
BKIRKI: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir urged government officials to
try to improve the Lebanese people's living conditions, an issue he said "can no
longer be delayed." Speaking during Sunday's sermon from Bkirki, Sfeir said he
was glad that the national dialogue is progressing in a climate of mutual
understanding.
But he added that it was "necessary to find job opportunities for the new
generations to stop them from emigrating permanently, something that greatly
harms the country." The prelate also insisted on respecting nature and the
environment to safeguard the life of people from diseases and pandemics, adding
that ethics and politics play an important role in this sector.
After the service, Sfeir met with MP George Adwan, who said he discussed with
the Patriarch various issues, including the preparation of a fair electoral law.
Asked about the name of the candidate that would take the reins of power after
President Emile Lahoud, Adwan said several names were "under discussion," adding
that the most important thing now is to find a candidate who is powerful enough
and has the capacity and independence to be president and is concerned about
fighting corruption. As for President Emile Lahoud's defiance that the
parliamentary majority should hold new elections to determine whether they still
are truly representative of the Lebanese, Adwan said: "We live in a country
where dialogue, not defiance, should prevail."Adwan said that the issue of the
presidency will be tackled in the national dialogue on Wednesday. But he could
not predict when an agreement will be reached, "because the issue does not
depend on a party or person but several parties."
HRW slams use of military courts to prosecute dissent
Monday, March 20, 2006-Daily Star
New York: On Monday, one of Lebanon's prominent human rights lawyers is due to
appear before a Beirut military court on slander charges for having denounced
the authorities' use of such courts to prosecute critics of the government,
Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on Lebanese authorities
to drop charges against Dr. Mohammad Mugraby, a lawyer and human rights activist
whom prosecutors have charged with "slandering the military establishment and
its officers."
The charge carries a prison term of up to three years. Mugraby was charged after
he delivered a speech on November 4, 2003, to a European Parliament delegation
in Brussels, where he criticized the Lebanese government's practice of using
military courts to prosecute civilians for dissent. He also told the delegation
that the military judges lacked adequate legal training, and he condemned the
use of torture to coerce confessions from suspects appearing before the military
tribunals.
"The prosecution of Dr. Mugraby casts doubt on Lebanon's commitment to human
rights reform," said Joe Stork, deputy director of the Middle East and North
Africa division at Human Rights Watch. "No one should face jail for peacefully
criticizing the government or the military." Human Rights Watch also expressed
concern that Mugraby's trial before the same military court system that he is
charged with having criticized will not conform to international fair trial
standards. The Human Rights Committee - the body authorized to interpret and
monitor compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, to which Lebanon is a state party - has stated that the trial of
civilians by military courts should be very exceptional and occur only under
conditions that genuinely afford full due process.
Lebanon's military courts do not meet such conditions. In 1997 the United
Nations Human Rights Committee noted, in its concluding observations on Lebanon,
its concern regarding "the procedures followed by these military courts, as well
as the lack of supervision of the military courts' procedures and verdicts by
the ordinary courts."
Moreover, Mugraby's prosecution violates his right to freedom of expression as
guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, and his right "to promote and to strive for the protection and
realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and
international levels," as expressed in Article 1 of the United Nations
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. This is not the first time that the
Lebanese authorities have prosecuted and harassed Mugraby. In August 2003,
officials arrested Mugraby and detained him for three weeks on apparently
politically motivated charges of "impersonating a lawyer." That arrest followed
repeated attempts by the Beirut Bar Association to prevent Mugraby from
practicing as a lawyer. This harassment took place while Mugraby was campaigning
for investigations into judicial corruption and for an inquiry into the
"disappearances" of two Lebanese nationals who had been transferred to Syrian
custody in 1997. - Source: Human Rights Watch
Seminar highlights Kamal Jumblatt's feats
By Maher Zeineddine -Daily Star correspondent
Monday, March 20, 2006
CHOUF: Marking the 29th year since the killing of Progressive Socialist Party
founder Kamal Jumblatt, the PSP and the Democratic Leftist Movement organized a
seminar chaired by the DLM vice president Ziad Majed.
Majed said Jumblatt was the first Lebanese, four decades ago, to call for social
justice and the concept of humanity under the heading of democracy, freedom and
human values. "His rhetoric was different from many socialists at the time; it
was based on Arabism, bold, noble, contemporary and could have laid the
foundations for a new concept of what is leftist and what is socialist."
According to Majed, Jumblatt was the first to talk about the "big Arab prison"
and the military regimes that were established following coup d'etats and
repression from regimes incapable of assuming the task of development, the
construction of a democratic state and the confrontation of the Israeli enemy.
"This is perhaps what caused his assassination in 1977," Majed said. "Today, we
hold a dialogue to find a solution to oust President Emile Lahoud, the last
symbol of Syrian tutelage and intelligence; a solution to regulate Hizbullah's
arms and set a defensive strategy against the Israeli enemy; and a solution to
establish national reconciliation," Majed added. Elsewhere, the PSP in the
Baabda town of Abbadieh organized an open dialogue with former MP Fares Soueid,
with the participation of representatives of various local associations and the
March 14 Forces. Soueid said the March 14 Forces, despite their mistakes,
realized many achievements based on Christian-Muslim communication. He stressed
the importance of developing the March 14 spirit, i.e. "to acknowledge that
coexistence is not consensus on sectarian spoil-sharing within the state, but a
result of calls to build a state and run affairs together."
Lahoud strikes back at March 14 barrage during
Al-Jazeera interview
'They are exploiting the blood of the martyr Hariri'
By Nafez Qawas -Daily Star correspondent
Monday, March 20, 2006
BEIRUT: President Emile Lahoud lashed out at the March 14 Forces over the
weekend, responding in a television interview to accusations and blames thrown
at him by the parliamentary majority. During an interview with Qatari television
Al-Jazeera, Lahoud said, of the parliamentary majority describing him as a
"symbol of the Syrian security regime": "Those who called me a Syrian symbol in
Lebanon are the same people who had spent most of their time in Syria under the
Syrian tutelage seeking their personal interests."He continued: "They had
visited Syria much more often than I did, and at the time they were satisfied."
"I believe they are exploiting the blood of (late former Premier) martyr Hariri
to achieve their personal goals," he said.
He also said that MP Walid Jumblatt used to mediate between him and late former
head of the Syrian intelligence in Lebanon, Ghazi Kenaan. As to Lebanese Forces
leader Samir Geagea's calls on Lahoud that he should resign, Lahoud said: "I am
surprised by this man's attitude. He speaks about national dialogue and about me
leaving office as if his hands were clean of blood. He must have forgotten his
bloody past including the assassination of former Premier Rashid Karami, Tony
Franjieh and his family and executing army officers." He continued: "I have no
blood stains on my hands so I can speak."
Lahoud stressed he will remain in office until the end of his term but proposed
the holding of early parliamentary elections as a way out of the presidential
crisis. "If I quit now, it might be thought that I was a traitor, or that I had
violated the Constitution," he said, referring to the only two instances for
which a head of state can be prosecuted.
Addressing the parliamentary majority, Lahoud said: "If they claim they are the
parliamentary majority, let them hold early elections and see whether this is
true. If they do not fear anything, let them call for early elections and let
the new legislators elect a new president."He further noted that with the
emergence of new alliances, "they don't have a majority anymore."
The president reiterated his support for the leader of the Free Patriotic
Movement, MP Michel Aoun, to succeed him when his term ends in November 2007.
Lahoud described Aoun as "a man of his word."
"He resembles me and could continue the work we have begun, as he graduated from
the same military school (as Lahoud), respects his promises and fights against
corruption; unlike many other politicians who would bribe to ensure their
interests."
"During my command of the army and later when I became president, I refused to
take money which was sent to me in bags as bribery; I refused to meet their
demands and take their money," he said.
Commenting on the national dialogue, the president said: "Since my term was
extended, I have always been calling for dialogue among all parties to resolve
all pending matters. Unfortunately, no one responded to my calls."
Lahoud described Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir as a "wise man,"
adding that the prelate "is keen on Lebanon's interests and sovereignty and he
did not want to be involved in the presidency issue."As to the issue of the
resistance, the president stressed that the Shebaa Farms were Lebanese and that
the "presence of a national resistance was legitimate and justifiable."Lahoud
said former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "exerted all efforts to
persuade him to announce that Israel withdrew from all the Lebanese
territories.""I told her that many Lebanese areas, including Shebaa Farms were
still under Israeli occupation," he said. Replying to a question on whether he
was involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Lahoud
stressed that he was the person "that was affected the most by Hariri's death."
"I believe those who killed Hariri were the enemies of Lebanon and Emile
Lahoud," he said, adding that he had no personal differences with Hariri,
explaining that they "only had different approaches to running the country's
affairs."
He noted that Hariri's son, MP Saad Hariri, and French President Jacques Chirac
were "exerting joint efforts to oust me out of revenge and out of conviction
that I was always at odds with Hariri." Lahoud also said that he supported "from
the beginning the investigations into the Al-Madina Bank scandal and its links
with money embezzlement.""The Central Bank governor told me that many Lebanese
politicians, who wanted to run for the presidency, have links with the scandal."
- With Naharnet