http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/wednesday_news_53.php
Wednesday News Briefs & Editorial
Published: Wednesday, 1 July, 2009 @ 8:42 AM in Beirut
Beirut – Prime minister designate Saad Hariri met yesterday with president Michel Suleiman to go over the portfolio demands of the various political factions in the new government. According to reports circulating in Beirut the two leaders did not try to discuss any particular government formula.

As expected the demands are enormous and in order to satisfy all the faction a cabinet of 100 ministers may be needed . General Aoun for example is insisting on seven ministerial posts, up from five in current caretaking cabinet and this is despite the fact that he was described by analysts as the biggest loser in the election.

Sadly, the real solution for the cabinet formation lies elsewhere. According to morning media reports, the cabinet will see the light following a tripartite summit which is being planned in Damascus on July 16 and which will be attended by Saudi Arabia , Syria and Lebanon. According to Arab diplomatic sources, Saudi Arabia is throwing all its weight behind improvement of the Lebanese -Syrian relations and specially between Assad and Hariri.

Despite the fact that all factions are openly calling for calm, what we are really seeing now in Beirut is an ugly reminder of the events that took place on May 7 , 2008 when Hezbollah backed by its pro- Syrian allies occupied west Beirut and tried unsuccessfully to occupy Mount Lebanon. Here are the signs:

* Too many suspicious fires are taking place according to Interior minister Ziad Baroud, despite the fact that the fire season hasn’t started yet
* Too many armed people in the streets of Beirut , according security sources
* Motorcycle processions have been circulating for two days in various parts of Beirut targeting certain houses and institutions within the framework of “provocation and friction”, security sources reported
* The armed clash the Sunni neighborhood of Aisha Bakkar , which resulted in the killing of a 30 year old woman and the wounding of six others

The big question on the mind of many Lebanese: Are all these signs meant to pressure Hariri to yield to the demand (of the opposition ) of veto power in the new cabinet ? If so then this is May 7, 2008 again and again.

Wednesday

09:50pm Minister Marouni told “Future News”: We are sorry to see that one of the groups is still affected by decisions of foreign States.

09:45pm Minister Aoun told “Future News”: We see a retreat in Hariri’s role with regards to the formation of the government in favor of the Foreign moves as if we are unable to form a government that is “Made in Lebanon”

09:34pm prime minister designate Saad Hariri, left for Jeddah this evening

08:27pm judicial police raided some areas of Brital and seized stolen cars and arrested one of the suspects

08:26pm army command announced the arrest of 21 people that took part in the Aisha Bakkar riots

08:15pm OTV : the Lebanese army arrested on Tuesday afternoon, four people from the al Mustaqbal that were involved in Aisha Bakkar riots

08:08pm Interior minister Baroud told New TV: The fire-fighting helicopters are part of the air force, but require special training and we cannot use before the completion of the training which is a matter of days

07:43pm The Hariri Educational Development Complex in Sidon was subjected to gunfire on Wednesday evening by some individuals. The incident causes remain unknown. Police and the military rushed to the scene. An investigation is underway.

07:05pm Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad Osseiri told Now Lebanon: Saudi-Syrian talks will reflect positively on Lebanon . Increasing presidential powers normal and necessary step . Security situation in Lebanon is red line, Aisha Bakkar events very regretful .

06:20pm Future Movement MP Nohad Mashnouq said that all the Members of Parliament representing the city of Beirut will continue working until they can declare the capital “a safe city.”

06:10pm A second child may have survived the Yemen Airways jet crash that took place early Tuesday morning.

06:00pm A French government minister has reversed earlier claims that a “black box” recorder from the Yemeni plane that crashed in the Indian Ocean has been found.

05:55 pm The two main opposition candidates in Iran’s disputed June 12 election (Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi) refused Wednesday to accept the formally proclaimed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and branded his government as illegitimate, defying warnings from Iran’s leaders that no further protests would be tolerated following official certification of the results.

05:35pm U.S. Embassy: United States is committed to improving the capacity of the Lebanese army and will continue to support the Lebanese government

5:12pm MP Michel Aoun after bloc’s weekly meeting: The elections were a market for slave trade. We will challenge the elections results in the place where evidence of irregularities is clear. I believe the formation of the government is still early. We are neither against nor with the president.

4:30pm Hezbollah’s second in command Sheikh Naim Qassem said the opportunity was fitting for an efficient accord in a government of national unity. He said the polls produced a delicate balance that prevents one team from overstepping the other.

2:15pm The March 14 general secretariat called for declaring Beirut a demilitarized and safe city.

02:05 pm NY Times : In an apparent sign of the Iranian regime’s edginess after weeks of protests by demonstrators demanding new elections, Ahmadinejad canceled a planned trip to Libya on Wednesday, Reuters reported, but his government did not explain why.

2:00 pm Iranian authorities today temporarily shut down the newspaper of failed presidential contender Mehdi Karroubi, a former speaker of parliament, after it published a letter condemning last month’s presidential election and the government’s response to allegations of widespread vote-rigging.

1:55pm AFP : Twenty people were killed and more than 1,000 arrested in the protests that swept Tehran after the disputed re-election of President Ahmadinejad last month, the country’s police chief Ahmadi Moghaddam said Wednesday.

1:50pm Berri received 2 congratulatory cables today , one from the head of the Arab parliament and one from Patriarch Lahham for his reelection as the speaker

1:45pm four AUB students that were kidnapped by gunmen this morning on the way to Akoura were released

1:33pm Judge Sari is questioning again the detainees in the Bahsas explosion crime

1:26pm President Michel Suleiman told a Chinese Mideast peace envoy that peace cannot be reached without the Arab peace initiative, that guarantees the return of Palestinians, the implementation of resolution 1701 and Israel’s withdrawal from Shebaa, Kfarshouba

12:52pm The Council of Maronite Bishops called for facilitating the formation of a government that would run the country firmly and wisely.

12:30pm NY Times : President Obama, whose campaign for the White House included a pledge to open talks with Iran, said Friday that the prospects for such a dialogue had been dampened by the brutal crackdown in the wake of the nation’s disputed elections

12:20 pm AFP – Teenager Bahia Bakari recovered in hospital Wednesday a day after miraculously surviving the Yemeni jet crash off the Comoros feared to have killed 152 other people.

12:15pm Fire is still raging in a number of areas

11:45 Patriarch Sfeir is still presiding over the monthly meeting in Bkirki of the Council of Maronite Bishops

11:35 “LBC”: The civil defense units were able to extinguish the fire which broke out at dawn in Hasarat Jubail with the help of Lebanese army helicopters

11:32 MP Hekmet Deeb told LBC: The opposition demands the one-third guarantee of cabinet seats because the last government was among the most successful. The Change and Reform bloc will not withdraw its demand for proportional representation.

11:30 The Iranian Construction Authority built a 700 meter sidewalk on the Lebanese side of the Fatima Gate following a U.N. sponsored agreement between the Lebanese and Israeli sides.

11:29 Ya’qoub told “Free Lebanon radio “: 15-10-5 formula gives the President the role of referee but the opposition should have veto power if the cabinet will be a truly national unity government.

11:28 Security forces foiled a robbery attempt of two cars on Mairoba- Qahmaz road in the Bekaa area

11:16 Salim Aoun “ANB:” We are preparing for an appeal in which we are rejecting the results of the Zahleh election. The best cabinet formation formula should be along the same line as the outgoing government

11:15 mayor of Deir Al Qamar told Voice of Lebanon: The fire did not affect the trees, but only the plants, and I appeal to the people of the Shouf not to burn any dry weeds at this stage

11:12 Body of Iran for the reconstruction of the south pier had to establish on the Lebanese side of the Fatima Gate, the central movement of an Israeli

11;10 FPM’s MP Ghassan Moukheiber told Free Lebanon radio station: The cabinet must be quickly formed, since we will face a difficult period on the security, political and economic levels. Aoun’s FPM according to observers is the no. 1 obstacle because he is asking for far too many portfolios in the cabinet .

11:09 A “Future ” source “: the Saudi effort is aimed at providing specific guarantees to Hezbollah over its weapons

11:05 De Friege told “Free Lebanon radio “: The opposition should take part in the government, but with a smaller number of ministers and the majority must have a minimum of 16 ministers in a government of 30 ministries

11:00 Hariri source : the Christian representation in the next government is the biggest obstacle

10:55 minister Marouni told ANB “: the Phalange party has put forward my names to remain as the Minister of Tourism, but this will be subject to the political balance

10:55 A defective Israeli cluster bomb left over from the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah , exploded and wounded a member of the demining team Mine Action Group (MAG), Abbas Ali Shehade, in Yohmor.

10:50 The health ministry announced that four people coming from Australia were diagnosed with the swine flu, raising the total number of cases in Lebanon to 47.

09:18 Ain Tinah sources: Berri stressed during his meeting yesterday with Kahwaji the importance of conducting a serious and transparent investigation into the Aisha Bakkar incident and the lifting of political cover for all suspects

09:08 Jumblatt sources: the relation with Hariri is good and the issue of privatization is not a matter of dispute

09:00 Ain Tinah sources: If things continue as they the new government will see the light within maximum 2 weeks

08:53 Ban-ki Moon : Hezbollah continues to maintain a military capacity which represents a serious challenge to the State’s ability to exercise full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory

8:48 MP Ziad al-Qadiri told VOL: Veto power is rejected. There is no excuse for obstruction or procrastination. Public opinion will hold accountable those who obstruct.

08:48 The civil defense is still trying to extinguish the fires in Der al Qamar in Shouf region and Hasarat in Jebail , after extinguishing fres in Aley , Metn , south and the north of Lebanon

8:45am MP Ammar Houry told Radio Asharq: MP Qobeisi assured us on behalf of Speaker Berri that the Opposition approves the idea of demilitarizing Beirut.

8:45 Central Bank governor Riad Salameh: The market is satisfied with the results of parliamentary elections and with the nomination of Hariri as the next prime minister

08:39 U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman told Al Qabas : Hezbollah’s weapons are a threat to Lebanon and the region, although it has a popular base and is represented in the parliament

08:35 Jumblatt met Hariri last night at Quraithem in the presence of Aridi

08:10 prices of gasoline was slightly increased to reflect the increase in futures market

7:45 The Council of Maronite Bishops will hold Wednesday morning its weekly meeting that will be presided by Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.

7:32 Three gunmen in a Nissan four-wheeler stopped Ali Salim Makki while he was driving on the seaside Tabarja road, forced him out of his BMW X5 and sped away with the man’s vehicle.

7:30 MP Salim Salhab told VOL: The Change and Reform bloc asked for 7 ministers if a 30-member cabinet would be formed. But doors will remain open for all possibilities on condition of forming a government that guarantees partnership.

07:29 VOL: Civil defense reported a fire in Deir al-Qmar and Hasarat in Jbeil

06:57 security specialists have uncovered reports of high proportion of armaments in the Beirut neighborhoods which have raised fear that the street is heading for the worst

06:13 Baroud told “Al-Nahar:” The enormous number of fires is now the subject of an investigation specially since the season of fires has not arrived yet and which makes us really wonder !

06:07 Lebanon attended the discussion between the Assad and Gueant in Damascus. The talks to focused on Lebanon and the region

06:06 Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will travel “very soon” to Lebanon

05:57 Arab diplomatic sources: Saudi Arabia is throwing all its weight behind improvement of the Lebanese -Syrian relations and specially between Assad and Hariri
05:49 sources: the government will be born following a tripartite summit that includes Saudi Arabia , Syria and Lebanon and which will be held in Damascus on July 16

05:39 political sources: President Suleiman is exerting intensive efforts behind the scenes to improve the inter Arab relations to reflect positively on the Lebanese climate of internal stability.

05:32 Motorcycle processions have been circulating for two days in various parts of Beirut and near certain houses and institutions within the framework of “provocation and friction”, security sources reported

Tuesday

11:40 pm President Barack Obama on Tuesday lauded the pullout of US forces from towns and cities in Iraq as an important step toward a full US troop withdrawal by 2012, but warned of “difficult days” ahead.

11:33 pm Seven people, at least five of them high-school students, were shot Tuesday at a bus stop in Detroit, Michigan, officials said

11;30 pm US Comedian Al Franken officially won the Minnesota US Senate seat Tuesday, as the state’s Supreme Court ordered that he be certified as the winner of last year’s election and incumbent Republican Norm Coleman conceded.

8:22pm Saudi Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja left Beirut for Jedda.

8:19pmGeneral Petraeus left Beirut for Ankara aboard a military plane, after visiting with army chief general Kahwaji

08:17pm FPM’s Alan Aoun told OTV : we are dealing positively with regards to a balanced government in which there is no majority and minority

O8:15pm Abi Ramya told New TV: we have requested 7 ministerial posts from Hariri and he asked is to continue to preserve the positive atmosphere and we expect to reach a settlement after some give and take from both sides

08:14pm MP Fatfat told New TV: I expect the formation of the cabinet will take longer than what is being predicted . Despite that fact that Hariri is facing many difficulties , he won’t give up, because he is solid and determined to succeed

08:05pm Mitri told MTV: the continued attacks against Gad el Maleh sounds like censorship on cultural issues and this is damaging to the cultural life in Lebanon and will not gain us any friends in our struggle against Israel

08:03pm Future TV: A summit is taking place in Sharm el Sheikh between president Mubarak and Saudi king Abdullah . Other leaders may be asked to join later to complete the pan Arab reconciliation effort

07:50 pm A deadly car bomb in northern Iraq shattered the mood of celebration this afternoon just hours after makeshift bands, dancing teenagers and crowds waving Iraqi flags had marked the withdrawal of American troops from the nation’s cities.

07:30pm Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri meets with Defense Minister Elias Murr to discuss security, current politics

07:20pm Speaker Berri is meeting army chief general Kahwaji

07:11pm A huge fire erupted in Jezzine that destroyed about 60 acres of fruit trees

6:05pm Hariri after talks with Suleiman: I briefed the president on the position of each parliamentary bloc regarding the new government. They were positive. We will continue in this positive climate to reach a formula capable of facing the challenges.

5:30pm Petraeus said he congratulated Defense Minister Michel Murr on the outcome of the June 7 polls and on the peaceful climate that accompanied these elections.

5:00pm Hariri arrived at Baabda Palace to brief Suleiman on outcome of parliamentary consultations.

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/yemenia_crash_s.php
Yemenia crash survivor tells story
Published: Thursday, 2 July, 2009 @ 6:32 AM in Beirut
A 12-year-old girl thought to be the only survivor of the Yemenia air crash has told how she was thrown into the ocean and watched her aircraft sink. Baya Bakari told her father at a hospital in Yemen that she heard voices around her in the Indian Ocean, but could not see anyone.

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/thursday_news_b_54.php
Thursday News Briefs & Editorial
Published: Thursday, 2 July, 2009 @ 8:30 AM in Beirut
Beirut – Speculation continues in Lebanon over the formation of the new national unity government and many are predicting that it will see the light within 2 weeks. Prime minister designate MP Saad Hariri left yesterday for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reportedly to provide the answers to the Syrian questions on the future of the Lebanese-Syrian relations. A Saudi delegation is expected to visit Damascus before the end of the week to present Hariri’s answers to Syrian president Bashar al Assad.

Yes, this is Lebanon …where the people vote, but someone else decides for them.

Syria through its allies the Hezbollah-led opposition continues to exert influence in Lebanon and wants to be completely satisfied with Hariri ’s answers before giving the green light to Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia is mediating between Lebanon and Syria on this issue .

Based on media reports the math formula 15-10-5 is the most serious formulation that is being considered for the government formation. This formulation allocates 15 ministerial portfolios for the majority, 10 for the minority and 5 for the president. This formulation gives the president much more power , at the expense of the majority but at the same time does not provide the minority with the veto power it has been after.

Thursday

07:50 pm President Barack Obama said that Russia’s PM Putin was someone who has “one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new” and stressed that Russia must understand that “old Cold War approaches” to relations with the US belong in the past.

O7:30 pm The Washington Post: The White House says Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq to visit U.S. troops and meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He will reiterate the U.S. commitment to carry out President Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw combat forces. He also will press Iraqi leaders to make more progress toward political reconciliation.

7:25pm Premier-designate Saad Hariri is offering his condolences to the family of victim Zeina al-Miri in Aicha Bakkar.

7:00 Interior ministry: A Sikorsky N61 firefighting helicopter, which was delivered, to Lebanon two weeks ago, was used for the first time to extinguish a fire in al-Qmatiyeh using 4000 liters of water.

07:10pm March 14 coordinator Fares Soueid rejected Thursday a visit to Syria by the PM-designate Saad Hariri before the formation of the government. “A visit to Syria before a government has been formed for the aim of facilitating the process is rejected both by Hariri and (March 14),” he added

05:10 pm Japan’s ambassador to the Vienna-based IAEA, Yukiya Amano was elected by the IAEA’s 35-member board of governors as the new chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency to succeed Mohammad al-Baradei

04:58pm Al Markaziyah sources: Hezbollah’s Shura Council held a meeting recently and decided not to participate in the new government

04:56pm One person was arrested in Moamalatain when he tried to rent a car using false documents

04:55pm Internal security forces arrested 3 in Akkar wanted in the smuggling of foreigners theft crimes

04:10 pm CNN: Employers in the US cut more jobs than expected in June and unemployment rate climbed for the ninth straight month, hitting 9.5%.

04:04pm US ambassador Sison: The US will is committed to its support for Lebanon and especially its internal security forces

03:46 Riffi : The high technical capabilities of the internal security forces spared Lebanon the terrorism plots and delivered the knockout blow to the espionage and intelligence infrastructure of the enemy

03:40pm a series of fires in the Koura were extinguished by the civil defense

03:40 pm Lebanon’s new firefighting helicopter put to use for first time, extinguishes blaze in Aley district

3:30pm Caretaker PM Siniora received Army Commander Jean Kahwaji and the Secretary-General of the Higher Defense Council Gen. Saeed Eid. Discussions focused on military affairs and security measures.

02:15 pm President Michel Suleiman kicks off Beiteddine International Festival

2:12pm President Suleiman paid tribute to security and military efforts for arresting those disturbing the peace.

01:38pm Sakr: Cabinet will be formed, but the formula has not yet been decided

1:15pm A truck overturned at Mdeirej bridge on the international highway, injuring its driver and causing heavy traffic.

12:35pm Hezbollah in response to Ban’s UN report on resolution 1701: Ban should have condemned and held Israel responsible for crimes and their consequences.

12:15pm President Michel Suleiman discussed latest developments with Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh.

11:50 AP Iran’s former president Mohammad Khatami has joined ranks with the country’s embattled reformist presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, and accused the Iranian government of failing its people in the recent election and condemning the subsequent crackdown on protesters.

11:42 Qubaissi told OTV: The investigation will reveal who is responsible for the Aisha Bakkar riots and the death of Zaina Al Miri and this is what we are calling for and we do not want to point fingers at anyone

11:28 Minister karam: The plane that were donated to Lebanon was not used in extinguishing the fire because there was no crew to command

11:15 Army units worked to support the helicopters of the Lebanese Air Force in collaboration with the Lebanese civil defense forces to fight the fires which broke out in several areas

11:02 Senior Syrian source: The Saudi Arabian-Syrian summit will be held on July 16 in Damascus in the presence of Hariri

10:52 The phone lines are still cut off in the Bikirki and specifically the patriarchal headquarters since yesterday

10:48 Patriarch Sfeir met with the ambassadors of Britain, Uruguay

10:42 Al Bayan sources: President Suleiman is hoping to get 5 Ministerial posts representing the major religious sects and is insisting on keeping Interior minister Baroud and defense minister Murr

10:33 Hariri sources: giving up is out of the question for Hariri , will be forming the government and will leave the door for concessions wide open

10:30 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea: ” All those calling for dialogue with Damascus every time there is an internal political event are disregarding the sacrifices and the blood spilled by martyrs, ” He said and criticized those who allegedly “behave as if the March 14 forces didn’t win the June 7 parliamentary elections”. He accused the March 8 opposition of “making demands that obstruct democratic and political life in the country “

10:25 Al Anbaa source : the chances of have improved for Bahij Tabbarah and Kamel Mihanna to join the government as part of the president’s share

10:22 Iraqi Vice President called Berri and Hariri and congratulated them on being selected to head the parliament and the government respectively

10:20 Reuters – The sole survivor of a Yemeni jet that plunged into deep water while attempting to land on the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros was reunited with her father back in France early on Thursday.

10:05 MP Antoine Zahra told LBC: The Syrian regime is giving us a choice between veto power and normalization of ties and forgetting about what happened in Lebanon. This is a return of Syrian meddling in internal Lebanese affairs.

10:00 MP Dory Chamoun told Future TV : Everyone has an interest in formation of cabinet as soon as possible. This requires some concessions.

09:12 Al Mustaqbal sources: The spiritual summit will ask all sides in Beirut to withdraw completely their weapons and their gunmen from the capital

08:59 sources: Aoun is seeking to be represented in the government by four Maronites, 1 Catholic , 1 Druze and 1 Armenians to help him with all communities

08:48 MP Jisr told al Anbaa : Jumblatt’s talk about “Lebanon First” requires clarification from him , before I can express my opinion and the motto in question is not coincidental

08:45 ” Voice of Lebanon”: Bikirki and surrounding region is complaining about telephone line interruptions since yesterday due to work carried out by the municipality in the region

08:32 “The Voice of Lebanon:” The security forces managed to arrest the gunmen who shot at the Al-Hariri educational development compound and he is from the Al-Dirani family

8:30 Former MP Samir Franjiyeh told VOL: Formation of a cabinet, which is not likely to be soon, requires that the opposition admits to its defeat during the elections.

08:29 Hariri left last night to Jeddah to follow up the results of the Riyadh- Damascus consultations and returned to Beirut at dawn

08:06 Future TV: Internal Security Forces detain one person for kidnapping and robbing AUB students in Jebeil

07:40 AFP – Iranian presidential election runner up Mir Hossein Mousavi renewed a demand for a complete re-run of the vote and pledged to help set up a new group to defend citizen’s rights.

07:35 Yassin Jaber, the “Voice of Lebanon:” Hariri operates in secrecy which will help to accelerate the formation of the government and we hope that the Syrian Saudi Arabia reconciliation will reflect positively on this issue

7:30 Interior Minister Ziad Baroud told VOL: What happened in Aisha Bakkar is unacceptable. It is our duty to provide maximum security to citizens.

07:14 Berri told “Al-Nahar:” I’m not going to accept that the blood of martyred Zaina el Miri to go to waste …I consider her like my daughter

07:10 French diplomatic sources: our attention was focused on a perfect election battle and that is exactly how it was , unlike what is happening in many neighboring countries.

07:00 The formula 15-10-5 is being considered the most serious formulation for the government formation ( 15 ministerial portfolios for the majority , 10 for the minority and 5 for the president )

06:48 Berri and Khojah discussed over the phone the outcome of the Syrian Saudi discussions

06:36 President Suleiman is planning to participate in the Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement to be held on July 15 and 16 and the sources did not rule out the formation of the government before this date

06:36 Political sources did not rule out the forming of a government before July 15

06:29 A key opposition leader : the new government will see the light within two weeks

06:07 Neither the French, nor the Syrians are predicting that Hezbollah will be obstructive with regards to the government formation

05:57 A Saudi delegation will visit Damascus before the end of the week to present Hariri answers on the future of the Lebanese-Syrian relations

05:55 French source denies that the Syrians are insisting on a obstructive one third in the government for the opposition

05:42 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed willingness receive the Prime Minister designate Hariri and welcomes his participation in any future summit

05:37 Damascus is looking forward for a national unity government in Lebanon that will be able to govern without constraints

05:25 Sources : the talk about various summits (bilateral or trilateral ) is strictly speculation at this time
Wednesday

09:50pm Minister Marouni told “Future News”: We are sorry to see that one of the groups is still affected by decisions of foreign States.

09:45pm Minister Aoun told “Future News”: We see a retreat in Hariri’s role with regards to the formation of the government in favor of the Foreign moves as if we are unable to form a government that is “Made in Lebanon”

09:34pm prime minister designate Saad Hariri, left for Jeddah this evening

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/hezbollah_opted.php
Hezbollah opted against joining new Lebanon cabinet
Published: Thursday, 2 July, 2009 @ 6:05 PM in Beirut
Beirut- Hezbollah’s Shura Council held a meeting recently and decided not to participate in the new government according to informed sources of Lebanese news Agency al Markaziyah.
The Shura Council ( Majlis al-Shura) , the organization’s executive board, is headed by 12 senior clerical members with responsibility for tactical decisions and supervision of overall Hezbollah activity throughout Lebanon

This does not mean the opposition will not be participating. According to al Markaziyah sources , the bulk Hezbollah’s share will be allocated to its allies such as General Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri.

According to al Markaziyah sources, Hezbollah decided to remain outside the government:
1- To avoid pressure over the implementation of UN resolutions such as 1701
2- To avoid the pressure of disarming and handing over its arms to the Lebanese army. At the same time
3- To allow it freedom of movement as it sees fit during these circumstances
4- It can still exert the same influence internally through its allies

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/friday_news_bri_55.php
Friday News Briefs & Editorial
Published: Friday, 3 July, 2009 @ 10:01 AM in Beirut
Beirut – For some mysterious reasons the March 14 majority alliance which won the parliamentary elections with a comfortable margin Last June 7 is allowing itself to be pressured by the opposition( which was defeated in the elections) and by countries such as Syria which sided with the opposition.
Yes, this is Lebanon …”where the winners act as the losers and where the losers act as the winners” quoting professor Ghassan Karam

Syria through its ally … Hezbollah, the only heavily armed militant group in Lebanon is setting unattainable conditions for Prime minister designate Saad Hariri to meet prior to giving the green light to its allies over participation in the new government.

One of the conditions that Syria is demanding is complete normalization of the relations with Lebanon. This, according to political observers , can only happen at the expense of the Lebanese martyrs that were assassinated since February 2005 starting with former PM Rafik Hariri. Syria has openly stated that it will refuse to cooperate with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, The La Hague based international court which will be trying the suspects in the Hariri murder and the crimes that followed. Syria was accused of being behind the murder of Hariri and all the subsequent crimes

Syria according to local media reports also wants Hariri to visit Syria prior to forming the government . Again this is being viewed as blackmail by many analysts , since Syrian president Bashar al Assad will use the occasion to exert more pressure on the majority.

Assad according to media reports has presented a long list of tough questions and conditions on future Syrian- Lebanese relations to Hariri , through the Saudi Arabian mediators. Hariri flue to Jeddah Wednesday to present the answers to the Saudi mediators and returned early Thursday morning to Beirut . Yesterday the Saudi information minister Abdel Aziz Khoja flew to Damascus to hand over Hariri’s answers to Assad.

For how long March 14 will allow itself to be blackmailed ? Time for March 14 to act as the winning majority and set its own conditions for participation by the opposition in the next government.

Remember this is not 2005 when the opposition claimed to be the real majority. This is not 2005 when general Aoun claimed to represent 70 % of the Christians vote . This is 2009 that showed the real size of the opposition, including General Aoun, who was considered the biggest loser . Losers shouldn’t be allowed to act as the winners.

Friday

08:25pm 20 Gunmen driving 4 four-wheel drive cars with no plate numbers and 16 motorcycles broke into ISF garage in the Lailaki region
attacked and tied up 16 people including ISF investigators, stole two buses and destroyed a large number of cars inside and outside the garage.

7:15pm Military Intelligence arrested H.R and his son A.R both Naqoura residents on charges of spying for Israel.

4:45pm Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naeem Qassem received a Jamaa Islamia delegation headed by Ibrahim al-Masri. Discussions focused on learning from past experiences and working for Islamic unity and affirming the choice of resistance.

02:18pm President Suleiman: political stability and security are important factors in the success of the summer season and I expect the arrival of large number Lebanese , Arab and foreign tourists

02:11pm Mashnuq ruled out the possibility of a Hariri visit to Damascus before the formation of the government

02:08pm State Security: one member of a gang that terrorized its victims and robbed them was arrested

02:06pm MP Murr: Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the negotiations between Syria and Saudi Arabia are positive in removing the obstacles facing the government formation without outside intervention in Lebanese affairs

01:49pm Carlos Eddeh told “MTV:” the people who voted in the elections voted against the Hezbollah project and the victory of march 14 was on this bases

1;40 pm Hezbollah’s Nawwaf Mousawi denied yesterday’s report of Al Markaziyah News Agency Thursday in which it revealed that the party’s Shoura Council has decided not to take part in the next Cabinet . He stressed that Hezbollah is for “real and effective participation” in the new government of national unity.

1;30 pm Reuters – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued an informal invitation to President Barack Obama to visit Damascus for talks, in a sign that relations between the two countries may gradually be thawing. “We would like to welcome him to Syria, definitely,” Assad told Sky News in an interview broadcast on Friday. “I am very clear about this.”

1 :25pm Al-Jazeera: A huge fire erupts in the Tourism Ministry building in Syria, causing significant property damages

1:01 pm Al Hayat : French President Nicola Sarkozy’s political chief of staff Claude Gueant rejected veto power for the opposition and stressed during a recent visit to Damascus that the parliamentary majority of Lebanon has the right to proper representation in the Cabinet. French sources believe that Damascus “wants everything, without giving anything in return.”

12:58 The search for the black boxes of the Air France plane that crashed in the Atlantic ocean has been extended

12:55 Lebanese Army leadership estimated that areas affected by the recent fires at about 962 acres of fruit trees and forest and weeds

12:28 Salam : Today is the most pressing option is a government of national unity, which should include a coalition of various political forces

12:19 Iranian ambassador Sheibani after meeting FM Salloukh: We support any effort that ensures the unity of the Lebanese

12:10pm Military prosecutor Saqr Saqr charged four people over cooperation with Israel and providing it with information on civilian and military bases.

12:06 Qaloush, governor of Beirut called for the removal of posters and pictures of candidates , party flags , banners and billboards that are within the administrative Beirut district

11:25 NY Times: The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Myanmar on Friday for a journey he has said will be difficult as he seeks the release of the jailed pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, or at least a meeting with her.

11:20 Former PM Najib Miqati is hoping for a quick formation of the new cabinet which should be based on true partnership.

10:45 Gemayel told LBC: We want a serious relationship with Syria on sound and clear basis, but we want to know who killed the Lebanese martyrs. Damascus also has to prove its good intentions by dismantling armed Palestinian camps and demarcating the border.

10:29 Ministr Karam told “Future News”: we have always been the facilitators in forming a government but we want something commensurate with our representation as the March 14 Christians in the majority

10:00 MP Michel Moussa told LBC: All foreign sides are interfering in Lebanon. We have to take advantage of the positive atmosphere in the Arab world and the region and to bring views closer so that we refuse foreign dictates.

09:38 “Awan newspaper “: Speaker Berri secretly visited Damascus over the past two days and discussed with Syrian officials the overall developments in Lebanon

09:20 Times on-Line: In a first report on the disaster that killed all 228 aboard, the French accident bureau said that the Airbus A330 of Air France Flight 447 had not broken up at altitude as reported earlier by Brazil…. it crashed belly-first into the Atlantic, investigation showed

09:10 Washington Post: ‎Wall Street closed the week with a sharp decline yesterday after a weak labor report stoked investor concerns of a prolonged recession. The report showed that the US jobless rate hit 26-year high of 9.5 percent

09:00 Reuters – US bank regulators closed seven institutions on Thursday, including six banks in Illinois controlled by one family and a small bank in Dallas,Texas bringing the total number of US bank failures to 52 so far this year.

08:51 Visitors to Damascus: the reports about the holding of a three-way summit that includes King Abdullah , Assad and Hariri, is not on the agenda at the moment

08:50 Premier-designate Saad Hariri paid condolences yesterday to the family of Zaina el Miri, who was killed during clashes between Amal and al-Mustaqbal movement supporters in the Beirut neighborhood of Aisha Bakkar last Sunday and urged the victim’s family “to trust the state and its institutions like the army and security forces” and expressed hope that the assailants would be brought to justice.

08:45 Ash-Sharq al-Awsat: Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz is to visit Damascus early next week to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

08:44 Sources: President Suleiman is adhering to the principle of : Losers in the elections should not be in the new government

8:32 MP Anwar al-Khalil told VODL: The issue of Hariri’s visit to Syria is being seriously pondered. The visit could come before or immediately after cabinet formation.

8:30 MP Ghazi Youssef told VOL: There are no problems that cannot be solved in cabinet formation. Reports about PM-designate Saad Hariri’s visit to Damascus before government formation are just rumors.

07:37 Fadi Awar told “Voice of Lebanon”: the opposition did not back down from any position on key issues and wants to participate in the government on proportional basis. I am satisfied with the security situation, in view of the concern shown by everyone

07:07 Diplomatic sources have revealed that Syria has proposed unattainable conditions through Saudi Arabia including a Hariri’s visit to Syria

06:55 March 14 forces alluded to the pressure exerted on the majority in the process of formation of the government and Syrian conditions described as “unrealistic “

06:24 Pharaon told As Safir “: I insist on a ministry in the new government to provide proper representation of Christian community in Beirut

06:20 It is expected that the Christian representation in the next government will be the biggest obstacle once the Syrian obstacle is resolved

06:12 The President will not sign any decree that does not allocate for him seven ministers. He is blaming March 14 which has reportedly echoed during and before the election that it was ready to give the President a veto share in the government

06:03 Well-informed sources: Premier designate Saad Hariri will visit Damascus before the completion of the formation of the cabinet and this is in addition to the visit, which is currently being arranged

05:49 Jumblatt told As Safir : If only a quarter of the security institutions in the country follow the example of the military institution, we would save ourselves a lot of suffering , problems and headaches

05:43 Well-informed sources: Saudi Information minister Khoja arrived yesterday in Damascus, but the arrival of prince Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah was not confirmed

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/saturday_news_b_50.php
Saturday News Briefs & Editorial
Published: Saturday, 4 July, 2009 @ 9:53 AM in Beirut
Beirut – The media in Lebanon continues to focus on the Saudi-Syrian negotiations and there is a lot of speculation about the content of these talks , especially with regards to Lebanon. Syrian president Bashar al Assad has reportedly interrupted his vacation in northern Syria and returned Friday to Damascus to meet the Saudi envoys ( Son of king Addullah and Information Minister Abdel Aziz Khoja) who reportedly brought along the answers of PM designate Saad Hariri to the Syrian questions about future Lebanese-Syrian relations.

What is clearly evident from the Saudi -Syrian talks:

- Syria is up to its ears in interfering in the internal affairs of Lebanon
- Taef accord is in and Doha accord is out
- Assad is insisting on meeting Hariri before the new government is formed . This meeting could either take place in Damascus or Sharm el Sheikh , Egypt
- Syria wants to know where it stands in its future relations with Lebanon under Hariri

Speaker Nabih Berri, a key member of the Hezbollah-led opposition has reportedly traveled secretly to Syria to update president Assad on the Lebanese internal political situation

According to the pro-Syrian newspaper As Safir the US is reportedly opposed to the visit of Hariri to Damascus. If As Safir’s report is correct the US is not alone in its opposition to Hariri’s visit prior to the formation of the cabinet . Almost all the March 14 leaders have voiced their opposition to such a visit at this stage.

Hariri is reportedly quietly working on a government formula that he will present to the President of the Republic and the political parties.

Next week we should start getting a more clear picture about the outcome of Saudi Syrian talks and the agreed formulation of the new government

Saturday

6:40pm Hariri after meeting President Michel Suleiman: Deliberation on cabinet formations are being carried in Lebanon and the decree will only be issued from Baabda by the president, and not from anywhere else. The government will be formed in Lebanon and we want the best relations with Syria, but at the right time. He concluded that all talk contradictory to this is untrue.

4:55pm A meeting is underway between President Michel Suleiman and PM-designate Saad Hariri.

03:12 pm M.Kh . arrested for various crimes including possession of war weapons, threatening and resisting security officials, causing harm and drug abuse

03:00 Energy minister Taborian said after meeting with speaker Berri : “The government should declare emergency with regards to electricity in Lebanon…. The electricity situation this summer will be at best like last year’s . What we are now importing from Egypt barely covered the natural growth in consumption. What is needed is more power generation plants.

According to energy experts the electricity problem will be with us forever as long as one third of the population does not pay for electricity . Hezbollah and Amal have reportedly instructed their supporters several years ago not to pay for electricity charges and fee collectors have been harassed and killed when they tried to collect electricity charges in Hezbollah strongholds

02:40 pm Following a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in Qoraitem on Saturday, Iranian ambassador Mohammed Rida Shibani said discussions were “useful and effective” and dealt with the current changes taking place in the domestic and regional arenas. He also said that Tehran is keen on strengthening unity among all Lebanese sects, parties and political movements.

02:30 pm MPs Suleiman Franjieh, and Sami Gemayel agreed in a statement to renounce conflicts, to adopt dialogue that ensures Lebanon’s unity and to help Christians resume their role in the country.” They both also rejected attempts to naturalize the Palestinians in Lebanon, saying such a step would have “dangerous repercussions on the political and social Lebanese structure and would harm the Palestinian cause.”

2:22pm PM-designate Saad Hariri is meeting with Iranian ambassador Mohammed Rida Shibani in Qoraitem. Talks will cover latest developments and bilateral ties.

02:18pm LF leader Samir Geagea: the possibility of a Hariri visit to Damascus is ruled out . such a visit before the formation of the government will lead to negative consequences

02:09pm Interior minister Baroud told “MTV:” For the first time in custody a suspect in the recent fires. In the future we will have a rapid intervention team to deal with the fires. We are in need of a comprehensive national strategy on this issue

1:27pm MP Sami Gemayel is meeting with Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh in Bnashii.

12:43pm Ghassan Jean al-Najjar, 39, shot himself dead in Beshmezzine town in Koura reportedly over family problems.

11;00 Al-Liwaa newspaper sources: Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah visited Syria to discuss “the current period before the formation of the new Lebanese cabinet,” adding that the trip falls within the framework of consultations that are taking place between Damascus and the leaders of the opposition.

10:30 An unknown placed a bomb last night in Ain al Tabbaneh. Only material damage was reported

10:30 Minister Mohammed Shatah told LBC: Hariri has no problem in apologizing from forming a cabinet if he is obliged to give up some of his principles. He won’t give the opposition veto power.

10:00 Amal Movement MP Hani Qobeissy told Free Lebanon radio : Lebanon should not be divided into safe and unsafe areas. Talking about a “disarmed Beirut” or a “safe Beirut” is being proposed at the wrong time, and this will create tensions in Lebanon.

10:00 Minister Tamam Salam told VOL: Cabinet formation is carried out by Premier-designate Saad Hariri with a foreign push. I hope time would not be wasted on specific conditions such as the need for Hariri to visit Damascus.

07:46 The Saudi Syrian contacts decided against a meeting in Damascus of the parliamentary blocs in which they were expected reach an agreement on the composition of the government

07:39 Al Masri: No dispute between the Jamaa al Islayamiyah and Hezbollah, and we maintained internal unity after the death of Yakun

07:33 Sources: The Syrian Saudi communications has reached an advanced state on the issue of the Lebanese-Syrian relations on the basis of implementation of the Taif accord and ending the role of the Doha accord

07:20 France is concerned about the delay in forming the government ” Its formation may face obstacles that will prevent it from being formed,”

06:58 there is concern about the accusation of Hezbollah in the Hariri assassination and that it could be indictment soon by the attorney General

06:44 parliamentary blocs that are formed of 4 MPS ) will not be participating in the dialogue sessions, but may participate in a Damascus meeting planned for reaching an agreement on the composition of the government

06:25 Damascus refuses to negotiate on behalf of the opposition with regards to the veto share and Saudi Arabia is saying that political commitment should replace the veto share

06:03 Saudi side was not bring final answers on the Syrian ideas, but the content of the Syrian – Saudi talks is positive

05:59 A proposed visit to Damascus by Hariri , accompanied by leaders of all parliamentary blocs and political parties of the March 14

05:56 “As Safir “: fingers pointed at the U.S. for opposing Hariri’s visit to Damascus

05:44 “An-Nahar”: Israeli violations in the hills of Kfar Shuba

05:38 Baroud will announce today new strict security measures

05:31 the Security Council will hold a closed session next Wednesday to discuss U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s 10th report on implementation of resolution 1701.

05:27 opposition sources : There a possibility that Suleiman , Berri and Hariri will visit Damascus “under the mantle of King Abdullah”
05:23 The Syrians proposed meeting with Hariri before the formation of the government or holding a side meeting with him during the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh

05:20 a meeting is expected between Suleiman and Hariri in the next 48 hours

05:18 Hariri is quietly working on a government formula that he will present to the President of the Republic and the political parties

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/sunday_news_bri_55.php
Sunday News Briefs & Editorial
Published: Sunday, 5 July, 2009 @ 8:09 AM in Beirut
Beirut- Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri ended the prospects of any future speculation over a visit to Damascus before the government is formed . After meeting with president Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace Hariri told reporters the government will be 100 percent made in Lebanon and that relations with Syria can wait.

He stressed that the consultations over cabinet formation are being carried out only in Lebanon, adding that the cabinet decree will only be issued from Baabda by the president, and not from anywhere else.

“Things are moving on the right track and Cabinet formation process is going along very smoothly ” He said and added : “We want best relations with Syria, but everything in its time is beautiful.”

Hariri concluded that all talk that contradicts his Saturday statement is strictly speculation and is untrue

The reconciliation meeting yesterday between the Marada Movement and the Phalange party helped in creating a more positive ambience in Lebanon. Phalange’s Sami Gemayel and Marada’s Suleiman Franjieh agreed to create dialogue among Christian forces in an effort to establish security and stability in Lebanon. In a joint statement they “stressed the need to renounce discords and find common grounds for a fruitful and lasting dialogue to restore the natural role of Christians.”

The two men also agreed to reject attempts to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon, because they both believed that “such a measure would be a blow to the Palestinian cause and have dangerous repercussions on Lebanon’s political and social structure.”

Sunday

09:07 PM designate Saad Hariri discussed with MP Walid Jumblatt the formation of the new cabinet in the presence of Deputy speaker Farid Makari and minister Ghazi Aridi

09:05 Netanyahu : The Lebanese government will be held responsible for any attacks originating from Lebanon against Israel

08:40 pm Sarah Palin’s decision to resign as Alaska governor was primarily prompted by her concern over the large sums of money being spent on ethics investigations into her background, Alaska’s Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell said on Sunday.

08:30pm Iran ; The Committee for the Protection of Votes which is run by Mousavi’s campaign office, accused the re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of abusing the national financial resources for his election campaign. It also accused the Interior Ministry, tasked with organizing and holding elections, and the Guardian Council — Iran’s electoral watchdog — of publicly endorsing the president before and during the campaign.

08:10 pm NY Times : US Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. suggested on Sunday in an interview with ABC that the United States would not stand in the way of Israeli military action aimed at the Iranian nuclear program

08:07pm the 32nd International Rally of Lebanon ended with the victory of Lebanese Roger Faghali

08:05pm MP George Adwan told New TV: the intervention of Syria in forming a government will harm the Syrian-Lebanon relations, and we reject the intervention of any country in our internal affairs

05:47pm A Fire erupted in Akkar between al Shouifi and Kfarhurra areas and the residents have appealed to the Civil Defense to intervene and help in extinguishing the fire before it is too late

05:29pm Carlos Eddeh told al Liwa: the opposition is practicing blackmail against the majority to secure the portfolios it wants and impose whatever conditions it wants in the Ministerial Statement

04:45 pm Guardian.co.UK :Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Iran’s Kayhan newspaper and a confidant of Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Mir Hossein Mousavi had committed “terrible crimes”, including “murdering innocent people, holding riots, co-operating with foreigners and acting as America’s fifth column”, in pursuing his claims that last month’s re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was rigged and demanded that he undergo a public trial.

04:45 pm A marine rescue unit of the Lebanese civil defense recovered two bodies at the Tyre ( Sour ) beach and rescued 9 others along the Lebanese coast

4:24 pm NNA: Workers discovered during excavations eight old rocket-propelled grenades during excavations in the town of Mazboud.

03:50 pm AFP : US President Barack Obama will visit Russia on Monday in the hope of finding agreements on military transit and weapons reductions to revive a relationship that last year plunged to a post Cold War low.

03:45 pm : A Disney World monorail driver was killed after colliding with another train at the Orlando, Fla. USA , park, a local TV station reported

03:40 pm MP Ahmad Fatfat : We insist that the government should be made in Lebanon . The government should first and foremost serve the Interest of Lebanon and its people

03 :40 LAT : Mohsen Kadivar , an Iranian reformist cleric, living in the U.S., told Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine that Iran’s “form of theocracy has failed,” and that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s decision to tie his fate to Ahmadinejad was “a great moral, but also political mistake.”

03:35pm LAT : The lawyer for Hossein Rassam, 44, an Iranian national and British Embassy employee in Tehran arrested and under investigation for subterfuge today refuted reports that his client had been formally charged

03:30pm LAT : The head of Iranian judiciary Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi today has issued a directive to Iranian courts allowing them to sentence anyone working with satellite television channels or Internet networking websites to up to 10 years in jail, according to several news agencies.

03:20 pm MP Sahili : Partnership is not a numbers game but a true team effort in decision making

03:07pm One killed and 3 wounded in a traffic accident on Usta- Anaya road

02:48pm MP Boutros Harb : we will not give any more concessions. We don’t care about ministries and positions , what we care about is our national dignity

02:35pm MP Qadiri ruled out any visit by Hariri to Damascus before the formation of the government : “There are desperate attempts to throw Hariri into the Syrian lap and this is contrary to the actual reality “

1:55 Times Online : Bernard Madoff has hired a veteran prison consultant to help him find the best possible jail in which to serve his 150-year sentence for Wall Street’s biggest fraud.

1:50 pm AP : The French agency investigating last week’s crash of a Yemenia Airways flight to the Comoros says a submarine taking part in the search has picked up signals from the aircraft’s two black boxes.

1:33pm Former finance minister Azour: Lebanon is on a cross road and urgently needs an economic strategy that will meet the challenges specially after the positive signals that resulted from the elections

12:49 FPM’s MP Abi Nasr : we will not settle for anything less than 7 ministries , but if need arises we will offer concessions to our allies in the opposition but not to the majority

12:33 MP Pharaon : I am not aware of any reconciliation discussions between Hariri and the Syrians

12:22 pm VOL: Heavy rain in the mountainous regions specially in the area between Rayfoun and Farayya amidst a layer of very thick fog

12:07pm: Former president Amin Gemayel during a Phalange party celebration in Kafr Obaida: The problem is Hezbollah arms and we are questioning ( Hezbollah’s) source of funds and weapons , because these matters constitute a blatant violation of the Lebanese sovereignty

11:39 Patriarch Sfeir is not thrilled about the talk over a visit by Hariri to Damascus before forming the government : “We are living one disaster after another and one obstacle after another ” He said

11:30 MP George Adwan from Bkirki: The impression that the cabinet is being formed overseas is not encouraging , something the Lebanese Forces doesn’t approve of.

11:15 Wadih Khazen: The meeting between the Marada and Phlaange MPs is a turning point that will turn the page on the past and lay the basis for inter Christian reconciliation and the President remains determined to complete the Christian reconciliation

10:59 Sheikh Yazbek during a meeting of “Hezbollah clerics with Druze religious leaders : We appreciate the stance taken by the great national leader Walid Jumblatt , for the unity of Lebanon and we pay tribute to the historic meeting between him and Sayyed Nasrallah

10:39 Nicola told “Al-Manar:” the Government of Lebanon would be in danger because any dispute between the sponsors of its formation would threaten the situation in Lebanon and we ask the PM designate if he still wants to change the regime in Syria

10:22 a delegation from the villages of Zaghrata are in Bkirki to call on all Christians to rally around the Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir

10:20 MP Mashnouq: Lebanon has to read clearly new developments in the region. Relations with Syria should be normalized on official and not private basis and we do not consider dialogue with Syria as a concession but a duty

08:27 Al-Rayes, “news”: Jumblatt has a new reading of all the regional variables and the issue is not a change in stance because he remains committed to his alliance

08:23Deeb told Al Balad : The guaranteed third in the government proved successful and prevented the marginalization various groups in the country because it acted as a balancing effect

08:02 “Al Diyar :” Jumblatt’s attacks against the majority is aimed at marketing himself to the opposition, especially «Hezbollah» and to send a signal to Damascus, which reflects a longing their historic alliance .

07:47 Paqradoni told Al Balad : What happened between the “Phalange ” and “Marada ” is a reconciliation that will reflect positively on the national reconciliation effort

07:33 Kouchner: Paris awaiting the birth of a Lebanese government without interference in its formation

07:27 Amr Moussa told al Akhbar : the Lebanese people mastered the political game and the election is a victory for democracy

07:24 “Al Diyar :” Hariri told Suleiman that he has not received any invitation to Syria

07:21 “Al Diyar :” Hariri’s visit to Syria is still the subject of consultations between Saudi Arabia and some Lebanese and Syrian leaders

07:15 Fayyad, the “Middle East”: “Hezbollah” did not put conditions on Al-Hariri and the voices of confusion can not block the consensus

07:02 MP Nayla Tueni told Ash Sharq al Awsat : I am in love with Malik Maktabi and we are on our way to be engaged

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/monday_news_bri_53.php
Monday News Briefs & YL Editorial
Published: Monday, 6 July, 2009 @ 10:56 AM in Beirut
Beirut – Despite the fact that PM designate Saad Hariri tried last Saturday to end all speculation about any visit to Damascus before the government is formed, the talk about such a visit continues. Yesterday Maronite Patriarch Sfeir said he is against such a visit because he believes Damascus does not view Lebanon as an independent state.

Hariri declared from Baabda last Saturday that the government will be formed 100 % in Lebanon and the decree on its formation will be announced from the Baabda palace.

According to political observers the reason behind the concerns over such a visit is because the majority of the people of Lebanon do not trust the Syrian regime.

Following the assassination of Lebanon’s former PM Rafik Hariri , father of the PM designate Saad Hariri , Syria according to analysts has not done much to earn the trust of the majority of the Lebanese and continued instead to support its own allies such as Hezbollah and the political parties and individuals that are loyal to the Syrian regime such as the Free Patriotic Movement headed by General Michel Aoun and SSNP..etc …etc..

Monday

10:34pm An unusual burning object that looks like a “Parachute” falls on the southern town of Zifte

10:00pm Qabbani for told Future TV:” The Lebanese media focused on the Syrian- Saudi as if it is the only event , but what Suleiman Hariri said was extremely important

09:40 pm Clash in Baalshmai in Mount Lebanon resulted in the killing of one person and the in injuring of two others. The Lebanese army rushed to the village and cordoned it off, in an attempt to contain the violence.

9:33pm Marwan Hamadeh: Jumblatt was the first in opening the way in all directions specially since his main concern is to spare Lebanon from heading to hell

8:39pm Patriarch Sfeir arrived at Al-Diman the Patriarchal summer headquarters where he will spend the summer

7:30pm Hariri meets Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel in Qoreitem for talks on Cabinet line-up.

06:53pm Jumblatt: Whatever to U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell? Where is the sweet talk of U.S. President Barack Obama on the ( Israeli ) settlement and the need to freeze them ?

05:25 Bizjournals.com – A federal bankruptcy judge in New York has approved a reorganization plan from General Motors Inc. despite some outcry from dealers in Florida and other states

05:20 pm PM-designate Saad Hariri accused Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Monday of twisting facts after the latter said he will hold Lebanon responsible for any attack on Israel. “Netanyahu never ceases to convey negative messages to Lebanon and to the Lebanese government,” Hariri said
Lebanon has “for years been a target of aggression,” Hariri said, adding “a part of (the country) is still occupied by Israel and its sovereignty repeatedly violated by airspace, land and sea in breach of Resolution 1701.” Hariri also said that Israel’s espionage networks that were being uncovered in Lebanon also violated the U.N. resolution

05:17 pm Guardian.co.uk: Obama and Medvedev signed a framework agreement that aspires to cut warheads to a maximum of 1,675 within seven years of a nuclear arms reduction treaty coming into force. That represents scrapping almost 1,000 warheads on both sides, according to expert estimates of current warhead levels.

5:15pm president Suleiman met visiting French Senator Ladislas Poniatowski, who congratulated the president for the successful June 7 polls and expressed hope for more stability and prosperity in Lebanon.

4:55 pm MPs Ghazi Aridi and Wael Abou Faour will most likely represent The Democratic Gathering bloc in the new government. Jumblatt reportedly decided against nominating MP Marwan Hamadeh for fear of a possible veto by Hezbollah

04:50 pm (AP): Bulgaria’s conservative opposition won elections by a wide margin as voters punished the governing Socialists for failing to crack down on corruption, according to final results released Monday.

04:45 pm Reuters : Former US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara died on Monday aged 93. He will be remembered most as the leading architect of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. His wife said ” “He was not ill. He died peacefully in his sleep.”

4:43pm Head of the French Senate’s energy committee arrived in Beirut on an official visit and is expected to meet President Suleiman and Premier-designate Hariri.

04:39pm Minister Tabourian during his meeting with the Head of the French Senate’s energy committee: “the electricity crisis in Lebanon is getting worse in the absence of any action”

4:01pm The German embassy in Beirut announced in a statement that Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier shall arrive to Beirut on Tuesday at 3:00pm and visit President Suleiman and PM-designate Hariri.

04:00 An Nahar : Hariri had started consultations on a new cabinet lineup with his allies in the March 14 coalition and is expected to meet with Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel and other independent March 14 figures after having met with Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt.

04:00 pm NY Times: President Obama arrived in Moscow Monday for a summit meeting with Russian leaders that is aimed at reaching an agreement to cut stockpiles of nuclear warheads, but is also expected to touch on the war in Afghanistan, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, terrorism and the jousting for influence in other former Soviet countries.

3:48 CBS: Two new studies found that your morning cup of coffee might help treat or even prevent memory loss. Dr. Jennifer Ashton said on CBS TV morning show

3:46 AP Amsterdam : Chronic hunger may be “the defining human tragedy of this century,” as climate change causes growing seasons to shift, crops to fail, and storms and droughts to ravage fields, an advocacy group said.

3:45 BBC : Israel says it will expel eight pro-Palestinian activists detained at sea last week as they tried to ferry aid to Gaza in defiance of Israel’s blockade.

3:40 pm AFP: Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Western leaders on Monday of a “firm fist” in response to their “meddling” in Iran’s domestic affairs.

3:35 pm Reuters : At least 140 people have been killed in rioting in the capital of China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, with the government blaming exiled separatists for the Muslim area’s worst case of ethnic unrest in years.

3:30pm Investigating magistrate Saqr Saqr ordered the release of eight suspects after they were interrogated over clashes in Aicha Bakkar. Sixteen other suspects are still in custody pending investigation.

03:03pm LBC : Hariri continues the consultations over the government formation and the discussions are revolving around his original vision which he has shared with the president and his allies

02:48pm Salloukh: we are committed to UNSCR 1701 but Israel is not and has to stop the daily violations the Lebanese airspace and its undermining of the Lebanese sovereignty

02:36pm MP Jenjenian told MTV. “Zahle in our heart “represents all Zahle , central Bekaa , all our friends and allies for the sake of Zahle and the coming days will prove that we are saying is the truth

2:35pm PM-designate Hariri receives Egyptian ambassador Ahmed al-Bedewi.

02:35pm EU ambassador Patrick Laurent said after meeting with Hariri : The PM designate is facing a tough task in forming the future government which is very important for Lebanon’s future

02:24pm The Army: New name of Nahr el Bared: the “area surrounding the camp” instead of the “new camp”

02:18pm One 18 wheeler truck overturned in Kahalale resulting in a big traffic jam

02:12pm Suleiman : Any Arabian or Foreign comprehensive peace effort has to include an understanding with Syria

1:55pm A Hezbollah delegation will visit tomorrow Druze sheikh al Akl Naim Hassan

1:50 pm Premier-designate Saad Hariri’s advisor Nader Hariri said from Bkirki on Monday that there are continuous contacts with all sides to form a new cabinet. He stressed the strong ties between Qoreitem and Bkirki and said Saad Hariri considers Sfeir ” Lebanon’s conscience.”

1:39pm MP Fouad Al-Saad: the fact that the legal deadline for the submission of appeals regarding the elections has passed without the submition any appeal is a clear evidence that the elections were an example in democracy and fairness

1:30 pm Israeli President Shimon Peres said Monday that Syria can’t expect to get the Golan Heights on a “silver platter” as long as it maintains ties with Hezbollah and Iran.

1:20pm Judge Sawan issued an arrest warrant against Hayder Mahdi al Hajj Hassan over the issue of the booby trapped parcel

1:15pm Caretaking PM Siniora and EU ambassador Patrick Laurent the current developments

1:15pm MP Saad Hariri discussed latest developments with EU ambassador Patrick Laurent at the PM-designate’s home in downtown Beirut.

1:06pm MP Ahmad Fatfat told MTV: A visit by Hariri to Syria before government is formed is out of the question ..it is better for him to visit Anjar. The government will be formed in 100 % in Lebanon

1:00pm Military Magistrate Rashid Mezher interrogated Ziad Homsy for 3 hours for his involvement in spying for Israel.

12:45pm Security forces found the body of Adnan Mubarak al-Roumi, a Syrian, in the sea after more than 4 hours of his disappearance in Tyre’s southern coast.

12:16pm Three people were wounded in a car crash on the Halat highway.

12:15pm Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir met with the premier-designate’s advisor Nader Hariri and discussed with him latest developments.

11:49 Mashnuq told OTV :” Hariri’s visit to Syria will be based on his own agenda and Saudi Arabia is discussing it to make sure his visit is successful in results not only in form

11:32 Aswad told OTV:” The illusionary Cedar Revolution is dead if we have to wait for regional powers to decide on how the government should be formed

11:22 Jaber told ANB :” There is an atmosphere of secrecy on the formation of the government and the opposition is waiting to see what will be presented by Hariri

11:09 Al Zahra, told ANB :” Our ambition is to establish good relations with Syria on clear and straightforward basis, but we will not fall into the trap of Syria will not allow anybody to interfere in the formation of the government

10:45 Internal security : Investigations into the circumstances of the death of Dr. Jamal Samad Following the accident on Nadim al Jisr street in Tripoli yesterday is not over yet

10:39 a source close to Hariri told Qatariyah: the government will be formed within 12 days in Beirut and will be announced from Baabda Palace

10:30 Israeli warplanes violated the Lebanese airspace in of Jazin and Iqlim al-Tuffah areas at low altitude

10:18 Syria approved the nomination of Abdullah Alaifan as the ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Damascus

10:16 Al-Rayes, told Future TV : The objective of the meetings between PSP and Hezbollah is to start a new page and to turn the page on the May 7 , 2008 bloody events. He said Jumblatt was committed to “calm and openness.”
A delegation headed by Hezbollah Shura council member Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek visited on Sunday the head of the Druze spiritual body in Baakline Sheikh Abou Mohammed Jawad, Sheikh Abou Youssef Amin al-Sayegh in Sharon and Sheikh Abou Saeed Amin Abou Ghannam in Aramoun.

09:55: informed sources told Future TV : Al-Hariri will not visit Damascus before the completion of the formation of the government

9:00 The French senate’s head of energy committee arrives in Beirut Monday afternoon.

8:30 Minister Khaled Qabbani told VOL: Cabinet formation didn’t take a long time yet in order to say that it might face obstacles. The issue of veto power is no longer being proposed by any side.

7:30 MP Hassan Fadlallah told VOL that the opposition is keen on quickly forming a government. He also didn’t rule out a meeting between PM-designate Saad Hariri and Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

 

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2009/07/tuesday_news_br_49.php
Tuesday News Briefs & YL Editorial
Published: Tuesday, 7 July, 2009 @ 9:23 AM in Beirut
Beirut- Finally we have some good news. Despite years of political instability, wars and domestic unrest, tourists are flocking to Lebanon from all over the world this summer for what is expected to be a bumper year for a country that is poised to reclaim its title as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’

“We expect two million Arabs — not including Syrians — and other nationalities by the end of 2009,” tourism ministry director Nada Sardouk told AFP. “This will be a record in the history of Lebanon.”

Hotels this year are almost fully booked already.”The rate of hotel occupancy in Beirut has already reached 85 percent,” said Pierre Achkar, head of Lebanon’s hotel owners syndicate.

Investments in more Lebanon hotels are on the rise. “Two billion dollars are invested in around 10 hotels that are under construction or in the works in Beirut,” Achkar said. “This will provide 2,000 more rooms and create 6,000 more job opportunities.”

The beaches are buzzing with local and foreign holidaymakers, and restaurants in the heart of Beirut are packed most nights of the week.

Fears of more violence were widespread ahead of the crucial general election in June, but the vote passed off relatively peacefully and Arabs and Lebanese expatriates are today arriving en masse.

Summer music and dance festivals, which had to be cancelled in previous years because of war or political turmoil, are back on the entertainment calendar this year, attracting thousands of visitors.

Lebanon is hosting three prestigious festivals during the summer, with rock legends Deep Purple and newcomers Keane among those set to take the stage.

Beirut topped the New York Times list of top vacation destinations in January and was listed among the top 10 cities for 2009 by the Lonely Planet for its charm and dynamism.

The question on the mind of many : Will the regional and International powers leave Lebanon alone and allow it to form a government that will enhance the stability of the country , allow it to prosper in all fields allow it to finally address the real needs of the Lebanese people ?

Tuesday

5:45pm German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets with PM-designate Saad Hariri in Qoreitem.

5:15pm Sports Minister Talal Arslan following his meeting with ‘Change and Reform’ parliamentary bloc leader MP Michel Aoun: We won’t accept a cabinet formation outside Beirut. The parliamentary opposition’s stance is united.

5:00pm An Italian parliamentary delegation to visit Lebanon July 8 and 9, to meet officials and visit UNIFIL Italian brigade.

04:30pm President Suleiman is meeting with German FM Steinmeier at the Baabda Palace

3:05pm Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil to LBC TV: The meeting with PM-designate Hariri was good; talks were positive and an excellent opening for serious negotiations and discussions. We are at the stage of extending bridges.

03:00 pm German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Hezbollah and Hamas have shown “no interest in the success of the peace talks” . He encouraged Syria on Tuesday to help ensure the success of Middle East peace efforts, saying “destructive elements” in the region need to be reined in.

02:40 pm After meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem said that Damascus will not interfere in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet.

2:10pm A wanted man from the Mallah family committed suicide after jumping from the Justice Palace’s fourth floor.

1:35 pm BBC News : The Pope is set to blame greed and selfishness for the global financial crisis, in his latest encyclical letter – the highest form of papal teaching.

1:33 pm BBC News : Ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya is expected to arrive in Washington later on Tuesday for a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

1:30pm: PM-designate Saad Hariri is meeting with Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil in Qureitem.

1:23pm: Military examining magistrate Fadi Sawan interrogated Abdul Latif Hijazi, a Syrian national , accused of belonging to a network linked to al-Qaida.

1:10pm The parachute looking object that was seen last night over Zafta village in south Lebanon was some kind of fireworks that was fired by one of the local residents . It was initially suspected to having been dropped by Israel

1:05pm Tourism minister Marouni: I expect a minimum of 2 million tourists this
1:00 pm President Obama told the Russians : “To begin with, let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia,” …”This belief is rooted in our respect for the Russian people and a shared history between our nations that goes beyond competition.”

12:50 Guardian: A new wave of violence swept through the capital of the Chinese region of Xinjiang today as riot police were forced to break up crowds of Han Chinese who marched through Urumqi attacking Muslim Uighurs two days after at least 156 people were killed in ethnic clashes.

12:45pm Phalange leader Amin Gemayel met with U.S. ambassador Michele Sison at the party headquarters in Saifi and discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region

12;45 pm Hezbollah’s MP Ali Fayyad told OTV: Riyadh was enthusiastic about reviving relations with Damascus, but Egypt expressed its resentment regarding Saudi Arabia’s openness toward Syria.

12:31pm Judges George Rizk and Nabil Wehbe who will respectively investigate Minister Pierre Gemayel’s murder and the assassination attempt on anchorwoman May Chidiac were informed officially notified about their appointments

12:15pm Minister Hariri : the results of the official exams will be announced next week

11:50 Siniora met Khalil Hrawi and discussed with a British delegation the situation in Lebanon and the region

11:50 Dr. Tohme Tohme, a native of Lebanon who served as Michael Jackson’s adviser and confidant in the final years of his life claims to have helped the late singer save Neverland from foreclosure last year. ” For the last year and a half, I was the closest person to Michael Jackson,” Tohme said

11:45 Minister Qabbai : It is too early to say that there are obstacles in the way of forming the cabinet and Hariri is insisting that it should be a national unity government . We cannot build a state based on obstructions

11:45 An Egyptian was robbed at gunpoint in Hadath near mar Elias Church and a Lebanese was robbed on Baashta beach road

11:42 a stole car was found in Burj al Barajneh and was handed over to its owner

11:41 AFP – The Middle East peace process cannot handle another failure, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned on Tuesday, telling his Israeli counterpart his country would have to make “difficult decisions.

11:40 Israeli president Peres during a joint press conference with Egyptian president Mubarak : There is no other solution for peace in the Middle East other than establishing two states: Israel, the Jewish state, and Palestine, an Arab state.

11:30 Marada leader Suleiman Franjiyeh after meeting with FPM leader Gen. Michel Aoun: Syrian President Bashar Assad cannot decide on behalf of the opposition unless he consults with it.

10:42 LBC: Michael Daher contests election of Future MP Hadi Hobeich; Adnan Araqji contests election of Future MP Nohad al-Mashnouq before Constitutional Council

10:30 MP Ammar Houry told Future News: The government will eventually be born as PM-designate Saad Hariri continues to consult with Lebanese leaders with calm.

10:00 MP Mohammed al-Hajjar told LBC: Giving veto power to the opposition in the cabinet is rejected . The majority wants a sovereign relation with Syria and not ties of subordination.

09:05 Pakradonian told “Al-Ahram:” The formation of the government is not an issue of portfolio distribution , its more to do with the regional and International politics

09:01 A Delegation of “Hezbollah” clerics to visit Druze Sheikh al Akl Naim Hassan today

08:55 Sources close to Berri: the opposition is still waiting for what form of government will be presented by Hariri

08:38 sources: preparations ongoing for a second meeting between Hariri and Nasrallah’s

8:30 MP Arthur Nazarian told VOL: Nothing has been proposed to the opposition yet. The Tashnag should be represented in case a 30-member cabinet would be formed.

08:29 former president Amine Gemayel after meeting with Hariri : A consensus Government will be announced as soon as possible and within a period not exceeding two weeks

08:19 “al Akhbar “: the camp of Ein el-Hilweh witnessed gunfire exchange last night between 2 armed groups belonging to the Fatah movement

7:35 MP Antoine Zahra told VOL: We have entered into serious consideration regarding distribution of shares in the new cabinet.

7:30 MP Ahmed Fatfat told VOL:Government formation has now entered into serious discussions. The majority has to remain a majority.

05:48 Jumblatt told “Al-Nahar:” Peres is one of the biggest hypocrites in international politics, calling him a moderate is the largest lie in the world

05:41 Sources of opposition : Opposition is seriously talking about adopting the government formula 15-10-5 since it represents a balance of concessions.. no obstructive third and no majority

05:35 sources of the majority says the fixed part of the formula of the next government : There will be no obstructive third for anyone

Fewer tourists came to the Czech Republic in 2009 than the year before. Reasons are the global financial crisis and the continuous decline in interest in the Czech Republic as a tourism destination.

 

According to the annual report by an analytic company Mag Consulting, less than six million foreign tourists visited the Czech Republic last year. It is a ten per cent decline in year-to-year comparison. Mag Consulting expects similar development also for 2010.

The manager of Mag Consulting, Jaromir Beranek, claims there were two key factors that caused the decline: �The interest in the Czech Republic as a tourism destination on foreign markets has dropped. This decline in interest was observed as early as in 2008. The global economic crisis has also influenced tourists� behavior.�

 Czech News Agency informed that hotelkeepers were not only interested in the numbers of tourists coming to the country but naturally, mainly in the number of nights they spent in hotels. According to the analytic company, in 2009 foreigners stayed only 17.6 million nights in Czech hotels, which is an 11 per cent decline in year-to-year comparison. This means that tourists spend fewer days in the country than they did before.

Mag Consulting expects the number of visitors to further drop in 2010. They estimate that there will be five per cent less visitors and the number of nights spent in hotels will drop by six per cent.

Revenues of hotels and restaurants were understandably down last year. According to Mag Consulting, revenues of tourism related businesses dropped by nine per cent to �5 billion. Because of the negative development in the sector, businesses had to lay off employees. According to Mr. Beranek 3,000 people lost their jobs last year.

 

Related:

CZECH TOUR OPERATORS SOLD 15% LESS VACATIONS IN 2009

CENTRAL EUROPEAN SPAS POPULAR AMONG VISITORS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

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