2008-06-30

'International Intervention Delaying Gov't Formation'

'International Intervention Delaying Gov't Formation'

Readers Number : 238

30/06/2008 The head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun said Monday that international intervention is taking place in a bid to prevent the formation of a new government.

Speaking to reporters after heading the weekly meeting of his parliamentary bloc, Aoun stressed that "some international and regional players who had left the domestic game have entered the game again through the cabinet line-up."

While hinting it was not "so great" to take part in the new government, Aoun insisted that the cabinet must be formed "and that we participate in it." "Since the 2006 sit-in, we have been fighting for participation in the government," he recalled.

Aoun said he hoped that after the 2009 parliamentary elections, his party would gain power in a better way. "We have enough popular sympathy to make it, and we have the curiosity to know what is happening in power," he stressed, adding that "for the past 16 years, they have had control over everything."

He accused the loyalty of demanding more compromises from him. "Whatever compromises we offer, they ask for more," Aoun said, adding that "we demand one thing and we are given another." "Whatever you demand, they make it seem like they are giving you something. They are not giving us anything – this is our right."

The FPM leader said his demands were reasonable. "We are not demanding too much," he stressed. "And who says that during negotiations one should accept everything he is offered?"

He denied that differences over the shares in the new the cabinet were among opposition parties, but between the opposition and Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora. "Beyond the harm we have sustained, they blame us. At the end of the day, we are not in charge. There is an incumbent premier, and he is responsible not to leak [false] information to the public," he said.

Again Sayyed Nasrallah Fulfills His “Sincere Promise”

Again Sayyed Nasrallah Fulfills His “Sincere Promise”
Hanan Awarekeh Readers Number : 514

30/06/2008 “The detainees are our commitment and Samir Kintar and his brothers will soon return to Lebanon." Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has made this pledge on more than an occasion, and today the true promise of the resistance leader is to be fulfilled within a few days when Kintar and his brothers will put years of detention behind them.

On Sunday, the Israeli cabinet approved on a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah in which two Israeli occupation soldiers captured by resistance fighters in July 2006 are to be released and in return Israel is to set free Lebanese detainees and dozens of Palestinians.

Sources in Israel said the swap deal would probably take place by July 12, when Lebanon and Hezbollah mark the second anniversary of victory.

After five hours of tense debate, 22 ministers voted in favor of the deal and three others - Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann and Housing and Construction Minister Ze'ev Boim - voted against it.

REPORT: HEZBOLLAH TOLD ISRAEL RON ARAD IS DEAD
Israeli dailies Haaretz and Yediot Aharonot reported Monday that United Nations negotiator Gerhard Konrad has reportedly delivered a message to Israel from Hezbollah indicating that missing Israel Air Force navigator Ron Arad is dead. Hezbollah will hand over a report, which is said to detail the organization's efforts to obtain information on Arad, as part of the second stage of the prisoner swap agreement. Arad has been missing in action since his plane went down over Lebanon in 1986.

In exchange, Israel will give Hezbollah a report on the fate of four Iranian diplomats kidnapped by the Lebanese Forces of Samir Geagea during the Lebanon war in the 1980s and handed over to Israel.

If Konrad approves the reports, the third stage will ensue: Hezbollah will return the two captured soldiers or their remains if they are no longer alive, as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said yesterday was the case "as far as is known." Hezbollah will also hand over the last of the remains of Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

In exchange, Israel will deliver Kintar to Hezbollah, along with four Hezbollah resistance fighters who were captured in the Second Lebanon War and the remains of a few dozen bodies, including those of eight Hezbollah fighters. This phase will take place at the Nakoura crossing under Red Cross auspices.

In the final stage, within a month after the swap is made, Israel will release a number of Palestinian detainees of its choosing. Cabinet members are set to discuss the list in the coming weeks.

At the cabinet meeting on Sunday, Mossad chief Meir Dagan objected to Dekel's statement that he and Konrad believed Hezbollah had no significant information about Arad. Dagan, who said Dekel "did not have the tools" to evaluate this because he lacked all the information, came out strongly against the deal, insisting that it would damage Israel by strengthening Hezbollah.

"Samir Kintar is the bargaining chip for Ron Arad," said Dagan. "He is a symbol." However, Dagan conceded that leaving Kintar in jail would not get Israel new information about Arad.

BAR-ON: IF WE CEDE KUNTAR, BARGHOUTI WILL BE NEXT
The three ministers who voted against the swap said that the deal constitutes a victory for Hezbollah. "After the release of Kintar, who will be able to stop the release of Marwan Barghouti?"

Finance Minister Bar-On expressed his objection to the release of Palestinian detainees. “It will give (Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah solutions for the Palestinian issues, which I believe is a dangerous precedent," he said, adding that it will also push the price for (Gilad) Shalit up.”

Justice Minister Friedmann argued during the debate that approval of the deal will send a message of weakness. "It is a terrible deal. The price is too high. We must not release Samir Kintar, because it will be a huge victory for Hezbollah" Friedmann said.

Lebanese Army warns Against Media Agitation

Lebanese Army warns Against Media Agitation

Readers Number : 63

30/06/2008 The Lebanese army command on Monday urged troops to safeguard their unity by disregarding media agitation.
In a release to soldiers and officers, the army command warned that some factions harmed by the a climate of reconciliation following recent violence, especially in the Bekaa region and northern Lebanon, seek to disturb security.

The release urges troops to regard the sensitivity of this period and lend a deaf ear to what's being circulated in some media outlets from reports to opinions and denominational criticism that only serve instability.
Some media outlets, the release said, also charge up reports which "misguide citizens and agitate feeling." “Some politicians and political analysts are giving false statements and casting doubts over the army’s role, and they are interfering in its internal operations in an attempt to make it take sides and get it involved in the sectarian struggle,” the army statement read.

The release also said army units should "cooperate with citizens, especially in tense areas, by encouraging them to relay information about developments in their neighborhoods."

The command reiterated that it would save no effort to safeguard the people's security and safety and reiterated the army’s readiness to make sacrifices and help rebuild the country.

Lebanon Solution Pending Saudi-Syrian "Intersection"

Lebanon Solution Pending Saudi-Syrian "Intersection"

Readers Number : 39

30/06/2008 The regional and international intersection that made the election of a Lebanese president possible is likely to subside, a Western diplomatic report revealed, according to the German News Agency. The report noted that the US retreat in Lebanon was not strategic but tactic.

It stressed that Saudi Arabia linked any communication with Syria to a series of conditions, including handing over the files of "terrorists and Saudi born Al-Qaeda operatives" and extradite them to Saudi Arabia to be tries according to Saudi rules. Another condition is that Syria considers the Saudi standpoint regarding Muslim Sunnis in Lebanon and the need to deal with them as friends not enemies. Also among the conditions, according to the German News Agency, is that Syria reconsiders its relations with Iran and stands behind the "Arab row in confronting the Iranian-Shiite expansion."

The report also noted that, on the other hand, Syria is looking forward for a comprehensive settlement of a series of outstanding issues between the two countries, on top of which is that the Saudi Kingdom stops backing anti-Syrian regime Sunnis, like former Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam who's residing in Paris under French protection and Saudi financial support.

The report said that Syria had earlier requested Saudi Arabia to stop interfering in internal Syrian affairs, by extraditing Khaddam to Syria for trial, knowing that Damascus is aware that Khaddam has been given personal guarantee from Saudi King Abdallah as long as the former VP recovers in Riyadh hospitals.

The report concluded that the Lebanese crisis will not find its way to solution if the Syrian-Saudi intersection was not restored and unless the international community decided to drag Lebanon out of international disputes.

Cabinet Line-Up Jammed, Saniora Could Impose Gov't!

Cabinet Line-Up Jammed, Saniora Could Impose Gov't!
Hussein Assi Readers Number : 141

30/06/2008 Amid exchanged accusations between rival political parties on the identity of the obstructer of the cabinet formation, the situation seems to be more perplexed in Lebanon with the beginning of another week without a national-unity government.

Indeed, rays of sunshine that penetrated through the grayness of last week vanished on the weekend when PM designate Fouad Saniora withdrew his proposal to MP General Michel Aoun to take the telecommunications portfolio, thus returning everything to square one and opening the way to all possibilities. Saniora withdrew his proposal shortly after receiving US charge d'Affaires Michelle Sisson Saturday.

Meanwhile, talks have been intensified during the last few hours within the opposition camp, in a clear indication to the urgent need to form the cabinet as soon as possible. The head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Aoun held a meeting with the head of the Marada Movement former minister Suleiman Franjieh as well as representatives from Hezbollah at Aoun's residence in Rabiyeh late Sunday, An-Nahar daily reported. The paper also noted that an opposition delegation was set to meet with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to discuss the cabinet formation during the next few hours.

But Saniora, on the other hand, has reportedly suspended talks and consultations with the Free Patriotic Movement, accusing Aoun of obstructing the cabinet formation through his many requests and conditions. Saniora's accusations were rejected by Aoun's camp, as sources from his Free Patriotic Movement told An-Nahar that the party would accept Saniora's previous offer "for the sake of facilitating the formation of the cabinet" if he reinstates it.

JUMBLATT TO RECONSIDER GIVING UP TELECOMMUNICATIONS PORTFOLIO
For his part, the head of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc MP Walid Jumblatt joined Saniora in his campaign against Aoun, threatening to reconsider his "tentative approval of giving up the telecommunications portfolio in the forthcoming cabinet." The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said Jumblatt has relayed his stand to MP Saad Hariri (the head of the Future Parliamentary bloc) upon the latter's return from Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

HUSSEINI CALLS ON SANIORA TO STEP DOWN
Meanwhile, calls for Saniora to step down continued after he failed in forming the cabinet, more than one month on his nomination as PM-Designate. Former Speaker Hussein Al-Husseini called on Saniora to step down as "he is not capable of establishing a government."
Speaking during a TV interview, al-Husseini urged President Suleiman to start his term of office with a neutral and balanced interim government.

HOURI DECLARES INTENTION TO IMPOSE GOVERNMENT; NICOLAS RETORTS: LET THEM TRY!
However, it's very unlikely that Saniora will abandon his post to other potential candidates. Instead, it seems that he intends to impose a cabinet line-up and observe the reactions of the different parties.
"Saniora and President Michel Suleiman are close to taking a decision to go ahead with the formation of a new cabinet irrespective of whether Aoun agrees to the distribution of government portfolios," Future MP Ammar Houri told the Daily Star. Houri claimed Aoun's performance with respect to the formation of the new cabinet indicated that he was not serious about joining the government. "It seems he prefers to approach next year's parliamentary polls while still in the ranks of the opposition," Houri added.

For his part, Change and Reform MP Nabil Nicholas told the Daily Star that speaking about moving ahead with forming a new cabinet irrespective of whether the opposition agrees to the distribution of portfolios proves that Saniora was still operating with the "same old mentality." "Let them try to form the cabinet this way ... we will sit back and clap," he said sarcastically.

teddy

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2008-06-29

Hezbollah Denies Military Presence in Sannine

Hezbollah Denies Military Presence in Sannine

Readers Number : 549

29/06/2008 Hezbollah's Media Relations Office denied Sunday in a statement "March 14" claims about the existence of military points in the Sannine mountains.
"It seems that the forces of March 14 have resorted to the policy that distinguishes them in their rhetoric in the media that is based on: lie, lie, lie until people believe you. But the people know that they are lying and inciting," the statement read. does not believe, and know they are lying and inciting,” Hezbollah said.

The statement added that "the accusations by the moguls of March 14 forces to Hezbollah of having military points in the mountains of Sannine and standing in the way of individuals, are unfounded." The statement was clearly pointing to former President Amine Gemayel who also head the Phalanges Party, who made the claims.
"They ought not cause tension with such delusions. They should have sought information from concerned security services on any incidents that may have occurred," the statement added.

The Hezbollah statement concluded by stating that the party puts "this fabricated lie" at the hands of security and judicial forces to expose these claims.

Sisson Visits Saniora, Agreement on Cabinet Falls Down

Sisson Visits Saniora, Agreement on Cabinet Falls Down
Hussein Assi Readers Number : 538

29/06/2008 Lebanon is stuck between red lines and white smoke.
Once again, an agreement reached over the distribution of portfolios in the national-unity government falls down before seeing light.

On Friday morning, everything seemed to be going on the right track and the hope of the Lebanese to see a new government by the end of the week has risen. But, as usual in Lebanon, everything changed in a fraction of second.

Indeed, the optimist atmosphere that prevailed on that morning transformed into pessimism after sunset, and a new day was added to the extended crisis of the cabinet formation more than one month on nominating Fouad Saniora as PM-Designate.

The return to square one came shortly after the US Charge d'Affaires in Lebanon Michelle Sisson visited Saniora. The Prime Minister designate withdrew a proposal he had submitted one day earlier to the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun, in a clear attempt to delay the solution pending some changes in the region.

A member of Aoun's bloc, MP Nabil Nicolas, read Sisson's visit well and accused directly US diplomat of thwarting the agreement that was reached over the establishment of the government, stating that the US scheme was still controlling Lebanon.
Speaking to Al-Manar, Nicolas reminded of the many concessions his bloc has made to facilitate the cabinet formation. "General Aoun abandoned everything (including presidency) and, despite having 22 parliamentary seats, he agreed to drop his demand for a basic portfolio. What happened? The proposal offered us regular portfolios as well as the post of vice PM, an honorary post that is not even mentioned in the constitution. The loyalty bloc also considers basic ministries of telecommunications, justice and public affairs as red lines," he said.

In the same context, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) sources held Saniora responsible of the obstruction of the cabinet formation, saying that the party has returned to demand its initial right for a basic portfolio. FPM political relations official Gebran Bassil stressed his camp is "withdrawing the concession it recently made and in which we accepted two basic portfolios and the seat of deputy premier." "We want a sovereign portfolio," Bassil stressed during a TV interview.

SULEIMAN HOPES CABINET WOULD BE FORMED WITHIN 48 HOURS
However, there are always rays of sunshine in a cloudy sky.
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said Saturday he was hopeful that a new cabinet would be announced within 48 hours. "There is no excuse for not forming a national unity government, particularly after the agreement we reached in Doha," Suleiman told the diplomatic corps visiting him at the Baabda presidential palace.

"It is important that the cabinet is set up within the next 48 hours," Suleiman stressed. He called on the various political leaders to facilitate the formation of the new cabinet. "He who doesn't facilitate the cabinet formation would be committing a grave mistake," Suleiman said, adding that "our internal problems are not that important compared to our main problem with the Israeli enemy."

BERRI WARNS THINGS CANNOT PROCEED THIS WAY
For his part, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stressed the need to calm down and defuse tension.
"We need to calm down the atmosphere and allow cold-headed people" to tackle the issue, he told Lebanese daily An-Nahar, warning at the same time that "things cannot proceed this way."

RAAD: A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE TO START BILLOWING UP
Earlier, the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Mohamad Raad also expressed optimism. He said good news should come out within the next few days after obstacles facing the cabinet line-up have been eliminated.
"We have overcome the difficult time and now we should grab the opportunity in the coming days in order to achieve big success," Raad said at a ceremony in the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh.

He said that a cloud of "white" smoke will start billowing up through the sky soon.

MUSSA WARNS: LEBANON IS NEARING THE RED LINES!
Meanwhile, Arab Secretary General Amr Mussa sounded the alarm, saying Lebanon was nearing the red lines. "Mines are being planted in Lebanon in extremely dangerous circumstances," he said.

Speaking to pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, Mussa stressed a settlement should emerge from within Lebanon. "We wait to find out how Lebanese politicians would deal with efforts to from the cabinet," he added.

2008-06-28

One Killed, 29 Injured in Tripoli, Northern Lebanon

One Killed, 29 Injured in Tripoli, Northern Lebanon

Readers Number : 666

28/06/2008 A deadly blast ripped through an apartment building in the northern town of Tripoli Saturday killing one person and wounding 29, police reported.

Three people also were wounded by sniper fire from the Baal Mohsen district targeting rescuers and civilians crowded in the Tabbaneh district to help victims of the targeted building.

The blast, which echoed at 5:30 am, resulted from a 20-kilogram charge of heavy explosives attached to a timer and planted in a special lift owned by a handicapped resident of the stricken Eid building, according to a police official.

Ambulances, sirens wailing, rushed to evacuate casualties from the building, and rescuers encountered difficulties in carrying out their duties due to sniper fire targeting the streets, according to police reports.

2008-06-27

Ban: No Progress With Shebaa Farms Issue

Ban: No Progress With Shebaa Farms Issue

Readers Number : 337

27/06/2008 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has expressed disappointment over "lack of progress" in the formation of a new national unity cabinet in Lebanon, urging the full implementation of the Doha accord which ended the country's protracted political crisis.

"The Doha Agreement should be fully implemented. We were encouraged by the election of President Michel Suleiman. However, we have been very much disappointed by the lack of progress in forming a national unity government," Ban said in New York Thursday ahead of a visit to northeast Asia.
He said he was briefed by U.N. officials, who are in contact with Lebanese leaders, that the cabinet may be formed soon.
"I sincerely hope that they will be able to announce the formation of a national unity government," he said.

On the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area, Ban said his senior cartographer has already concluded his work in the provisional delineation of the zone, "without any reference to ownership."
"This is something where we need flexibility and the political will of all the parties concerned," the U.N. chief told reporters.

The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar published excerpts from UN Ban’s report on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which he is expected to submit to the council by the end of this month.

“The report denies any progress with the Shebaa Farms issue and reveals UNIFIL’s possession of reconnaissance planes,” the daily reported.

"Blocking Election Law Tantamount to Declaring War"

"Blocking Election Law Tantamount to Declaring War"

Readers Number : 362

27/06/2008 In an interview with Naharnet, Free Patriotic Movement official Alain Aoun said the key to solving the government formation issue is allowing the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc to have either the justice or communications portfolios.
Aoun said a breakthrough in efforts by Premier-designate Fouad Saniora to form the cabinet is "expected any time now."

"Discussions at present focus on a proposal that goes along the lines of giving the opposition one sovereign portfolio and other basic portfolios. Opposition factions would agree among themselves on sharing these portfolios," he said.
"There is no problem whether we or Speaker Nabih Berri control the sovereign portfolio," Aoun added.

He also said that the problem with the majority is differences over other basic portfolios, namely the justice and communications ministries.

Aoun noted that a compromise proposal under consideration gives the opposition a sovereign portfolio, while the Change and Reform bloc gets either the communications or justice ministries as well as the seat of deputy premier in addition to a number of "services ministries, including the public works portfolio."

Aoun reported "major progress" in efforts to form the cabinet after Speaker Nabih Berri informed Saniora of the latest opposition proposal.

He accused the majority of having "suspicious" motives to insist on maintaining the justice and communications portfolios.

"No one more than us is keen on safeguarding justice," Aoun said

He rejected charges by the "March 14" camp that the opposition was blocking efforts to form the new cabinet.
"The opposition carried out its commitments by electing President Michel Suleiman, calling off the sit-in … the side that is making steps forward is not the side that is blocking," Aoun said.
He warned that if no cabinet is formed "we would certainly observe an attempt to block the election law."
"Blocking the election law would be tantamount to a declaration of war," he added.

Suleiman: Resistance is a Source of Strength

Suleiman: Resistance is a Source of Strength

Readers Number : 239

27/06/2008 President Michel Suleiman received Thursday a delegation representing the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc headed by MP Mohamad Raad. Suleiman stressed "the Israeli enemy was the primary beneficiary of any crisis in Lebanon." He also underlined the importance of Lebanese solidarity in addressing the current political, economic and security crises.
“Whenever disagreements occur among the Lebanese, Israel feels satisfied that it has achieved its objectives,” the President added. He also said that "the national resistance” was “a source of strength for all of Lebanon," and that continuing dialogue among the Lebanese was crucial.

Next Two Days Crucial for Government Formation

Next Two Days Crucial for Government Formation

Readers Number : 642

27/06/2008 Reports on the government formation process said that the next couple of days are crucial as the Cabinet could be announced within the next day or two.

The daily An-Nahar on Friday said the issue over cabinet portfolios has been settled after Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora agreed to give Change and Reform parliamentary bloc leader MP General Michel Aoun a sovereign post – deputy premier.

Saniora dispatched his adviser, Mohammad Shatah, to visit Aoun "to discuss suggestions concerning the cabinet make-up."

For its part, the Al-Akhbar newspaper said the positive change has emerged after President Michel Suleiman and the ruling camp were told that "no way will the opposition approve a cabinet line-up without giving Aoun what he deserves."

Meanwhile, the daily As-Safir said Aoun will hold a round of talks with his allies in the opposition on Friday, while Saniora is expected to hold similar contacts with leaders from the ruling bloc in light of a threat by Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

Geagea on Thursday said that his party "should receive a sovereign portfolio if Aoun gets one."

Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri told the Lebanese daily An-Nahar that if the government is not established in the next two days, Lebanon will reach a dead end. “The coming 48 hours will be crucial regarding the establishment of the government,” Berri said, while confirming that the Shia sect will not represent any obstacles to progress. “If the matter of the government is not resolved by the end of today (Friday), we will enter a negative phase,” he said.
Berri also noted the need to form the cabinet because of the rise in the cost of living in Lebanon. The security situation has also been tense recently in more than an region; something that needs to be dealt with urgently before explosion.

2008-06-26

Moussawi: Loyalty Bloc Implements Foreign Decisions

Moussawi: Loyalty Bloc Implements Foreign Decisions

Readers Number : 505

26/06/2008 Hezbollah International Relations official Nawwaf Al-Moussawi accused the loyalty bloc of implementing a foreign decision aimed at delaying the establishment of the government, reminding of the latest opposition suggestion to give the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, headed by MP Michel Aoun, either the Telecommunications or Justice Ministry in addition to the post of the deputy prime minister.

Speaking to NOW Lebanon internet website, Al-Moussawi said that the opposition outlined in the last meeting of its leaders, a general vision of its solution to the present crisis, stressing that "the situation will not remain as such."

Moussawi slammed Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, accusing him of being dependant on MP Saad Hariri. "Geagea had no role in Doha, as his decisions came from Hariri," he said. "The discussions were held with General Aoun, who managed to redress in several electoral districts the rights of Christians," he added.

Commenting on the occupied Shebaa Farms, Moussawi reiterated that the purpose of the Resistance was and has always been the liberation of occupied Lebanese lands and the protection of Lebanon. "We will not wait for anyone’s permission in this regard," he vowed.

The Hezbollah official also addressed the latest May incidents that followed the then unconstitutional government's decision to declare the party's telecommunications network as illegal, stressing Hezbollah actions were in self-defense. "The party had warned after the January Mar Michael incidents that it would retaliate to any fire directed against it," Moussawi recalled.

"The talk of the Resistance invading Beirut is nothing but lies aimed at concealing the reality of the coup that was prepared to stab the resistance in its back," he added. Moussawi also revealed that there was a plan to isolate Beirut’s southern suburb from the capital and the Bekaa, "by deploying armed factions under the cover of security companies."
"These factions were deployed to surround Speaker Nabih Berri’s house and some other regions under opposition control," he pointed out.

2008-06-25

Egypt Supports UN Supervision of Shebaa Farms

Egypt Supports UN Supervision of Shebaa Farms

Readers Number : 174

25/06/2008 Egypt announced that it suggested to visiting Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert handing over the occupied Shebaa Farms area to the United Nations pending a resolution between Lebanon, Syria and Israel on its legitimate ownership.
In this context, Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sleiman Aouad said that his country favors putting the Shebaa Farms under UN supervision "until a decision is reached over handing them over to Lebanon or to Syria."

"These ideas are supported by European countries," Awad stressed Tuesday following one-on-one talks between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Olmert in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev, however, said ahead of the Israeli PM's visit to Egypt that Tel Aviv "wants to enter into direct negotiations with Lebanon to reach peace."

Lebanon has refused direct negotiation with Israel before all outstanding issues between them are settled.

"All issues, including the Shebaa Farms could be discussed, during the negotiations," Regev said, adding that the Lebanese are not willing to go into talks with Israel unless all "other tracks are solved."
The Egyptian announcement comes after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mentioned during a surprise visit to Lebanon last week that Washington thinks it is time a settlement over the "disputed territory" is reached in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The Shebaa Farms region is Lebanese given the title deeds presented to the UN and the Lebanese government, which proves the Farms are owned by Lebanese citizens. Some Lebanese who, not a long time ago, have been questioning the identity of the Farms, have yielded to Rice and her administration's decision and agreed the territories are Lebanese.
They want to withdraw the pretext from Hezbollah to hold arms by liberating the Farms. Hezbollah stressed that if the Shebaa Farms are liberated by arms or diplomatically, it would be a triumph for the resistance. The party also stressed that liberating the Shebaa Farms does not mean disarming the resistance.

Lebanon's Oil Slick Cleaned but Headache Continues

Lebanon's Oil Slick Cleaned but Headache Continues

Readers Number : 182

25/06/2008 Two years after the worst oil spill in the east Mediterranean left thousands of tones of crude over three-quarters of Lebanon's coast, the beaches are almost all clean but the troubles continue.

In July 2006, in the midst of the 33-day Israeli war against Lebanon, Israeli aircraft bombed a coastal power plant at Jiyeh, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Beirut. Around 15,000 tones of oil flooded into the sea and were carried by the current, leaving 150 kilometers (95 miles) of coastline covered with thick black residue. The once glitzy tourist beaches were covered with a film of filthy discharge and the breathtaking azure sea left blackened with oily deposits.

Now after two years' work dedicated to it, the Mediterranean has recovered its blue and the white sandy beaches are back to their sparkling former glory. Only the Jozor al-Nakhel, or Palm Tree Island, nature reserve, west of the northern town of Tripoli is still being cleaned.

But the impact of the spill remains a headache for Lebanon. At Jiyeh beach, more than 800 tones of oil-covered rocks and sand sit it huge heavy-duty plastic bags, only meters from the water's edge waiting for someone to work out how to get rid of them. The bags contain more than 80% oil and can be refined and used as energy fuel, however the government of Fouad Saniora has been turning a blind eye on the issue.

The lines of bags stretch along the beach, with some having spilled open, oozing sticky black trails down into the soft sand. "Each one of these bags holds two tones," said Mohammed Sarji, whose Bahr Lubnan (Sea of Lebanon) association has been working to clean the south coast beaches. "They are extremely durable but they are not designed to sit here in the sun, wind and rain for two years."

He added that the fuel ends up being absorbed by the soil and then filters into the ground water. "It is a crime," Sarji said. "The sea is clean but another aspect of the environment is being destroyed by neglecting this waste," he said. "The locals have threatened to move the waste to another site where it would damage other soil, or to burn it, which would cause a different ecological disaster due to the toxic fumes that would be released."

Lebanese environment ministry officials say they are examining all means of disposing of the waste. "The cost of clearing up the waste and (to repair the) environmental damage was set at 203 million dollars (130 million euros), but Lebanon has only been able to raise eight percent, so due to the shortage of funds, the NGOs have not been able to remove the waste," environment ministry official Ghada Mitri said.

Rima Tarabay, vice president of Bahr Lubnan, said her association had proposed giving the waste to the Lebanese branch of the Holcim cement works which had the ability to burn it, and which would not cost the state anything. "The ministry agreed, before going back on its decision," she
said.

"The waste cannot be buried or burnt because Lebanon does not have landfill or furnace facilities which can handle toxic waste," Mitri said.

"We have ruled out transferring the waste to an industrialized country with the expertise and equipment necessary to recycle it because the countries contacted have either refused or not replied," she said. "A feasibility study found we could not even use it as a base level for road building, because the waste was not of the standard required," she added. "We are now investigating the possibility of burying it in airtight containers after it has been treated."

No Breakthrough Yet, Saniora Refuses All Proposals

No Breakthrough Yet, Saniora Refuses All Proposals

Readers Number : 783

25/06/2008 On Tuesday, Lebanese PM-Designate Fouad Saniora renewed from the Baabda presidential palace his refusal to set a deadline for himself to form the national-unity government, rejecting calls to apologize and open the way for other potential premiers and disregarding the tense situation the governmental vacuum is causing.

Nothing strange, only one month has passed since Saniora was nominated as PM-Designate and he still doesn't seem in a hurry. Instead of searching for exits to this new crisis, the opposition is making proposal after the other to solve the problem of portfolio distribution, but in vain.
Saniora is just refusing, no decision to form the government seems to have been taken yet and no breakthrough towards ending the cabinet crisis seems to be in the offing.

However, the opposition doesn't seem to be ready to wait so long for Saniora to form the government, that should have been formed shortly after the Doha accord was signed. Lebanese daily As-Safir said that the opposition was likely to request a new Qatari intervention to stop obstructions of the Doha agreement. In this context, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned "the road to forming the government is still blocked, and this is not encouraging."

For his part, Health minister in the caretaker government Mohamad Jawad Khalife reiterated Berri's proposal to expand the basic portfolios into five or six could be feasible and allow the exit from the crisis. "The custom of dividing the four sovereign ministries was aimed at preserving the Muslim-Christian balance. But it doesn’t work anymore because now there is a division between a majority and a minority," he stressed.

FRANJIEH: OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP SUPPORTS GENERAL AOUN
The opposition reiterated that it was open to all solutions, but with respect to representative levels and rights. In this context, the head of the Marada Movement, former Minister Sleiman Franjieh stressed that the opposition believes that Aoun's demand (to have a basic portfolio) is a right that should be granted to him.

Speaking to Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Franjieh said that the opposition continues to hold onto its demand regarding the cabinet make-up.

Meanwhile, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar quoted presidential sources as saying that the formation of the government has reached an impasse and could be delayed till after the Mediterranean summit if it was not formed by the end of this week. The sources noted that the president Michel Suleiman has not decided yet if he will attend or not but he would like to have the government formed before the summit in case he attends.

BERRI: FOREIGN STATES HAVE HAD ENOUGH WITH LEBANESE
Speaking to Lebanese daily An-Nahar, Berri commented on the outcomes of the Vienna Donor conference to rebuild the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, north of Lebanon. He noted that the amount of money raised at the conference was only a quarter of the overall expected costs of rebuilding the camp.

"The money is not even enough to pay for the destruction that happened recently during clashes in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabban and Jabal Mohsen," Berri sarcastically pointed out, wondering "What’s the use of collecting two cents and spending 5 cents?"

GEAGEA WANTS DIALOGUE BEFORE ESTABLISHING GOVERNMENT
The loyalty bloc doesn't seem to care a lot about the delays in the government formation. According to its key figures, "there are priorities", giving the impression that they are anticipating some kind of change in the region.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Lebanon last week and met with the so called March 14 powers. The process of forming a government has been more complicated ever since.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea held a press conference Wednesday and, of course, assailed Hezbollah and General Aoun, accusing them of obstructing solutions.

Geagea refused the fact that Aoun's bloc represents the majority of Christians, seeking to assimilate his 3-member bloc to Aoun's. "If a basic ministry is given to General Aoun, the Lebanese Forces must also be given one," he said, claiming that Saniora "represents even more Christians than Aoun does."

According to Geagea, President Michel Suleiman needs to call for national dialogue, "even ahead of the government’s establishment if it is going to take time."

Former minister and former Phalanges Party chief Karim Pakradouni told Al-Manar that all the offers made to Aoun were aimed to embarrass him and exclude him from the cabinet make-up, "at a time Aoun is very well aware of their game." Pakradouni added that the constitution states that if a Prime Minister Designate fails to form a cabinet during one month, then he should step aside.

2008-06-24

Opposition Leaders Meet, Discuss Situation

Opposition Leaders Meet, Discuss Situation

Readers Number : 952

24/06/2008 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun and the head of the Marada movement former minister Sleiman Franjieh met on Friday and discussed the latest developments in light of the Doha agreement, according to Lebanese daily As-Safir.

The daily said that different scenarios were raised during the meeting concerning the necessity to accelerate the formation of the national-unity government approved at the Doha agreement. The conferees agreed on remaining open towards initiatives and ideas, stressing that the national opposition would reject all ideas that seek to weaken General Aoun in the next parliamentary elections.

As-Safir said that Hezbollah and Amal movement noted they wouldn't object to assigning the sovereign portfolio of their part to a Shiite figure to be nominated by General Aoun as a possible exit out of the crisis, paving the way for accelerating the cabinet formation. They wished the other bloc would respond positively to this proposal, mainly through breaking the veto they had put on some main portfolios such as the justice and the communication ministries.

The opposition leaders also decided to encourage the President of the Republic Michel Suleiman to pressure all political parties so that the government sees light as soon as possible, noting that the new reign is mainly hurt from the status-quo.

The Lebanese daily said that the opposition leaders refused that the actual situation persists, saying that it was unacceptable for everything to remain open to all possibilities. It noted that, if the government was not formed soon, Qatar would interfere to put an end to the ongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, Prime-Minister Designate Fouad Saniora, who returned to Lebanon early Tuesday from Vienna where he took part in a meeting for donor countries to rebuild the Nahr al-Bared Refugee camp, visited President Michel Suleiman and discussed with him the latest developments concerning the consultations over the cabinet formation.

After the meeting, Saniora said he would continue working with Suleiman on the government formation. He reiterated his belief in the possibility of a national unity government, refusing once again to set a deadline for the government formation.

Also on Tuesday, member of Loyalty to the Resistance MP Hussein Hajj Hassan slammed Saniora for describing General Aoun as a shield for Hezbollah as he guarantees them broader representation, saying that his speech was "lies and slander."

"Our solidarity with General Aoun is in his right to a legitimate parliamentary bloc, both in the number of seats and ministerial portfolios,” Hajj Hassan clarified.

At a press conference in parliament, the Hezbollah MP pointed out that recent accusations against his party by a number of Tripoli deputies led to the clashes. Their accusations were “nothing but a continuation of the injustice inflicted on Hezbollah,” he added.
“Unfortunately, this falls in line with the role played by a suspicious group that abuses and incites [parties] against the Resistance… in the service of America and Israel,” Hajj Hassan said.
Hajj Hassan called on his opponents to promote the interests of Lebanon through understanding, cooperation and speeding up the formation of a national unity government.

Lebanon 'Spiritual Summit' Aims to Push Reconciliation

Lebanon 'Spiritual Summit' Aims to Push Reconciliation

Readers Number : 372

24/06/2008 A summit between Muslim and Christian religious leaders, under the auspices of President Michel Suleiman, was held at Baabda Presidential Palace on Tuesday in a bid to boost national reconciliation.

"This gathering is a message to the Lebanese and the whole world that our country is built on morals and values, and politicians must act accordingly," President Suleiman told Muslim and Christian dignitaries at Baabda palace, adding that this meeting was a national and human need because it is a model for dialogue between cultures and religions. "I hope this summit will lay down the basis of a national dialogue aimed at consolidating the unity of the country," he said.

Suleiman, who organized the meeting, told delegates that "differences between Lebanese have led them to the brink of suicide" and called for dialogue "before it is too late."

"If one faction is suffering in Lebanon, the whole country suffers along with it," Suleiman pointed out, calling at the same time for the establishment of the government as soon as possible, "for it reflects the Lebanese aspiration for a better future, even if this requires making compromises before it’s too late."

Those attending the meeting represented most of Lebanon's 18 religious communities. They called on all politicians to commit themselves to using high political and moral standards while speaking in order to prevent further political crises.

The Spiritual Summit stressed on the respect of Lebanon’s diversity, which is its distinctive mark, so that the country can remain a place for freedom and dialogue, and can hold on to the constitutional principles as agreed upon in the Taif Agreement. In the same context, it stressed on the Lebanese holding to their national unity, to their country’s model of diversity and communal living, and to their awareness of this model’s importance.

They condemned the violence which rocked the country and stressed the need to adhere to the Doha accord which "prohibits recourse to weapons to achieve political objectives." They called for the liberation of remaining territory occupied by Israel, referring in particular to the Shebaa Farms in South Lebanon.

2008-06-23

Donors Meet in Vienna over Lebanese Palestinian Camp

Donors Meet in Vienna over Lebanese Palestinian Camp

Readers Number : 167

23/06/2008 Arab and European leaders met in Vienna Monday to raise funds for a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon which was destroyed last year during clashes between militants and the Lebanese army.
The donors' conference organized by the Lebanese government, the World Bank and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), is aimed at reconstructing the Nahr al-Bared camp, much of which was reduced to rubble.

Some 31,000 refugees have been relocated from the camp.
The UNRWA estimated earlier this month that 450 million dollars
were needed to rebuild Nahr al-Bared and 15 nearby villages.
Some 1,900 families have already returned to the camp, while
2,400 others still live in Baddaoui, Tripoli and the region,
according to the agency.

Participants at the one-day conference included Lebanese Prime
Minister Designate Fouad Saniora, Arab League chief Amr Mussa, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.
Invitations were sent to 80 governments and organizations,
Saniora's press office said.
He said in an interview with the Austrian daily Der Standard published Monday that his country "always carried a disproportional share of the burden," referring to the 400,000
Palestinians who live in some 13 refugee camps around Lebanon.
"This conference is an opportunity to put this matter in the right context, to understand the extent of the problem," he added.
"Israel still does not accept the Palestinians' rights, including their right to return. Just as it still does not accept the Arab peace initiative," he noted.

Aoun for New Consultations, Says Saniora War Project

Aoun for New Consultations, Says Saniora War Project

Readers Number : 979

23/06/2008 Another week starts and Lebanon's national-unity government has not seen light yet and is not expected to be formed in the near future in light of the loyalty bloc policy towards the ongoing consultations. The national opposition, in contrast, is calling since the start of the consultations to accelerate the cabinet formation, while making concession after concession to speed up the process; given that the stalled politics is negatively affecting the security situation. Opposition figures however argue that it is not their task to find solutions to form the government as it is Prime Minister-Designate Fouad Saniora's mission, who reiterates that he's not subject to any deadline.
"Very patient" Saniora, who heads a caretaker government, will give the Vienna donors conference to reconstruct the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp priority over the formation of the new national unity government. "The cabinet formation may take days or weeks, but we have to reach a solution at the end," Saniora said.

AOUN: SANIORA IS A WAR PROJECT
"Saniora represents a war project, not a catalyst for dialogue and understanding," the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun told Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, adding that he was right when he did not name Saniora for the premiership.

Aoun refused to portray the crisis as if it was with President Michel Suleiman. "Saniora is seeking to pit us against the president," he said, stressing that the crisis has to do with the commissioned PM "who is failing to form the government."

The General called on Suleiman to start new legislative consultations to name another PM instead of Saniora who, according to Aoun, proved to have failed. "The president can call for these consultations because Saniora, just like his followers, does not want a new government," he said.

Aoun pointed out he expects Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to call on the parliament to convene in order to adopt the division of the electoral districts as stipulated by the Doha agreement, signed in May 21 between Lebanese feuding parties. But the Lebanese MP said he expects the loyalty bloc to obstruct this session, adding that this step would "blow their cover."

Berri expressed disappointment over failure to form the new cabinet. "The cabinet should have been formed during the first week" of tasking Saniora with the mission, Berri told Lebanese daily As-Safir. "Unfortunately, it was not."

On the circulating security incidents, General Aoun recalled that he was the first to warn of the confrontations that broke out in Tripoli, accusing the loyalty bloc of sponsoring the explosion of the situation, and calling on the defense and interior ministers in the caretaker government to take action.

SANIORA: AOUN SEEKS COMPENSATION FOR LOSING PRESIDENCY
Aoun was speaking hours after Saniora launched a verbal assault on him during an interview with the Austrian daily Der Standard, accusing him of challenging President Michel Suleiman's quota in the new cabinet in an effort to "compensate for losing the presidency."

Saniora said Aoun wants his parliamentary bloc be given a ministry as a compensation for his loss for not being elected as president. "Aoun considers himself the exclusive representative of Christians in Lebanon, not the President or anyone else."

The "national-unity" PM-Designate included Hezbollah in his assaults, accusing the party of supporting Aoun just because the resistance party considers that "the General is giving it a national cover."

OPPOSITION AGAIN TAKES INITIATIVE, MAKES NEW PROPOSAL TO EXIT CRISIS
Meanwhile, the Lebanese national opposition is sensing the dangers of delaying the cabinet formation and is submitting solution proposals.

In this context, member of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Hasan Fadlallah suggested that Saniora gives Free Patriotic Movement senior official Issam Abou Jamra the position of deputy prime minister (a post customarily given to the Orthodox sect and to a senior minister), while the telecommunications seat goes to Aoun's parliamentary bloc.

Speaking in a TV interview, MP Fadlallah said that "if the loyalty is unwilling to give Aoun a basic portfolio and is telling him to choose one of the remaining 22 portfolios, why don't they give him the Telecommunications ministry which is not considered a basic one like the Interior, the Defense, the Foreign and Finance ministries?" "Although we have not spoken to General Aoun about this proposal, but it's another proposal to the loyalty to exist this crisis and we will wait for their response," the Hezbollah MP added.

Larijani: Iran Supports Unity for a Stable Lebanon

Larijani: Iran Supports Unity for a Stable Lebanon

عدد القراء : 0

23/06/2008 Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has said Tehran backs unity among all Lebanese factions to restore stability to the country, Islamic Republic News Agency said.
Larijani made the remark on Sunday during a meeting with Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri's envoy Qabalan Qabalan.
"The Islamic Shura Council and other institutions in the Islamic Republic back the unity of all independent Lebanese parties to restore stability and security to Lebanon," IRNA quoted Larijani as saying.

He expressed regret over efforts by western countries and the U.S. in particular to sow discord in Lebanon. “We regret that Arab states and the US are escalating the crisis in Lebanon,” Larijani said. “Iran is supporting the Resistance and the unity of the Lebanese people,” he added

Clashes Resume in North Raising Death Toll to 6

Clashes Resume in North Raising Death Toll to 6

Readers Number : 25

23/06/2008 Clashes resumed overnight in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, namely in Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh, although a ceasefire was announced in the city Sunday afternoon.

A security official said that a 55-year-old man was killed early Monday by a stray bullet as he drove along the main highway linking Tripoli with Syria. Another man was also injured in the incident.

News reports also said that a mortar shell fell in the heart of Tripoli, hitting the Grand Mansouri Mosque on Sunday evening.

The clashes were taking place despite an agreement reached on Sunday between representatives of the feuding parties for fighters to keep off the streets and for the army to take charge of security.

Tripoli's Mufti Malek al-Shaar hosted intensified meetings at his residence in the city in an effort to put an end to the clashes. Shaar called on the security forces to deploy in the area in force and react strictly to any security violation.

On Sunday, at least four people were killed and 40 wounded when the fighting erupted between the loyalty bloc and the Arab Democratic Party. One of those wounded died on Monday, raising the death toll to six.

Mortars, Rocket-Propelled Grenade launchers and automatic rifles were used in the confrontation, police reported.
Local reporters in Tripoli said that the thuds of exploding RPGs and Mortar rounds echoed across the city early in the morning accompanied by staccato bursts of machine gun fire.

ARAB DEMOCRATIC PARTY ABIDES BY AGREEMENT
The Arab Democratic Party issued a statement after midnight in which it announced its commitment to the ceasefire agreement that was reached between the feuding parties, accusing the "other side" of not adhering to it and continuing shelling and sniping.

The party called on the Lebanese Army leadership to work seriously to end this "irregular" situation, inviting the officials as well as the region clerics to stick to the agreement.


The violence comes amid delay by Prime Minister Designate Fouad Saniora to form a government of national unity following a deal last month that ended an 18-month political crisis that brought the country close to civil war.
Saniora, who is supposed to be the head of a caretaker government, will attend Monday a meeting in Vienna for donor countries to rebuild the Nahr al-Bared Refugee camp that was destroyed last year due to war between the Lebanese army and the Fatah al-Islam militant group.

Top Jund al-Sham Member Wounded in Ain el-Helweh Blast

Top Jund al-Sham Member Wounded in Ain el-Helweh Blast

Readers Number : 32

23/06/2008 A top member of Jund al-Sham was critically wounded on Sunday in a blast near the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Helweh in south Lebanon which injured four others, a security official.

Imad Yassin, a senior member of the Jund al-Sham group, was wounded along with two of his bodyguards when a charge placed in a rubbish bin exploded in the Taameer Ain el-Helweh area outside the camp, the official noted.

A woman and an eight-year-old girl were also slightly wounded in the blast which prompted several families to flee the area.

Tension was high inside the camp with fighters from the mainstream Palestinian Fatah faction deploying to prevent an escalation.

Four Dead, 40 Wounded in North Lebanon Clashes

Four Dead, 40 Wounded in North Lebanon Clashes

Readers Number : 1048

23/06/2008 Four people were killed, including a policeman, and at least 40 others wounded in North Lebanon on Sunday in clashes between Future Movement fighters and Arab Democratic Party.
Policeman Samer Rashid was hit by a stray bullet inside his home in the Al-Qobbeh district of the Northern port city of Tripoli, a security official said.
Another man, Bourhane al-Khatib, died after being hit by a bullet in the heart during clashes at Jabal Mohsen, a medic said after the 22-year-old was taken to a hospital in the nearby Palestinian refugee camp of Beddawi. Ahmad Hussein al-Sayyed and a member of the Abdullah family were also killed.
According to a security official, many of those wounded were caught in the crossfire or hit by stray bullets while inside their homes.
As calm was restored in the afternoon, representatives of the feuding parties met in Tripoli and agreed on the army taking charge of security and for gunmen to keep off the streets, said a participant who declined to be identified.
Tripoli's Sunni Mufti Malek al-Shaar hosted a number of meetings at his residence in the city in an effort to put an end to the clashes. Shaar called on the security forces to deploy in the area in force and react strictly to any security violation.
Fighting began at 4:15 am (0115 GMT) early Sunday in Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, northern sectors of the city of Tripoli. Clashes extended to the al-Qobbe zone in the east of Tripoli where families could be seen fleeing the district. Twenty-one of those wounded, in Bab al-Tebbaneh and al-Qobbe, were taken to the Islamic Hospital of Tripoli, the security official said. One of them was suffering a severe wound to the head.
Mortars, Rocket-Propelled Grenade launchers and automatic rifles were used in the confrontation, police reported.
Local reporters in Tripoli said that the thuds of exploding RPGs and Mortar rounds echoed across the city early in the morning accompanied by staccato bursts of machine gun fire.

Mūžu, mūžos, laika ritumā
Tāpat kā šodienā.
Ir labas sirdis, labi ļaudis.
Ir saule, ir lietus un vējš,
Tā arī ir cilvēka sirdī,
Tad tajā iespīd saule,
Tad ielīst lietus un iepūš vējš.

Trīs parodijas par varbūtībām.

Trīs parodijas par varbūtībām.
I
Ko, lai es saku, ko cilvēks var sacīt,
Ko sacīt, ko darīt, ko domāt un varēt?
Tu, cilvēk, esi tik smilšu grauds...
Grauds, ko aizpūš vējš un aizskalo lietus.
Tu esi viens ar savām domām un darbiem.
Tu esi viens un aizmirsts,
Bet varbūt tomēr nē?
II
Tāds savāds tukšums man sirdī ir.
Tāds savādāks, it kā tur nebūtu nekā.
Pilnīgi nekā. Tik tukšums vien.
Nomācošs tukšums, nejēdzīgs tukšums,
Pilnīgs tukšums, bet tomēr varbūt arī nē?
III
Vaka
r lija lietus un saule bija paslēpusies aiz mākoņiem.
Vai to Jūs varat iedomāties, tā vienkārši paslēpusies!
Bet no kā? Varbūt no lietus, varbūt no vēja...
Varbūt no pērnā siena, bet varbūt tomēr nē?

2008-06-22

Father Jacob Haddad Kabouchi Venerated

Father Jacob Haddad Kabouchi Venerated

Readers Number : 209

22/06/2008 Cardinal Jose Sarajeva Martinez, declared in the name of Pope Benedictus XVI father Jacob Haddad Kabouchi a venerated.

Kabouchi's Beatification ceremony was held in downtown Beirut an attended by President Michel Suleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier-Designate Fouad Saniora.

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir also attended the ceremony, regarded a national event in Lebanon being the first of its kind.

2008-06-21

Donors Meet in Austria on Nahr al-Bared Reconstruction

Donors Meet in Austria on Nahr al-Bared Reconstruction

Readers Number : 159

21/06/2008 International donors will meet in Vienna on Monday to collect funds for the reconstruction of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, the foreign ministry announced.

The conference, which convenes at the request of the Lebanese government, will be attended by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.

About 31,000 refugees were relocated from the camp after deadly clashes raged for more than three months last year between Islamist militants and the Lebanese army, leaving much of the shantytown reduced to rubble.

The fighting between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants broke out at the camp on May 20, and many refugees were relocated to Beddawi, around 10 kilometers south of Nahr al-Bared, causing tension with people there.

More than 400 people – about 300 militants and 168 soldiers – were killed in the bloody clashes before the army crushed the rebel uprising and regained control of the camp on September 2.

According to Lebanese estimates, reconstruction could total $249 million. A first donors’ conference held in September raked in $55 million in emergency aid.

Sheikh Kassem: We Welcome Shebaa Liberation

Sheikh Kassem: We Welcome Shebaa Liberation

Readers Number : 215

21/06/2008 Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Kassem stressed the party did not issue any statement to condemn or even express resentment at the liberation of the occupied Shebaa Farms. "On the contrary it's liberation is a fulfillment of the objective," his eminence said. Sheikh Kassem added that when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mentioned the word "Shebaa", she prompted some Lebanese sides to circulate that Hezbollah is not at ease with the liberation of the Farms. "We say to them that we haven't made our position yet. Let the Farms be liberated first," the Deputy S.G. said.
"In fact, we have been clear. If the Farms are liberated to the last inch, whether through diplomacy or resistance, then this would be an Israeli escape. We would be happy if all of the Shebaa Farms region in liberated. If they liberate it inch after inch, we would celebrate every liberated inch at a time. If they put it under UN care, we will bless this move, but we will also tell the United Nations that this would not be complete liberation unless the region is back to Lebanese sovereignty. Liberate the Shebaa Farms and we will sit down and discuss a defensive strategy and we will all become a resistance that works for Lebanon's interest," Sheikh Kassem concluded.

Opposition Gives Saniora 48 Hours to Form Cabinet

Opposition Gives Saniora 48 Hours to Form Cabinet
Mohamad Shmaysani Readers Number : 1036

21/06/2008 The Lebanese National Opposition on Saturday reportedly gave Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora 48 hours to form a new cabinet. The daily As-Safir said the opposition warned Saniora that if a national unity government was not formed within the next 48 hours, the premier has got to quit.

It said the opposition warning came following a "comprehensive assessment" of development results since the conclusion of the Doha agreement last month.

It's been four weeks since Saniora was named to form a new national unity government. The loyalty bloc accuses the opposition, particularly Free Patriotic Movement leader MP General Michel Aoun, of hindering the process based on unclear information while the opposition accuses the loyalty bloc of not solving their differences on who should take which portfolio.

On Friday, loyalty bloc MP Ghassan Tueini said that "it's more honorable" for Saniora to step back if he fails to form a cabinet by next Tuesday. Tueini was speaking after officials close to President Michel Suleiman were pushing for the formation of the new government before the "spiritual summit" next Tuesday at the Baabda presidential Palace and before Saniora's departure Monday to Vienna to attend a donors conference over the reconstruction of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp.
"The PM Designate is responsible for giving priority to forming a government, not to tours and visits abroad thus giving the impression that the crisis will continue until further notice," President Suleiman's close sources said.

Aoun has been demanding his right in a top cabinet post especially when he enjoys support of all opposition's leaders. "You can rest assured that no cabinet will be formed unless the Change and Reform bloc is an inseparable part of it," Aoun was quoted by As-Safir. Aoun's allies in the opposition, mainly Hezbollah and the Amal Movement issued on Friday a joint statement stressing their rejection to any cabinet formation that "upsets" Aoun.

According to An-Nahar daily, sources close to Saniora expressed hope to overcome all obstacles as soon as possible. However, the sources added that "the question of Saniora stepping back is not raised as long as the PM Designate is undertaking his mission as requested by the parliamentary majority."

2008-06-20

Tueini to Saniora: "It's More Honorable to Step Back"

Tueini to Saniora: "It's More Honorable to Step Back"

Readers Number : 549

20/06/2008 "It would be nobler for PM Designate Fouad Saniora to step back if he fails to form the government before next Tuesday," said loyalty MP Ghassan Tuweini Thursday, after meeting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Tuweini's statement, three weeks after nominating Saniora to form the national-unity government, reflected the necessity to set the cabinet as soon as possible in order to safeguard the country from eventual dangers.

"Saniora is trying to establish the cabinet using the residues of the previous reign, he can't form a new government with this strategy," Tuweini noted, adding that Saniora has to be convinced that he cannot form the government amid such barricades."

"Since day one of the consultations, I called on Saniora not to participate in this government," Tuwein revealed, wondering whether "we were establishing ministerial portfolios federalism…Each wants to get a portfolio and take it home with him!"

Tueini slammed the so-called basic portfolios as a heresy, saying that he has searched for it in constitution and legal references but didn't find any mention of such portfolios.

OPPOSITION SOURCES: PROBLEM WITHIN LOYALTY BLOC
Meanwhile, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar revealed pressure within the loyalty bloc to prompt Saniora to step back for not forming the government yet, thus opening the way for MP Saad Hariri to revive his hopes of taking Saniora's place and form the new government.

The daily quoted opposition sources as saying that the "problem" was not with the opposition, particularly not with the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun, but rather within the loyalty bloc itself "due to differences over the shares of the new cabinet."

SULEIMAN URGES LEBANESE TO UNITE AGAINST UNREST
Earlier, Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman expressed hope that a "period of national reconciliation" would follow the eventual assembly of a consensus national unity government.

After a meeting with Vice President of the Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan, Suleiman urged the Lebanese to "unite against the unrest" and maintain the integrity of the Taef agreement, stressing that the national unity government should serve as a doorway to the protection of national interests, and not additional disputes.

Suleiman praised the "resistance in Lebanon," which he said had "the support of all segments of the Lebanese society," adding that the resistance, which was victorious in "fighting and driving the enemy out" of Lebanon, should now "form a basic pillar of Lebanese democracy."