Saniora Ruling Bloc Revokes Sedition Decisions

Saniora Ruling Bloc Revokes Sedition Decisions

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15/05/2008 Ten days on its declaration of war against the Resistance, the unconstitutional government of Fouad Saniora had no choice other than to revoke its decisions concerning the resistance's communications network and the head of the airport security. The decision was announced by Information Minister in the unconstitutional government Ghazi Aridi after a lengthy cabinet meeting which lasted more than five hours and ended shortly before midnight. "And since the two decisions have not been executed yet, and no decree has been issued to implement them, and after negotiations, the cabinet decided the following, the approval of (Army Commander) General Michel Suleiman's proposal which includes the cancellation of those two decisions, Aridi read after a long introduction that exceeded 500 words in which the ruling bloc sought to justify its retreat. Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar noted that the cabinet meeting took so long because Saniora's ministerial team was divided. "Some of the ministers, mainly Elias El-Murr (Defense) and Nayla Moawwad (Social Affairs) as well as Joe Sarkis (Tourism), had initially refused to agree on revoking the decisions," the daily said. They later agreed after PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt contacted them and persuaded them, that it's their only option. Lebanese daily As-Safir also noted that Jumblatt threatened that his bloc's ministers Ghazi Aridi (Information) and Nehme Tohme (Displaced), but not Marwan Hmade (Telecommunications), would resign from the unconstitutional government if no decision was taken. Saniora and his ruling bloc had taken two block decisions to remove the head of Beirut's international airport security Wafiq Shqeir and to consider the resistance's communications network as illegal, in the wake of Jumblatt's press conference two weeks earlier. Jumblatt, who has been assailing Hezbollah, the resistance and Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in person, conveyed a message to Sayyed Nasrallah that "dispute between us is temporary…and Mount Lebanon as well as Beirut would continue to embrace the resistance." … AND WHAT'S NEXT? Just after the unconstitutional government revoked the two black decisions, resistance supporters were seen across the country. They underlined their commitment to Hezbollah's wise political choices to defend the country, adding that "what happened was a major blow to the US-backed regime and not to our partners in this country, regardless of their religions or sects." As-Safir said Sayyed Nasrallah is expected to appear on Thursday in a TV message to announce the end of the national opposition's civic disobedience and clear the way for reopening all closed roads and public facilities. Next is national dialogue, whether in Lebanon or in Qatar. Al-Akhbar reported that consultations were held late Wednesday in Phoenicia hotel between Sayyed Nasrallah and Speaker Nabih Berri's political advisors Hajj Hussein Khalil and MP Ali Hasan Khalil respectively, and former MP Ghattas Khoury and Saniora's advisor Mohamad Shatah as well as MP Saad Hariri's advisor Hani Hammoud. The deliberations aimed at reaching a consensus on the final statement to be issued by the Arab delegation on Thursday afternoon.