Deja vu: Berri postpones session to elect president

Deja vu: Berri postpones session to elect president
Vote now slated for january 12
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri has postponed for the 11th time a parliamentary session to elect a new president to January 12, according to a statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies on Friday. The statement said there is no longer a need for a constitutional amendment to allow grade one civil servants to be elected to the presidency. It referred to an interpretation of Article 74 of the Constitution that waives restrictions on such candidates, as they would normally have to resign from their post before their election to the presidency. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora chaired a Cabinet meeting Friday and approved 750 government decrees that were left unsigned by former President Emile Lahoud. The Cabinet also approved posthumous promotions for all Lebanese Army officers and enlisted men who fell in fighting around the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp earlier this year.

Opposition stalwart and Marada Party chief Suleiman Franjieh told reporters Friday that if the opposition did not get 11 Cabinet posts in the new government there will be no election and no new president. He said recent government actions only complicate matters. "We represent 60 percent of the people, and we have 45 percent of parliamentary seats, all we want is 11 out of 30 Cabinet posts, if they refuse to give us what we want, let them rule alone," Franjieh said referring to the ruling March 14 alliance. "If they decide to elect a president with half plus one of MPs this will lead to strife, if they can handle it, let them go ahead," Franjieh added. Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, who chaired a meeting of his bloc Friday, told reporters afterward that the vacuum in the presidency was "planned" by the ruling coalition for a long time. He said the opposition wanted a national salvation government to save the country from this void. "Before the presidential election, an understanding has to be reached [with the ruling coalition]. Their refusal to negotiate with the opposition and usurping presidential powers is a coup d'etat," Aoun said. He added that the government is "bad intentioned" and does not want to apply the law. Aoun said the opposition will not reveal the steps it will take to resist the government's coup. He said the present government contradicts the pact of communal coexistence and takes its marching orders from abroad. "They prefer slavery to freedom ... they look for masters in foreign embassies," Aoun said of the ruling coalition. He said that the national unity government the opposition is asking for would come after a president is elected, adding that the opposition's demands are legitimate and all it is asking for is governmental participation.

Former President Amin Gemayel, speaking to reporters at his home in Bikfaya Friday, said the main obstacle to accord remains the opposition's demand to have over a third of Cabinet posts and thus the power to bring down the government. "This is unreasonable as what brings a government down is only a vote of no confidence by the majority in Parliament and not the blocking third which the opposition is asking for," Gemayel said. Asked about renewed French efforts to revive their diplomatic initiative concerning Lebanon, Gemayel said the French initiative is continuing and that lately there had been an "exchange of ideas on certain possible solutions" to resolve the crisis. "All [proposals] revolve around the central point of the blocking third to bring down the government, which is difficult for us to accept," he said. Gemayel said that apart from the blocking third, the ruling coalition remains open to all other suggestions and proposed solutions, even regarding the constitutional mechanism to facilitate the election of General Michel Suleiman as president. "We have a solution to allow us to quickly hold elections should there be a law in this regard," he said, referring to the draft law to amend the Constitution. "All we hope for is cooperation from everyone and for the opposition to be convinced finally that it is in its best interest and in Lebanon's best interest for us all to put our trust in General Suleiman as an ideal consensus candidate and elect him," Gemayel said. He added that after the election a national unity government would be set up in which the president will have a "balancing vote" as is customary in most cabinets. Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, speaking at a party rally in Baalbek Friday, said the government's actions are illegal and unconstitutional. He also compared the government of Siniora to a "US embassy that occupies the Grand Serail." He said the Cabinet works to ensure American interests "These actions that the government insists on taking, in addition to the petition delivered by 13 majority MPs, are provocative, and if they think they will win the battle they will face a resounding defeat. Whoever takes escalatory steps has to deal with the results of that action."

Home on Holiday, the Lebanese Say, What Turmoil?

Home on Holiday, the Lebanese Say, What Turmoil?
Tamara Abdul Hadi for The New York Times
By ROBERT F. WORTH
Published: December 24, 2007

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon may seem an unlikely holiday spot: the government has collapsed, car bombs go off periodically and foreign envoys warn of an impending civil war. And yet, so many people have been streaming into this tiny, embattled country in recent days that the flights are all overbooked, and some well-heeled travelers are driving 18 hours from the Persian Gulf. Beirut’s restaurants, bars and malls are all packed with revelers. Why? The answer is that the Lebanese diaspora reverses itself on holidays, as the migrants who sustain the war-shattered Lebanese economy all year return from jobs across the globe to spend time with their families. Nothing will deter them — not bad weather, not interminable flights and certainly not the Grinch-like mood of Lebanon’s endlessly feuding politicians. “My plane was full of Lebanese flying home, and when it landed we all shouted ‘Beirut’ and clapped,” said George Elias, 23, who works for an investment firm in Japan. He and a dozen friends — mostly Lebanese who work abroad — were in the midst of a pub crawl in Gemayze, a fashionably bohemian district. All of them wore identical white T-shirts with “Free Hug” printed across the front, and they were hugging everyone they saw, in a puckish campaign of mass affection. “Politics is causing problems in Lebanon, so we want people to think about something else,” Mr. Elias said.

When a Lebanese Army soldier appeared on the street, the group besieged him with free hugs. He obliged with a smile, his machine gun jostling at his waist with each hug. Across town in western Beirut, the malls were packed with glamorously dressed shoppers, and even outdoor cafes were full, despite the 50-degree chill. “Look at all these people — there’s a political crisis, but do they care?” said Ali Hasbini, a burly 30-year-old sitting at a cafe table with three other young Lebanese overseas workers in the Verdun district. “Of course not.” The table was a panorama of the diaspora: one of the men lived in Singapore; one in Aden, Yemen; one in Jidda, Saudi Arabia; and one in Dubai. All had come home to see the families they helped sustain. The fact that Christmas almost coincided this year with the Muslim holiday Id al-Adha may have prompted more emigrants to return. In other ways, it is an ominous time: Lebanon has been without a president since Nov. 23, when Émile Lahoud stepped down without any agreement on a successor. Since then, Parliament has delayed voting on a new president 10 times, and negotiations have grown steadily more rancorous. Mr. Hasbini, who works for a television and film equipment company in Jidda, waved it all aside. “We get fed up,” he said. “It’s like W.W.F. or a soap opera, except here we get it live. “Politics? Khalas, you’re home,” he added, using the Arabic word for “enough.”

For some families, Lebanon has become little more than a reunion site. “We’re all here for the holidays but none of us live here anymore,” said Maria Pamoukian, 28, an urban planner based in Abu Dhabi who was born in Beirut. There are 10 people in the family — seven adults and three children — she added, all now scattered across the globe, though they still maintain a big apartment here. Like many others, Ms. Pamoukian said she struggled to find a plane ticket, and succeeded only after pleading with the airline to give her a break because a friend was getting married. They gave her a ticket to Damascus, and she drove the rest of the way, she said. The trip took 16 hours. Tarek Masri, 26, said he had almost given up on getting a flight from Saudi Arabia, where he works, until a car bomb east of Beirut killed one of Lebanon’s top army generals last week. That prompted a cancellation, and he got his ticket home. Beirutis like Mr. Masri are too hardened by years of civil war to be intimidated by a bombing. “It’s usually Gulfi tourists who cancel when that happens,” he said. “It’s not the Lebanese. We’ve heard it all before, seen it all before.”

But there is a corollary to this ritual of return: much of the middle class — including many of its best and brightest — no longer live in Lebanon. The pace of emigration appears to have picked up after the violence of the 2006 war with Israel and the political crisis that has followed, said Guita Hourani, a sociologist at Notre Dame University in Zouk Mosbeh, north of Beirut, who has studied migration patterns. The oil wealth in the gulf region has also helped lure away more young Lebanese. “It’s getting harder to find skilled people,” said Nassib Ghobril, the head of research and analysis for Byblos Bank. “Gulf companies come here and poach people from banks and other sectors. They recruit whole classes of graduating seniors.” These migrants supply Lebanon with about $1,400 per capita every year, Mr. Ghobril said — one of the highest rates of remittances in the world. Those transfers are one of the pillars sustaining the consumer economy, he added, though they do not make up for the country’s soaring public debt, the lack of long-term investment here, or the slow bleeding of the country’s main natural resource — its people. But there is another way of looking at it. “Perhaps instead of talking about brain drain we should talk about brain globalization,” Mr. Ghobril said with a mischievous grin. “The globalization of Lebanon.”

Berri puts off vote on president for ninth time

Berri puts off vote on president for ninth time
Murr insists only 'minor obstacles' remain
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri postponed a parliamentary session to elect a new Lebanese president for the ninth time on Monday, setting Saturday as the next chance to fill the office vacated at midnight on November 23 by Emile Lahoud. In all, 102 MPs came to Parliament Monday, many of them arriving as early as 10 a.m. for the noon session. The speaker's consultations included talks with opposition Reform and Change bloc MPs Ibrahim Kanaan, Neamatallah Abi Nasr and Shamel Mozaya. Berri then met with representatives of the ruling March 14 coalition: first Democratic Gathering leader Walid Jumblatt, then parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri. Berri also met MPs of his own Liberation and Development bloc as well as other deputies from both camps. Change and Reform MP Michel Murr said that only "minor obstacles" remain to achieving consensus, specifically agreement on the number of ministers each bloc gets in Cabinet. According to him, the majority has agreed to several points in Change and Reform leader MP Michel Aoun's initiative, while Aoun has dropped two conditions. "Berri spoke to [Aoun] who agreed to remove two conditions from his initiative; one concerns the presidency the other concerns the length of the president's term," Murr said. "There are several points in [Aoun's] initiative around which agreement has been reached, among these are the new electoral law and the Constitutional Council," Murr said. Kanaan told The Daily Star no progress has been made, adding that the majority had reneged on points already agreed on concerning the electoral law and its commitment to a national unity government. "There has been no agreement on a constitutional mechanism to amend the Constitution. In fact there were suggestions to bypass an amendment to Article 49 of the Constitution and to go ahead with a vote immediately," Kanaan said. Article 49 bars grade-one civil servants from the presidency, including General Michel Suleiman, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the leading consensus candidate. "The speaker told me that he stressed to Hariri the need to negotiate with General Aoun and that no concessions can be made before they meet and talk with [Aoun]," Kanaan said, adding that politicians should not be overly optimistic in their statements. "We hope by Saturday we reach agreement and reach solutions that do not violate the Constitution," he added, stressing that for that to happen the majority has to talk with Aoun.

Lebanese Forces (LF) MP Antoine Zahra called on the Cabinet of Premier Fouad Siniora to issue a proposal for an amendment to the Constitution and present it to Parliament to vote on. "All the talk of bypassing the Constitution will not reach any result," he said. "There is one way to elect the sole candidate ... Suleiman, to the presidency, by amending the Constitution in line with constitutional norms." He added that the amendment had to have the approval of two-thirds of the Cabinet and two-thirds of Parliament. "Any other suggestion is merely to gain time and continue to hinder progress and prolong the vacuum," he argued, adding that that despite what he called March 14's "best intentions," what the opposition wants is to waste time and impose unworkable conditions. "It appears the problem is political, not procedural," he said. "Syria's decision regarding Lebanon appears to be to maintain the vacuum in the country." Zahra also warned that the his party did not want the next president to be "handcuffed" with preconditions. "The [election] is linked with a comprehensive basket of conditions," Hizbullah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan told reporters. "These conditions include amending the Constitution, defining the shape of the next government, distributing Cabinet appointments, determining how many ministers each bloc gets, as well as agreeing on the identity of next army commander." He said that without reaching a "comprehensive understanding" between rival camps the opposition will not ensure a quorum is reached in Parliament. "It all depends on [March 14] ... They ought to accept and adhere to political agreements and present us with unambiguous guarantees. If they don't we will consider they are merely maneuvering to eventually renege on agreements with us later."

After the postponement was announced, March 14 MP Jawad Boulos told reporters the majority was not convinced that the opposition has taken the fundamental decision to fill the vacancy in the presidency. "We still believe that [the opposition's] policy is aimed at avoiding the election; they do not want there to be a president in Lebanon, they do not want there to be functioning institutions in Lebanon, they do not recognize the Taif Accord," Boulos said. "We have a Constitution, we have laws, we need to implement them and if we do implement them we will find the right solutions and elect a president very soon," he added. He said the president should play an active role in designing the program which will govern the country under his administration. "The opposition wants to agree to everything prior to the election of a president and then bring in a figurehead president," Boulos said. LF boss Samir Geagea told AFP that he holds little hope of a solution being reached by the next session on Saturday unless the opposition accepts Suleiman's election unconditionally. "Rumors of an impending deal yesterday were aimed at cooling off tensions created by French and US pressure on Syria," Geagea said. The LF leader called US Undersecretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch Sunday night and discussed international efforts to resolve the crisis and elect a new president for Lebanon. March 14 MP Nayla Mouawad told reporters Monday at Parliament that the Lebanese were promised a parliamentary session Monday to elect Suleiman, but she accused the opposition of rejecting solutions because of its regional alliances. "We must elect Suleiman without any preconditions," she argued. "We call on [opposition] MPs to meet in Parliament and respect the amendment process and respect the powers of the president and not tie his hands." - With agencies

Bomb kills Lebanese general tipped for army chief

Bomb kills Lebanese general tipped for army chief
By Nadim Ladki
REUTERS

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A car bomb killed a Lebanese army general in a Christian suburb of Beirut on Wednesday, removing a leading contender to replace military chief General Michel Suleiman who is set to be elected president next week. The attack heightened tension in Lebanon where rivals are embroiled in a struggle over the presidency that has fuelled the biggest political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, head of army operations, and his bodyguard were killed in the early morning blast that hit their car in Baabda, a wealthy area that houses the presidential palace and several embassies. Hajj was the ninth fatality in a string of assassinations of anti-Syrian politicians and journalists that began with the 2005 killing of ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri. Politicians from the Western-backed ruling coalition and Hezbollah-led opposition denounced the attack, as did the United States, United Nations, France, Germany, Syria and Iran.

The United States, which cast suspicion on Syria for being behind some earlier assassinations, took a more cautious line this time. "I'm not going to be pointing fingers at anybody today," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters. Lebanese security sources said 35 kg (77 lb) of explosives packed into an olive-green BMW car were detonated by remote control as Hajj's four-wheel-drive vehicle drove by. Hajj, 54, had been seen as one of two main contenders for the job of army chief, traditionally a Maronite Christian. The post would fall vacant if parliament elects Suleiman president in a long-delayed vote now slated for Monday. "The army and the Lebanese people will not succumb to terrorism," Suleiman said in a statement. "(Hajj's) martyrdom strengthens us and reinforces our belief in victory and confidence in Lebanon's future." Political and religious leaders said the killing showed the need to reduce tensions by electing Suleiman swiftly. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the military was targeted for its role in preserving Lebanon's security and stability.

SYRIA DENOUNCES

No group claimed responsibility for Hajj's killing. Some Lebanese politicians accuse Syria of carrying out the string of nine killings. Damascus has denied any involvement. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem denounced the "criminal attack" on Hajj. "We condemn any action that threatens Lebanon," he said. The White House said it would not assign blame until Lebanon's probe of the latest assassination is complete. But a spokesman said President George W. Bush would "continue to stand with the Lebanese people as they counter those who attempt to undermine their security and freedom." U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Hajj's killing and calls on the Lebanese for "calm and restraint at this critical juncture in their history." Hajj helped lead an army onslaught on al Qaeda-inspired militants at the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon this year in which 168 soldiers and about 230 Fatah al-Islam fighters were killed. "Once he was nominated for the leadership (of the army), they killed him," his father Elias told reporters in the slain officer's village of Rmeish in southern Lebanon. Hajj came from a family of tobacco farmers and was the eldest of 12 children. The blast wrecked Hajj's car, burnt others and damaged buildings. Charred metal littered the blackened streets. "We are facing a security catastrophe," said Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, calling on the interior minister to resign. Visibly shaken, the former army chief told reporters Hajj had been his preference for the top military post. The army has stayed largely neutral in Lebanon's political turmoil and is regarded as a unifying force. On Monday, the parliamentary speaker postponed the presidential election to December 17, the eighth delay so far. Pro- and anti-Syrian factions agreed last week Suleiman should take the presidency, reserved for a Maronite. It has been vacant since the term of Emile Lahoud ended on November 23. Arab and Western states fear a prolonged vacuum in the presidency could further destabilize Lebanon, where rival camps have accused each other of rearming and training fighters.

(Additional reporting by Laila Bassam and Mohammad Azakir in Beirut, Claudia Parsons at the United Nations and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Alistair Lyon and Robert Woodward)

Majida El Roumi's Speech in English!

Although something is lost in the translation... the passion, the tears, the emotions... the way she expressed herself; its not the same as hearing her quivering voice and seeing the tears... even the presenters and the journalists covering the event were sniffling... but nevertheless here it is for all to read:

How many hearts have to be broken? How many homes have to be ruined? How many Lebanese have to be given worries as their daily bread? How many young men and women have to leave the country before you decide to meet and put an end to this disastrous situation and this horrible division? How can divisions reach the point of having people tell me, “Do not pray at Pierre’s funeral or say a word in Gebran’s commemoration, or you would be speaking up against the others.” Who are the others? Aren’t you all Lebanese? All those martyrs who have died from the southernmost part of the country in massacres perpetrated by Israel to its northernmost part, in the case of our beloved army martyrs, and all those who died for our youth’s sake, … Aren’t they all – truly and honestly – ours? Didn’t they break our hearts? Aren’t they only guilty of being Lebanese?

We no longer meet to pray for the martyrs’ souls, since we now have “their” martyr and “our” martyr. I reject this painful discrimination. I hereby say that it was an honor to sing for Pierre inasmuch as it is an honor to speak about Gebran. If I am accused of being Lebanese, then I am the lucky one. I no longer care who will be offended by these words. Indeed, I know that some people will be offended, but I no longer care about them because, after 30 years of war, we have come to lose hope. I no longer care to bear witness to anyone on this earth, especially not in politics. I only bear witness to the Lord, and our Lord loves peace. He is against violence and He tells me to bear witness to what is right, to the best of our youth and to the sovereignty and freedom of this land, as any self-respecting citizen with some dignity should do. I bear witness to the tormented, martyred Lebanese people who has close brushes with death everyday and barely hangs on to life. I say: enough is enough…

You say you are entrusted with Lebanon’s sovereignty and our safety… [In reality,] you have torn the country into pieces, and you want to replace it with one that is tailor-made for confessions, parties and power obsessions. However, this country is far greater than that. You are responsible for driving wedges among us and dividing us under a single roof. You have scattered us and linked our case with half of the world’s pending issues… Why should we be a card in everyone’s hand? How can you accept to remain divided for 30 years, and then tell the whole world that you are unable to run the country’s affairs? In the end, this may be the ultimate aim. If so, then why are you doing it? You are entrusted with our freedom, our sovereignty and our independence. I am here to say: [You have done] enough… let us live.

In the name of what is right, in the name of the Lord, who you say you love and according to whose will you claim to be acting, let this state remain a state. Whose interest would be served if this nation remains unsheltered and if the state breaks up into countless component parts? I am here to conjure you up in the name of the Lord to make peace. You are so stifling us that there will be no one left to hear you. I am here for Gebran’s sake to tell him: I have come to pay tribute to you, my dear brother and friend. Our hearts will keep on beating as one as long as you are alive within us. Why is that so? Because we remained oblivious to the worth of the perfect man that you were. If no tribute is paid to you today as a King who left us, who deserves such a tribute then? Do those who have slain us deserve it? We shall not give it to them. Dear Gebran, I see your pictures on billboards, and I am ashamed to tell you that your blood will not have been spilled in vain. In the name of the everlasting God, I tell you with total confidence that there will come a day when your blood will bloom only in the three colors of our national flag. This day of freedom and sovereignty will undoubtedly come no matter how long it takes because no one can grow greater than Lebanon… Nor shall Lebanon ever be diminished. All shall perish and Lebanon shall remain, and you shall always be there, O Gebran, along with the great men who have borne witness to its dignity and its special vocation on this Earth.

Majida El Roumi's Speech during Gebran Tueni's event

Sunday 09 Dec. 07 Ms. Majida El Roumi brought tears to the eyes of everyone who heard her speech during the 2nd anniversary of the Martyrdom of MP Gebran Tueni (RIP). Here is what she said courtesy of YouTube.com:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wYFvpZ3eEJs

Yislam hal tim Ms. El Roumi... God Bless Lebanon!!

J.

Lebanese MPs get set to delay presidency vote for eighth time

Lebanese MPs get set to delay presidency vote for eighth time
jumblatt backs compromise, reaches out to hizbullah
By Mirella Hodeib
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: The parliamentary session scheduled for Tuesday to vote on a new Lebanese president is likely to be postponed as government and opposition leaders have yet to agree on a mechanism to have the constitution amended, sources from both camps said late Monday. The poor chances of holding a session to elect the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), General Michel Suleiman, as president were acknowledged by a source close to Speaker Nabih Berri and by one of his allies, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun. Sports and Youth Minister Ahmed Fatfat offered much the same prediction in a brief telephone interview. The postponement would be the eighth since Parliament first attempted to elect a president in September. Aoun warned Monday that a presidential election was "unlikely to take place before the end of the year." "We are not scared of chaos should vacuum persist," Aoun told reporters following the weekly meeting of his Reform and Change parliamentary bloc. "It seems that there will be neither election nor constitutional amendment on Tuesday." He accused the parliamentary majority of "blocking" Suleiman's election. "I think that the majority does not want to elect General Suleiman and all this is nothing but a maneuver," Aoun said. Aoun has tied the election to the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement on several political issues, including the shape of the next government.

Also Monday, Suleiman met with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir for 30 minutes at Bkirki. The LAF commander declined to comment following the visit. Article 49 of the Constitution bars public servants, including Suleiman, from acceding to the presidency while in service. But articles 76 and 77 offer two different means to have the constitution amended and both require the approval of the government - which is not recognized by the opposition. MP Robert Ghanem, who heads Parliament's Administration and Justice Committee, and Future MP Bahij Tabarra - both of the ruling March 14 coalition - are expected to submit a petition to amend the Constitution at Tuesday session. The petition will be signed by five MPs from each side. However, Article 77 specifies that the petition requires the approval of both two-thirds of MPs and the Cabinet. The opposition brands the government headed by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora as illegitimate, after six ministers, including all five Shiites, submitted their resignations in November 2006. Thus far, opposition MPs have refused to send a draft amendment to a government they do not recognize, and visitors to Siniora on Monday quoted him as saying that he would not accept any amendment that does not pass through the government. He also reportedly rejected calls for a Cabinet resignation before the presidential election takes place.

According to the National News Agency, the premier made a series of phone calls to the ambassadors of Russia, Egypt, and China on Monday to explain his government's stance concerning an amendment, as well as recent political developments. Fatfat, who represents the Future Movement in the Siniora government, said that an election on Tuesday "is unlikely to take place." "MPs from the opposition will not show up at the Parliament and the scenario witnessed in the past seven sessions is likely to be replicated," the minister told The Daily Star on Monday. Concerning the amendment, Fatfat said the Constitution makes it clear that "any amendment should go through the government." "Articles 76 and 77 of the Constitution propose two options to having the Constitution amended and both scenarios require that the government approves or supervises the amendment," he added. Meanwhile, Berri's spokesperson, Arafat Hijazi, told The Daily Star that the speaker "strictly opposes" having the amendment go through the current government, adding that Berri was working on having the Parliament "amend the Constitution itself." "Exceptional circumstances require exceptional measures, especially since the Parliament is a full-fledged independent entity," Hijazi said. While dismissing the possibility of an election taking place on Tuesday, Hijazi said that MPs from Berri's Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc "will report to Parliament tomorrow." "One never knows what might happen," Hijazi added. In other developments, the head of the Democratic Gathering, MP Walid Jumblatt, said the "political concessions" made by the March 14 Forces "are not to be seen as a sign of defeat or surrender." "It is not a drawback, as some are calling it. It is rather a step forward and a pre-emptive measure against attempts to hamper democracy and civil peace," he argued in comments carried by his Progressive Socialist Party's Al-Anbaa newspaper. He told the weekly that any deal that does not take into consideration March 14's principles would be "treason." He also said that Lebanon's independence could not have been achieved "without the sacrifices of the resistance," adding that Hizbullah "should be gradually merged with the Lebanese Army so as to stand in the face of Israel." "This merger, if achieved, would spare Lebanon a number of problems, including that of excessive foreign interference," Jumblatt said.

It took a singer to voice what Lebanon really needed to hear

It took a singer to voice what Lebanon really needed to hear

By The Daily Star
Editorial

The phenomenon of celebrity entertainers wading into political debate is typically a source of annoyance and/or mirth, their comments frequently being so banal and/or uninformed as to actually render a disservice to public discourse. This was not the case, however, on Sunday when Majida Al-Roumi, a Lebanese singer with international star power, had the opportunity to address an audience that included much of her country's political elite. The occasion was a ceremony in Beirut to commemorate the second anniversary of the assassination of MP and journalist Gebran Tueni, and Roumi honored his memory by being loyal to his penchant for straight talk. She was preceded by representatives of Lebanese youth, always a favorite subject of Tueni's oratory and writing, and as a group they demonstrated that he was successful in getting through to at least some of their generation, instilling in them a degree of sociopolitical awareness far beyond their years. This they will need if they are to avoid the kind of pointless feuding into which their elders have dragged an entire country. It was Roumi who stole the show, though, by adopting Tueni's blunt style as she chastised Lebanon's political class - all of them - for the damage they have wrought and continue to wreak. She rightly berated them for having spent the past three decades engaged in divisive politicking that has exposed the country to meddling from both East and West - and for not having learned anything from the experience. It is too early to know whether she managed to make any of them feel ashamed, but she certainly made some of their offenses clear, especially those that have engendered visions of Lebanon and the Lebanese that exclude people because of their background and/or their beliefs.

Tueni was murdered precisely because such sickening attitudes have enjoyed such unchallenged prevalence in so many quarters for so very long. Now it is the duty of those he awakened - not those who twist his words into more of the cheap and malicious mudslinging that masquerades as politics in Lebanon - to help obtain justice, and to do so in a just way. The Special Tribunal created by the United Nations to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will also delve into the Tueni killing and those of all the others cut down over the past three years or so. If it is abused in any way for political gain, a strategy for which some players have shown enthusiasm, it can only perpetuate the cycle of revenge and deepen the intra-Lebanese divisions that Roumi so thoroughly and thoughtfully condemned. That would mean that other Lebanese who have also died for Lebanon - including, as Roumi noted, Hizbullah fighters who have fallen in battle against Israel and Lebanese Army soldiers who gave their lives at Nahr al-Bared - made their sacrifices in vain.

The international importance of denying impunity to those who tried to assassinate freedom of the press by murdering Tueni was communicated by the World Association of Newspapers' having put its imprimatur on Sunday's proceedings for the second year in a row. The local importance was articulated by his father and mentor, MP Ghassan Tueni. Himself an elder statesman of Lebanese journalism, he underscored the fact that his son's legacy consists largely of words, which can never be effaced. If and when justice has been obtained - for all Lebanese - those words will have acquired a practical permanence to match their symbolic indelibility.

Lebanese leaders put off presidential election again

Lebanese leaders put off presidential election again
Twin House sessions planned for Tuesday - one to Amend Constitution, one to fill top post
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: A parliamentary session Friday to elect Lebanon's next President has been postponed until noon Tuesday as efforts to remove several constitutional and political hurdles continue at a feverish pace. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner voiced confidence Friday as he left the country that a new president would be elected by Tuesday. The postponement of the session was announced shortly after Speaker Nabih Berri met with several majority and opposition MPs in Parliament, including a one-and-a-half-hour meeting with parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri. Hariri also met Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja, former MP Nassib Lahoud and Public Works Minister Mohammad Safadi in Qoreitem Friday. Berri also met MP Mohammad Raad, who heads Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, as well as deputies from MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc. Change and Reform MP Michel Murr, speaking to reporters after meeting with Berri in Parliament, said a proposal to present a petition to Parliament for amending the Constitution is being considered. The amendment would allow Lebanese Armed Forces commander, General Michel Suleiman, to be elected president. "Presenting a petition has been agreed on between Speaker Berri, MP Saad Hariri and the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc. It will be prepared by legal experts, among them former Justice Minister Bahij Tabbara and MP Robert Ghanem, who helped draft it," Murr said. He added that the draft would be signed by 10 MPs - five from the opposition and five from the majority. "The five opposition MPs will include MPs from Hizbullah, Amal and Aoun's bloc," Murr said, adding that this new constitutional formula would be reviewed Tuesday before the electoral session convenes.

Meanwhile, Ghanem said a petition signed by 10 MPs calling for a constitutional amendment to allow Suleiman's election to the presidency would be submitted to Parliament on Saturday. "There will be two sessions Tuesday, one to amend the Constitution and another to elect the president," he added. Speaking to reporters at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport after holding three days of intensive talks with Lebanese leaders, Kouchner said there was general consensus in the country, and that rival parties must arrive at an under standing whereby a new president is elected next Tuesday. "This is what I hope and expect will happen," he added. "We struggled hard and meetings lasted for a total of four hours and it was difficult to reach agreement," he said. "The whole world looks to Lebanon today," Kouchner added, addressing he Lebanese public. "You should know a complete success could emerge on Tuesday, but it should be your success. I say this because the president elected must be your president acceptable to all sects." Kouchner said he was happy because obstacles were being dealt with one after the other and if a new president were elected Tuesday it would be a victory for Lebanon and the Lebanese. The French minister also said that a new premier must be acceptable to the new president who would appoint him. Development and Liberation Bloc MP Ali Hassan Khalil, speaking to reporters after the postponement of Friday's session, said no "final understanding" has so far been reached on an amendment to the Constitution to allow the election of Suleiman to the presidency. "We have from now until Tuesday," he said, "to try to complete consultations, which we feel is sufficient time to arrive at an understanding among the parties." "We cannot talk of specific mechanisms [for amending the Constitution]. There are ideas being put forward and circulated for discussion in a positive and serious manner, but saying we reached a final understanding on such a mechanism is not accurate," Khalil said. "General Aoun is also part of the open discussions being undertaken. His views, ideas and initiative are all being taken on board." He added that the opposition remained united in its stance. Future Movement MP Atef Majdalani told The Daily Star that the majority refuses to discuss Cabinet appointments or the premiership before the election of a new president. He said cutting the president's term short, as Aoun suggests, would be a "constitutional violation that threatens the country's unique formula and the Christian presence" which the majority will not accept. "Unfortunately we are obliged to reach an understanding with the minority. We have taken positive steps toward them [and] we hope they too take similar steps toward us," he said, adding that Lebanon cannot "take one more moment of vacuum" in the presidency.

Social Affairs Minister and March 14 MP Nayla Mouawad, speaking after the abortive session Friday, blamed Aoun for the latest delay. "I call on Aoun to stop putting up new obstacles and being a front for Syrian-Iranian ambitions in Lebanon," she told reporters. "March 14 offered a serious initiative to find a way out of this constitutional crisis and to end the vacuum in the presidency, which is nominating General Suleiman as president without any preconditions," Mouawad added. "We sacrificed our two candidates and sacrificed our fixed position against amending the Constitution ... and the March 8 forces obstruct our efforts with all their might." Majority MP Jawad Boulos told The Daily Star he had hoped popular pressure and Kouchner's visit would create a "strong dynamic" to push forward agreement, but it did not. "[The opposition] feels that a political agreement which bypasses the Constitution is the best way to go," he argued. "We disagree." Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea told the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that the postponement Friday was not surprising. He said the obstacles lie with finding a constitutional mechanism to hold the presidential election. March 14 refused to enter into "bargaining" or political discussions with the opposition that could harm constitutional processes, he said.

Suleiman gains support from March 14, awaits official word from opposition

Suleiman gains support from March 14, awaits official word from opposition
Gemayel announces 'historic position,' calls for 'national solidarity'
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: The ruling March 14 alliance announced Sunday that it would back the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Michel Suleiman, as a compromise candidate for the presidency, backtracking on its earlier opposition to amending the Constitution in order to fill the vacancy in the top post. "March 14 takes this historic position and calls for the widest possible national solidarity around it," former President Amin Gemayel said, reading out a statement after the alliance's meeting at Beirut's Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel. Gemayel said the initiative aims to bring to an end to the paralysis in the country. He also acknowledged that not all of his allies were entirely comfortable with an amendment. "March 14 registers ... the reservations of some of its members, in principle, on amending the Constitution and sees this [divergence] as reaffirming its democratic course within its understanding of diversity," Gemayel said. Sunday's March 14 meeting was chaired by parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri and included Gemayel, Deputy Speaker Farid Makkari, Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea and presidential candidate Nassib Lahoud. Absent from the meeting was another presidential candidate, MP Butros Harb. Yet another possible contender, MP Robert Ghanem left early for what were described as personal reasons. Several Cabinet ministers, MPs and other members of March 14 were also present. Lahoud was reportedly among the members of the alliance who expressed reservations about amending the Constitution. Liberation and Development bloc MP Ali Khreis said the opposition will hold a meeting on Monday or Tuesday to come up with an official stance on Suleiman's candidacy. Speaking at a memorial ceremony in the South, Khreis voiced optimism that the crisis would be resolved in "the next few days." He said the army commander meets the specifications of a consensus president, praising Suleiman's "national stances" at several crucial junctures the country has faced.

Khreis also responded to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir's suggestion on Friday that Speaker Nabih Berri had closed the doors of Parliament, arguing that "those who closed the door and hindered public institutions are those who hindered initiatives and insisted on monopolizing power." Gemayel, who accompanied Geagea on a visit to Suleiman at the latter's office in Yarze on Saturday, told Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) on Sunday that he felt the general had a firm grasp of the problems facing the country, as well as the people's fears and concerns. He said he discussed means of reviving the role of constitutional institutions through a dialogue among the various parties to be led by Suleiman. Gemayel said Suleiman's good relations with Syria were not an obstacle but could be of use. Geagea told LBC that a resolution to the crisis was close at hand, going so far as to say that a solution to the political impasse could be reached in "a matter of hours." Geagea said the meeting with Suleiman on Saturday was aimed at dispelling fears of a potential struggle between the army and the Lebanese Forces, which fought pitched battles near the end of the 1975-1990 Civil War. "There is only one army. The Lebanese Forces today is a political party conducting only political activities in accordance with its convictions," Geagea said. He added that the situation in Lebanon was "very dangerous," comparing the country to "a very sick person requiring urgent surgery." "All we can do is to carry out consultations and talks. God willing a solution is close at hand," Geagea said.

On the opposition side, Hizbullah's number two, Sheikh Naim Qassem, also expressed support for Suleiman in an interview with Al-Manar TV on Saturday, but he also signaled his party's continued alliance with its initial candidate, Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun. "We, in Hizbullah ... have a positive view of General Michel Suleiman in addition to our appreciation of Michel Aoun's stance, and consider this [option] a serious one," Qassem said. "There is a big opportunity for discussion to reach an accord on the presidential election." Hizbullah officials have in recent days linked their support for any presidential candidate to Aoun's stance. Now that Aoun has publicly supported Suleiman, Qassem's comments can be seen as implicit support for the army commander as well. Meanwhile, efforts were reportedly under way on two of the three tracks via which constitutional amendments can be proposed to clear the way for a Suleiman presidency. Justice Minister Charles Rizk said Sunday that he would soon present Prime Minister Fouad Siniora with a his own proposed amendment. He said it would then be studied and discussed in Cabinet before a final draft is reached. A source close to Rizk told The Daily Star that he would present his proposal to Siniora on Monday. "He will present the proposal ahead of a Cabinet meeting planned for either Tuesday or Wednesday that will discuss the proposal," the source said. Rizk, speaking to Voice of Lebanon radio, stressed the need to "uphold Article 49 of the Constitution and not permit senior civil servants to run for president before two years pass after their resignation from their posts" as the article in question stipulates. He warned against the wording used in previous amendments, alluding to the Syrian-sponsored change in 2004 that extended Lahoud's term for three years. "A more lasting formula must be found that nonetheless preserves the exceptional nature of [Suleiman's candidacy], thus preventing other civil servants from abusing their positions to ease their way into the presidency," Rizk said. In addition to Rizk's legislation, Future Movement MP Bahia Hariri said moves were also afoot to have 10 MPs present an amendment proposal to the government and for a parliamentary session to convene on December 7, or sooner, "to rescue the country from this crisis." "We are confident that the crisis will end soon and with the New Year Parliament will be a beehive of legislative activity," Hariri said. Amendments can also be put forward by the president, but that office has been vacant since Emile Lahoud left office on November 24.

Berri delays election again as all sides rally behind Suleiman

Berri delays election again as all sides rally behind Suleiman
Jumblatt: 'stability and prosperity loom on the horizon'
By Mirella Hodeib
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri postponed a session to elect Lebanon's next president for the sixth time in a row on Thursday, announcing that Friday's scheduled vote would be delayed until December 7. At the same time, politicians from various groups expressed their willingness to elect the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Michel Suleiman. "In order to permit further consultations toward reaching a consensus on the election of a new president, the speaker decided to postpone the session scheduled for tomorrow until Friday December 7 at 1:00 p.m.," said a statement issued by Berri's office late Thursday. Observers said that the sixth postponement was different from the previous ones, since the identity of the next president is apparently no longer subject to debate, with the focus now shifting to finding the most suitable constitutional scenario for having Suleiman elected. For Suleiman to be elected, the Parliament will have to amend the Constitution as it prevents senior state employees, including army commanders, from running for the post while in office. Berri had told As-Safir newspaper in remarks published Thursday that he has informed politicians that he was ready to find "technical ways" to amend the Constitution. "There are four ways to do that but the basis should be a political agreement between concerned groups," he added, without elaborating. Suleiman is seen as a neutral figure in a country where political divisions are often obvious. The presidency has been vacant since midnight last Friday, when incumbent Emile Lahoud's term expired.

On Thursday, leaders from across Lebanon's political spectrum said they endorsed the Suleiman option. MP Michel Aoun, head of the Free Patriotic Movement said he backed Suleiman to become Lebanon's new president, a move that could help to fill a week-long political vacuum. "Yes of course, I back him and I am very happy," Aoun said after the weekly meeting of the Reform and Change parliamentary bloc he heads. "If the majority wants, and other parties in the opposition want, then it is okay." Asked if he will support any constitutional amendments to open the way for Suleiman, Aoun replied in English: "I will not oppose. ... Right now, I will accept the compromise." Aoun, like Suleiman a Maronite as all presidents should be under Lebanon's confessional system, put himself forward previously as a candidate, but the parliamentary majority refused to back him. "However," he said, "there are constitutional obstacles that should be removed because the government is illegitimate." Any constitutional amendments would have to be drafted by the government and then presented to Parliament for ratification. Aoun and the opposition consider the government headed by Premier Fouad Siniora as illegitimate since six ministers, including all five Shiites, resigned from their posts in November last year. Once a harsh opponent of having military figures accede to power, the head of the Democratic Gathering, MP Walid Jumblatt, said "flexibility should be shown concerning a constitutional amendment so as to find a solution to the current impasse." "Having the Constitution amended should not be that complicated for stability and prosperity loom on the horizon," he said after a meeting with ex-MP Tammam Salam. Echoing Jumblatt's stance, Siniora said that discussions were "under way to decide on the possibility of having the Constitution amended."

Siniora also met on Thursday with US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman. Feltman called for holding the presidential election "as soon as possible." "We hope the presidential vacuum will be filled very soon," Feltman said following a meeting with a delegation from the Maronite League headed by Joseph Torbay. "Washington supports any president elected by the Parliament according to the Constitution," he added. Feltman said the US financial, political and social commitments to Lebanon remain intact, adding that his country was "looking forward to cooperating with the new president." Feltman held talks on Thursday with several political and religious figures, including Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea and former interim Premier Najib Mikati. Various media reports speculated that Mikati, also considered a consensus figure, would head Lebanon's next Cabinet if a president is elected. Also endorsing Suleiman for president, Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja said on Thursday his county would support the nomination of the commander of the army if it was backed by consensus. For his part, Geagea told reporters on Thursday that "a constitutional amendment is a possible scenario, [but] only if it were amended for Suleiman." - With agencies, additional reporting by Nafez Qawas

Suleiman becomes front-runner in presidential race

Suleiman becomes front-runner in presidential race
Largest bloc willing to elect general
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Michel Suleiman came back into the spotlight as a serious contender for the presidency on Wednesday, after Future Movement MP Ammar Houri announced his bloc's acceptance of amending the Constitution to allow for his election. The announcement pointed to a change of heart on the part of Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri, as Suleiman had long been a favorite candidate of the opposition. Houri, speaking to Al-Arabiyya satellite news channel Wednesday, said his bloc was taking this "positive step" after Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir announced he would accept a candidate from outside his list as long as there is broad national consensus on such a candidate. "We declare our acceptance of amending the Constitution in order to achieve consensus over the nomination of [the army commander], a symbol of unity of our armed forces that shed its martyrs' blood in defense of the nation against those who threaten civil peace," Houri said. The ruling coalition has long opposed amending the Constitution to allow the election of a grade-one civil servant to the presidency, a move which would be required to allow Suleiman's election to the presidency.

A source close to Speaker Nabih Berri said only that "there is nothing official on making Suleiman president." Berri met with Suleiman at Ain al-Tineh Wednesday, shortly after Houri's comments. Suleiman also received March 14 MP Nayla Mouawad at his office in Yarze Wednesday and later visited Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Aoude in Achrafieh and Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani in Beirut. Resigned Energy Minister, Hizbullah's Mohammad Fneish, told The Daily Star that any consensus candidate has to be approved by the party which represents a majority of Lebanese Christians, which he said is Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, with whom Hizbullah has signed a memorandum of understanding. "Aoun is the starting point to any consensus. The question here is whether this move is a maneuver on the part of the ruling faction to create a rift between us and [Aoun] or is it a serious offer by the ruling faction and a clear position?" Fneish asked. He said if Suleiman is considered a serious candidate by the ruling coalition, then his election should be discussed with Aoun first and the other opposition parties. He added that the party does not object to Suleiman in principle.

Aoun, asked by reporters Wednesday to comment on Suleiman's candidacy, said only "let [the majority] shed their contradictions and let them amend the Constitution and first consult legal experts, then we will comment." Aoun said that the opposition will take practical peaceful steps to express their opposition to the government. Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan called on the majority to prepare a draft proposal for a constitutional amendment and express a serious desire to support Suleiman for the bloc to express its position. "Is this just a maneuver or a serious offer? Our experience with [the majority] in the past has not been very encouraging, many times they made overtures and went back on them," Kanaan told The Daily Star. Loyalty to the Resistance bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad said a constitutional amendment is possible only if Premier Fouad Siniora resigns from the "unconstitutional government." "Parliament cannot meet with an unconstitutional government," Raad said, adding that this is just his personal opinion not the opposition's stance. Raad said Suleiman "knows our position well." "When [Suleiman's] candidacy is put forward in a serious and objective manner we will discuss it," Raad said in an interview with Naharnet on Wednesday. Raad said his bloc will not "hinder any possibility for consensus" if a consensus requires a constitutional amendment, provided all the opposition parties are in agreement. "Is a constitutional amendment possible from a constitutional standpoint? And who amends the Constitution now, the unconstitutional government under whom Parliament refuses to convene?" he asked, adding that at the very least, the matter requires further "discussion and contemplation." Raad said any amendment is only possible through collusion between the majority and opposition. "This matter needs to be discussed in detail among the opposition before we take the right decision," Raad said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that amending the Constitution remains "one of the options" being considered to settle the presidential crisis. He said all options are being considered to salvage the top post and "huge efforts are being exerted to fill in the vacuum at the presidential office as soon as possible." Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani told the army head that the safety and stability of Lebanon is entrusted to the army, which is performing its mission impeccably and that the army is fully aware of the dangers threatening Lebanon. He called on the army to "rally behind the legitimate and constitutional government of [Siniora] which proved its ability to shoulder its responsibilities with patience, audacity and courage." Hariri received in Koreitem Wednesday French Charges D'Affaires Andrea Parant and discussed developments concerning the presidential election. He later met US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman and discussed political local and regional developments. Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt called on both Berri and Hariri to resume dialogue to elect a consensus president from among the names on Sfier's list, adding that it was not right to wait to see the results of the Annapolis peace conference to act. He stressed the need for a president even if only to manage the crisis, as such an option is preferable to a void, adding it is in no one's interest to risk clashes. He said managing the crisis will ensure security and limit the damage that Lebanon could suffer. - with additional reporting by Maher Zeineddine

Aoun back in presidential running after March 14 rejects 'salvation initiative'

Aoun back in presidential running after March 14 rejects 'salvation initiative'
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Saturday, November 24, 2007

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun said Friday that he was back to being a presidential candidate, hours after the ruling March 14 coalition rejected his "salvation initiative" as "unconstitutional." "We came up with this initiative after various foreign powers called on us to save the country from an imminent vacuum ... and it is really unfortunate that they [March 14] dealt with it with utter negligence," Aoun said Friday evening. On Thursday the FPM leader had offered a conditional package to end the deadlock over Lebanon's presidency, proposing that he withdraw his candidacy in favor of a neutral figure to be named by him, who would serve an abbreviated presidential term. At the same time MP Saad Hariri, leader of the majority in Parliament, would name a neutral prime minister to head a government of national unity. Under the terms of the deal, March 14 would receive 55 percent of the seats in Cabinet, while the opposition March 8 camp would get the rest. The four senior-most positions, however - defense, finance, foreign affairs and interior - would be evenly split.

The FPM leader warned, however, that his proposal was valid only until 10:00 p.m. Friday, two hours before incumbent Emile Lahoud's term expired. As repeated the caveat as a deal began to look increasingly unlikely on Friday. "By 10 p.m. I will return to being a candidate for the presidency," he said, adding that "by tomorrow many changes will take place." Under his proposal, the new president would only have served a two-year term before stepping down after parliamentary elections in 2009. The parliamentary majority, whose leaders met late Thursday, dismissed Aoun's plan without directly mentioning it. Following a meeting at the Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel in Beirut, leaders of the March 14 coalition urged all of the country's MPs to take part in the electoral session in Parliament that had been scheduled for Friday. "Parliament is the sole authority that elects presidents, chooses premiers and grants governments votes of confidence," the March 14 statement said, in a thinly veiled rejection of the formula proposed by Aoun. "The March 14 forces will not be lured into proposals that require the adoption of unconstitutional options," the statement added. - With agencies

Lahoud steps down, but no one else steps up

Lahoud steps down, but no one else steps up
Cabinet says army is on its side after berri postpones election yet again for lack of consensus

By Hani M. Bathish and Nafez Qawas
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Emile Lahoud left Lebanon's presidency at midnight on Friday, just hours after announcing the transfer of security responsibilities to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) because Parliament had failed to elect his successor. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora issued a statement shortly thereafter declaring Lahoud's move unconstitional. Lahoud's announcement explained his gambit by asserting that existing conditions in the country "could lead to a state of emergency," but Siniora's statement affirmed that only the Cabinet has the executive authority to declare such a state. "[Lahoud] aims to deceive citizens into believing that the whole country is under intense danger, whereas the situation is secure as the army is maintaining security in the country," the statement read, adding that since a new president was not elected "this government will continue to assume its responsibilities and exercise its full authority." Education Minister Khaled Qabbani, speaking to New TV late Friday, said that the LAF's commander, General Michel Suleiman, had been in contact with Siniora and assured him that the army would follow the directives of the current Cabinet. Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Fatfat confirmed this, telling The Daily Star there was "complete coordination" between the government and the military and that the Cabinet has "no doubts" as to Suleiman's commitment. "Lahoud does not have the right to issue such a statement in the first place," Fatfat said, adding that it was designed to spread fear. "The army has already taken all the precautions necessary in coordination with the government," Fatfat said, adding that no extra security measures would be taken. In a statement read out by spokesperson Rafik Shalala, Lahoud said: "There are conditions and risks on the ground that could lead to a state of emergency," leading the outgoing president to hand the army responsibility for maintaining order. The statement argued that the present government is illegitimate and unconstitutional and therefore incapable of assuming power in "a safe and constitutional" manner. Lahoud further instructed the army to report to the government once a "constitutional" one comes to power.

The Cabinet held a ministerial meeting Friday night ahead of assuming presidential powers in accordance with the Constitution. All majority-aligned ministers attended, except for Defense Minister Elias Murr. The session, which started at 6 p.m., was held to discuss the impact of postponing the presidential electoral session in Parliament. The session was postponed for one week to allow time for further negotiations. MPs from the ruling March 14 coalition warned that they retain the right to elect a president by absolute majority and that as of midnight Friday Parliament would be in continuous session, as per the Constitution, until a new president is elected. Speaker Nabih Berri announced the one-week postponement a little after 1:30 pm "to allow time for further consultation and to reach a consensus." He added that if consensus were reached before that date, the session could be held sooner. In all, 109 majority and opposition MPs went to Parliament on Friday, but while the former entered the main chamber and waited for the session to convene, the latter waited outside. Berri met with MPs from various blocs and held closed meetings with both March 14 MP Walid Jumblatt, head of the Democratic Gathering, and parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri. Telecommunications Minister and March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh told The Daily Star majority MPs were determined to thwart what he described as "further attempts to hinder the election of a president." "From midnight tonight we are free to gather. Not only is this a right, but also a commitment imposed on us by Article 74 of the Constitution," he said. Asked if the majority were considering electing a president by simple majority, the minister did not respond. MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, of the opposition Loyalty to the Resistance, noted that the postponement was to complete negotiations toward agreement on a consensus president. "This is far better than resorting to reckless choices like those the [majority] have talked about," Hajj Hassan said. "The opposition is ready to move to face any coup attempted by the group in power. The real coup would be electing a president by simple majority and giving the Cabinet presidential powers." Asked what these moves would be, he said: "Let them carry out their coup to see what we will do," adding that this was a step the opposition would prefer not to take.

Fatfat told The Daily Star that according to the Constitution, from midnight Friday Siniora's government would assume presidential powers. "The government only assume these powers temporarily until a new president is elected," he added. Hariri, speaking from Bkirki, where he met with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir on Friday, said that consensus remained possible. "The time has come for us as Lebanese to understand that we have no path open to us but consensus," he said. "It is our duty and we will always seek it." He added that electing a president by simple majority was a constitutional right that March 14 has not resorted to because it wants consensus. "We said from the first moment that Speaker Berri an-nounced his initiative," the MP said, "we want consensus and we proceeded along this path on the understanding that there is a list that the patriarch has put forward through French mediations, but consensus failed to transpire due to some political disagreements with certain political parties." Refusing to respond directly to a last-minute initiative put forward by MP Michel Aoun, leader of the opposition Change and Reform bloc, Hariri nonetheless said that any changes to the president's term in office would amount to tampering with the Constitution and the office. Aoun had suggested that he choose a neutral president to serve a two-year term, while Hariri select a neutral prime minister to head a government of national unity. The majority rejected the proposal. "If we can agree on a president let him be a president for a full six years," Hariri said. At midnight, as a festive mood prevailed in pro-March 14 neighborhoods, Lahoud made good on earlier pledges and left office as scheduled under the terms of the extension granted to him under Syrian pressure in 2004. He also unloaded a few parting shots at his detractors at home and abroad. "The majority will be the losers in the end if they don't accept to elect a new president, either by consensus or at least with a two-thirds [quorum in Parliament]" he told Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. TV moments after leaving Baabda Palace. "Lebanon is not America or France," he added, mentioning two of the Siniora government's strongest foreign backers. "It is a consensus democracy." "No matter what [US President George W.] Bush says, this [Siniora's] government is unconstitutional and illegitmate," Lahoud said. "And they know it."

Familar faces, familiar arguments
Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT Majority and opposition MPs performed a well-practiced routine on Friday, mimicking their reactions to three earlier failed attempts at holding a presidential election session. As always, majority legislators asserted their right to elect a new president, while the opposition insisted its boycotting of the session was a legitimate constitutional tool. Deputy Speaker and March 14 MP Farid Makkari read out the majority's statement, affirming that it would not relinquish its rights and obligations and would not be absent from any electoral session. "Boycotting is not a democratic choice but it is a violation of the Constitution," Makkari said. "The majority is committed to stability in the country and will not resort to any steps that could take the country into the unknown." He added that the majority would not relinquish its right to resort to an absolute majority to elect the next president. "This is a constitutional right, so there is no debate about it," Makkari said. Development and Liberation MP Ali Hassan Khalil responded by questioning Makkari's knowledge of constitutional law. "What was said by the deputy speaker does not reflect the general mood of understanding that prevailed in secondary meetings held on the sidelines of [Friday's] session, which resulted in agreement to postpone the session until November 30," Khalil said, adding that opposition MPs' non-participation in an electoral session was a democratic right. Parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri told reporters after leaving the House that there would be "no compromise at the expense of our martyrs," a reference to several assassinations of majority MPs. "We came to parliament as MPs of March 14 who represents the Lebanese people and the people want to elect a president; we came to say democratically we are here and we are with consensus and we want to elect a president for a full six-year term, and people cannot interpret the constitution any way they like," Hariri said. March 14 MP Walid Jumblatt, head of the Democratic Gathering bloc, read out a statement at Parliament in which he said agreement had been reached with Speaker Nabih Berri to keep seeking consensus. "We took it on ourselves as the March 14 Forces and the Lebanese people to stay within the constitutional framework and to preserve civil peace no matter what the price," Jumblatt said. He added that attending the session Friday was to reaffirm consensus and "our constitutional right to elect a president." Another March 14 MP, George Adwan of the right-wing Lebanese Forces, said that from Friday the legislature does not need an invitation from Berri to convene, but is in continuous session by law until a new president is elected. "We have a Parliament and that is were we should elect a president and Parliament is not exercising its right," Adwan read from a prepared statement. "It is our constitutional right to exercise this majority." Adwan said that violating the Constitution places the country at risk, but he also sought to allay fears, saying: "We have a strong army and security forces and leaders who are aware and capable."

MP Ibrahim Kanaan of the opposition Reform and Change bloc said those who want to serve the Lebanese "do not push for a rejection of consensus," referring to the majority's dismissal of a last-minute proposal put forward by the bloc's leader, MP Michel Aoun. "Those who want to preserve sovereignty and independence do not seek confrontation," Kanaan said. Lebanese Forces MP Elie Keyrouz said that Hizbullah was "the real source of danger to the Lebanese formula," accusing the resistance of serving Syrian interests. Answering Keyrouz, opposition Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Hussein Hajj Hassan said that the "Lebanese Forces alone seem to have decided [for March 14] to oppose consensus."

Lebanon's Independance day!

For those who do not know today we celebrate our country's Independance Day from the French mandate which lasted from 1922 until around the end of WWII in 1943. The last of the French troop withrdrew from Lebanon in 1946. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the League of Nations had mandated the five provinces that make up present-day Lebanon to the direct control of France... more details here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Lebanon

A little summary about My Beloved Lebanon:

• Located on the Mediterranean Sea
• Bordered by Syria and Israel
• Land area: 10,452 km2
• Population: 3.5 millions
• Formed by: A narrow coastal plain, The Bekaa Valley, The Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon mountains
• Literacy rate: 92.4%
• Capital: Beirut
• Languages: Arabic, French, English & Armenian
• Subtropical Climate: Mild to Cool: Wet winter & Dry Summers, Temperatures: 23-30°C (Aug.), 11-17° C (Jan.), 300 sunny days/year, 899 mm of rain in Beirut
• Winter Ski Destination: Qornet es Saouda (3,090 m), from December to May
  Examples: Faqra, Faraya, The Cedars, Laklouk, Zaarour Qanat Bakish
• The Capital Beirut: The City that Would Not Die, Once Known as “The Paris of the Middle East”, Five Universities, Flourishing Art Scene (theater, filmmaking, music, plastic arts)… City on the move!, Natural venue for international, regional or local conferences and conventions, Ancient City, Numerous archeological sites
• Several Religious Communities: ­11 Christian groups: 6 Catholic, 4 Orthodox and 1 Protestant (Maronites, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, other Christian minorities), ­5 Islamic groups: Shiite, Sunni, Isma’ilite, Alaoui, Druze…, Judaism
• Three Social Classes: Multitude of cultures and traditions, Muslims mostly part of poor communities, Three social classes: Lower, Middle & Higher, Middle class slowly but surely disappearing
• Byblos, Tyre & Beirut Are Some of the Important Ancient Phoenician Cities:
  •Lebanese people are proud of Phoenician heritage
  •Semitic & European civilizations owe alphabet to Phoenicians
  •Mythological figures: Beautiful Adonis, Europa who gave name to Europe
  •Colonies: Carthage, Corsica, Marseille,…
• “Old History” Lebanon: The biblical “Land of Milk and Honey”: Settlers: 10,000 BC onwards, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians, Persians, Romain province of Syria, Byzantine Empire, Umayyad, Abbasids, Fatimid Dynasty, Crusaders, Ayyubids, Mamelukes, Ottoman Empire, Turkish military rule, French Rule (1918)
• “New History”:
  •1975 – War broke out because of Muslim/Christian conflict, displaced Palestinians (500,000 currently),…
  •Syrian intervention
  •Israel set up surrogate militia to protect from PLO
  •UN set up Peacekeepers
  •1988 – Attempt to expel Syria
  •1993 – Operation Grapes of Wrath
  •2000 – Israeli retreat
  •Conflicting players in Middle East use Lebanon as turf to fight their battles: PLO, Syrians, Iranians, Israelis, UN
• The Governmental System: Independent Sovereignty since 1946, Democratic Country, Parliamentary system headed by the Prime Minister, Separation of executive, legislative & judicial powers, President elected for 6 years, 128 members of Parliament for 4 years, Half Christian & half Muslim (TAIF agreement)
• The Republic: October 1989 – TAIF Agreement: ­MPs: half Christians & half Muslims,
  ­Executive power of state transferred from president to cabinet of ministers, ­Lebanon proclaimed Arabic country, Religion of ministers and president laid down in constitution (1926) in proportion to demographics, No state religion, Personal freedom & freedom of the press guaranteed and protected
• Current Situation With Syria: ­35,000 Syrian troops stationed in Lebanon (civil clothes), Syrian will not leave until agreement signed between Palestine & Israel, ­Parliamental and Presidential elections pre-decided by Syria: Lebanon NOT sovereign or independent country, ­1989 - TAIF agreement redistributed power between Christian & Muslim, gave Syria chance to institutionalize hold over Lebanon
• Current Situation With Israel: ­Embargo, ­Total naval blockades imposed by Israel on ports
  ­1993 – Grapes of Wrath operation, ­2000 – Israeli withdrawal from the South, Bombardments of electricity power plants in Christian area usually beginning of summer, summer war July 2006:
  –Kill touristic season
  –Discourage potential investors
  –Show that Syria alliance ineffective to defend Lebanese people or territory

the above might need a bit of updating ;)

Moussa blames both sides in Lebanon's presidential crisis

Moussa blames both sides in Lebanon's presidential crisis
Berri postpones electoral session for fourth time
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Arab League chief Amr Moussa expressed frustration Tuesday as the continuing failure of Lebanese leaders to agree on a consensus president to replace the outgoing Emile Lahoud led Speaker Nabih Berri to postpone yet another electoral session in Parliament - this time to Friday, just hours before the incumbent's extended term expires. "There is still some hope, although there are still difficulties," Moussa told reporters, hours before Berri announced the postponement. A statement from the parliamentary secretariat said the session was put off until 1 p.m. (1100GMT) Friday. Berri, in another statement, asked the Lebanese "not to be pessimistic," and to enjoy Independence Day on Thursday. Three other sessions to elect a successor to Lahoud have already been postponed over the past two months.

Following in the footsteps of French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Moussa continued a frenzy of mediation meetings with rival Lebanese leaders. "There is more than one obstacle, and they all concern agreeing on the name of the next president," Moussa said after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, adding that both the government and the opposition are still "committed" to the list of candidates drawn up by Sfeir last week. Several reports have indicated that the most agreed-upon name on Sfeir's list is former Minister Michel Edde, who is in his eighties, but that the ruling coalition is insisting on MP Robert Ghanem or the former central bank governor, Michel Khoury (another octogenarian), as the second name to be taken to Parliament for a vote. Sfeir was also visited by Kouchner, who thanked the patriarch for his efforts. "We still have time to pick a name for the next president from Sfeir's list," Kouchner told reporters after the meeting. "There are two days left and I hope that the leaders of this country will pick a candidate," he said, adding that he planned to remain in Lebanon until Friday.

Moussa also visited Lahoud, Siniora, Berri, and Aoun , with media reports that the Arab League boss is also to remain with Kouchner in Lebanon until an agreement is reached. "It is not right to despair," Moussa told reporters after meeting with Lahoud. Moussa added that both sides are contributing to the continuing impasse. "Every group has its own vision and concerns over this or that candidate," he said. When asked what Lahoud's role would be over the next few critical days, Moussa said that "Lahoud assured me that he would not divide the country." A senior Hizbullah delegation is expected to pay a visit to Baabda Palace on Wednesday to thank Lahoud for his support of the resistance during his nine years in office. After meeting Aoun, Moussa told reporters that the MP does not "give in." "General Aoun does not submit to any pressures," Moussa said. Speaking in Tehran, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said Syria and France were working toward the same goal, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy also dispatched two top aides, Claude Gueant and Jean-David Levitte, to Damascus to discuss the crisis with Syrian President Bashar Assad for the second time in two weeks. French presidential spokesman David Martinon announced the visit in Paris, saying: "The Lebanese must have the possibility to choose their next president freely, without foreign intervention." - With agencies

Security forces bear down on Beirut for presidential election

Security forces bear down on Beirut for presidential election
Readiness likened to 'undeclared state of emergency'
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: More than 10,000 troops from Lebanon's various security forces have been brought into the capital to maintain order ahead of a uncertain parliamentary session called for Wednesday to elect a president. The force includes personnel from the Internal Security Forces (ISF), State Security and General Security, as well as a Lebanese Army brigade which arrived in Beirut late Saturday. A similar number of rapid-response troops will be on hand for support if needed, which could bring the total number of forces on the streets to 20,000, a security source said. From midnight on Sunday, army and security forces in Lebanon are on a state of heightened readiness, a security source told The Daily Star, in preparation for potential violence accompanying the presidential election. The precautions will remain in place "until the political situation stabilizes," the security source said. "This state of readiness means that all long vacations for army officers and men have been cancelled, all unmarried soldiers have been instructed to return to their units, while married soldiers are given 12-hour leaves to sleep at their homes only if they are close to their units," the source said.

The Beirut Marathon, which on Sunday lightened the tense mood, also served as a dry run for security forces to shut down many Beirut streets and helped conceal movements of army units into the capital, the source added. Saturday night and early Sunday morning were noisy for many Beirutis, as armored vehicles trundled into the capital. "A curfew or a state of emergency can only be declared by the entire Cabinet, not the interior minister as used to happen in the past," the source said, adding that the state of readiness is the closest the country can get to an "undeclared state of emergency." A meeting at the Interior Ministry for heads of security branches expected on Monday will discuss the latest developments, while Defense Minister Elias Murr and Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa will keep Premier Fouad Siniora updated on the latest developments so Siniora can make decisions quickly. The security source said that protection has been beefed up around the seat of the government, the Grand Serail, and around pivotal ministries and departments and the Banque du Liban. He said more troops could be called up from the South if the security situation in the capital deteriorates.

The army's response to shootings at the Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp Friday, with troops positioning themselves at vital intersections soon after the incident, indicates the army will not sit idly by and watch the camps descend into chaos. "The camps are under constant observation. If anything happens that endangers security, the army will move in," the source said. The combined strength of army and security forces in the country totals about 90,000 troops, the sources said, with some 60,000 army, 15,000 ISF and 2,500 state security troops. How the army and security forces will respond to political developments is less certain, however, especially in the event a new president is not elected. One worry concerns which political authority the army troops and security forces would obey, whether the outgoing pro-Syrian president or the outgoing anti-Syrian government. The Constitution says that if the deadline passes for a new president to be elected without a new head of state, the Cabinet combined assumes presidential power and organizes a presidential election as soon as possible. "One possible scenario remains that Lebanese Armed Forces commander General Michel Suleiman heads a two-year, interim government and organizes fresh elections for the presidency and Parliament in that time," the source said, pointing out that while the scenario remains a last resort, Suleiman taking over could prove popular with the armed forces.

March 14 officials accuse Nasrallah of 'killing' consensus

March 14 officials accuse Nasrallah of 'killing' consensus
Aridi condemns 'harsh' speech
By Mira Borji
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Lebanon's ruling March 14 coalition took aim at Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday, condemning the Hizbullah leader's speech a day earlier as a blow to ongoing attempts to resolve the impasse over the selection of a new president. Speaking on behalf of the Cabinet, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi called Nasrallah's speech "harsh and bitter." "Nasrallah's speech has destroyed the Lebanese people's hope [to reach consensus]," Aridi said after a meeting with Premier Fouad Siniora on Monday. "Is the speech directed against [Parliament Speaker Nabih] Berri? Is it a message that goes beyond Lebanon? Have we reached a point where consensus cannot be reached to elect a new president?" he asked. Democratic Gathering bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt also criticized the speech, but refrained from identifying Nasrallah by name, instead referring to him as "someone who has announced the death of all political initiatives aimed at resolving the Lebanese crisis, which he himself ignited." "Someone appeared before us yesterday threatening and menacing as usual ... and announced to the Lebanese the beginning of a new era of wars and conflicts which he hopes will change the face of the region, and certainly through the Lebanese gate," Jumblatt said in his weekly interview with his Al-Anbaa mouthpiece to be published on Tuesday. "Someone talked about thieves and murderers," he added. "It would be relevant to say that the thieves and murderers are those who [...] hampered the establishment of an international tribunal [to try suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri]."

"Thieves and murderers are those who have besieged Beirut, closed Parliament and paralyzed constitutional institutions to spread the culture of poverty and hunger in parallel to the culture of death." In his speech Sunday, Nasrallah addressed President Emile Lahoud, saying: "Do not allow the country to fall into the hands of thieves and murderers," in reference to the ruling coalition. "Thieves and murderers are those who launch such instigating speeches that are delivered at every fateful moment," Jumblatt said. "Such speeches are delivered on behalf of the Syrian agent or ally who ... makes us believe that he is not thwarting political solutions in the country." Jumblatt said the thieves and murderers are those who want a president who rejects international resolutions and the establishment of a state that owns the decision of war and peace and monopolizes weapons.

"This contradicts the vision of thieves and murderers who hide themselves under the name of resistance to transform Lebanon into an arena [for regional conflicts] to serve the thieves and murderers of the Syrian regime and their Iranian partners," he added. "Thieves and murderers are those who set up their own phone networks and link them to their security zones ... those who steal electricity and do not pay their bills," he added, in reference to Nasrallah's opposition to the government's plans to privatize the country's two mobile-phone networks. Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Fatfat on Sunday accused Nasrallah of protecting the murderers of the March 14 Forces figures who had been assassinated in the past two years. "With his speech, Nasrallah has protected those who have assassinated our March 14 Forces allies," Fatfat said. "He has not only protected them though his alliances but also through his security zones." "What Nasrallah did is a stab in the back of Berri," he added. "It was an attempt to thwart all efforts to reach consensus." Fatfat said Nasrallah has "declined to an unprecedented ethical standard, particularly when he accused the majority of being a bunch of murders and thieves, while he knows that his allies are the killers and he is the one protecting the killers." Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh also defended the March 14 Forces. "We are not murderers, he [Nasrallah] is the one protecting murderers," he said. "The one who establishes illegal phone networks, the one who does not pay electricity bills and the one who protects hashish in certain Lebanese regions does not have the right to talk about thieves." Democratic Gathering MP Akram Chehayeb said Monday "the guide of the Lebanese republic appeared yesterday, clinging to his weapons and rockets, classifying people as usual and threatening without forgiving." In a statement, he said Nasrallah "is eager to change the face of history as a show of victory for Iran, immunity for Syria and destruction of Lebanon."

Nasrallah backs early polls to defuse presidential crisis

Nasrallah backs early polls to defuse presidential crisis
'The whole world' cannot disarm resistance - and cabinet is 'a bunch of thieves and murderers'
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah cast a broad net on Sunday, vowing that no one could disarm his Hizbullah resistance fighters, recommending early parliamentary elections as a remedy to the standoff over Lebanon's presidency, and warning that recent Israeli military exercises were preparation for a new conflict. Nasrallah also reached out to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, many of whom live in camps near neighborhoods known as hotbeds of Hizbullah support, and voiced opposition to the government's plans to privatize the country's two mobile-phone networks. In a televised address to a crowded Hizbullah rally in commemoration of Martyrs Day, Nasrallah promised that no power could force his group to give up its arms. "If the whole world came and tried, it wouldn't be capable of implementing the clause concerning the disarmament of the resistance in [UN Security Council] Resolution 1559," he told the crowd. Resolution 1559, adopted in late 2004, calls for the disarmament of all nonstate militias in Lebanon and has been one of the most contentious issues separating the Hizbullah-led opposition from the Western-backed government, as Hizbullah and numerous Palestinian groups remain armed. Nasrallah told his followers that Hizbullah held exercises of its own in South Lebanon last weekend in response to the Israeli maneuvers near the border and to send "a clear message" to the Jewish state that Hizbullah fighters were prepared "day and night" to defend Lebanon. "The enemy has been conducting military maneuvers for months. The latest maneuvers occurred a few weeks ago near the Lebanese border, in which 50,000 Israeli officers and soldiers participated," he said. "These maneuvers are to prepare for an attack on Lebanon." Nasrallah said his fighters were ready and Hizbullah had the "determination, the will, the manpower and sufficient weapons" to face Israel in conflict. "The resistance is ready, day and night, to defend South Lebanon as well as all of Lebanon ... to achieve a historic victory that will change the face of the region," he said. Nasrallah also warned that Hizbullah and the opposition would "never" accept a new president elected by simple majority and without a two-thirds quorum of legislators, adding that if a consensus president could not be agreed upon in the upcoming days, then the country should hold early parliamentary elections. "Let us hold early, transparent parliamentary elections where the true majority gets to elect the new president," he said.

The Syrian-backed March 8 opposition has been unable for months to agree with the March 14 ruling coalition on a consensus successor to outgoing President Emile Lahoud. Three scheduled sessions in Parliament have been postponed because of the tussle, with the latest vote called for November 21. Nasrallah thanked Lahoud for supporting the resistance and called on him to step in if a consensus were not reached. "We appeal to His Excellency President Emile Lahoud to do what his conscience and national responsibility stipulates ... and take a step or a national salvation initiative to stop the country from [sliding into] a vacuum," said Nasrallah. He did not elaborate on what he wanted Lahoud to do. Lahoud has threatened not to hand over power to the government if his term expires without a successor, and many have voiced fears of parallel governments arising, as happened at the end of Lebanon's 1975-90 Civil War. Nasrallah also labeled the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora "a bunch of thieves and murderers" backed by the US and Israel. Siniora's March 14 cohorts have said they plan to elect a president by simple majority if the feuding camps cannot agree on a consensus successor. The Constitution allows MPs to elect a new head of state by simple majority only a first session attended by two-thirds of MPs. Addressing Lahoud, Nasrallah said, "Do not allow the country to fall into the hands of thieves and murderers." Nasrallah also turned his attention to reports of potential problems brewing in Beirut's Palestinian refugee camps - Burj al-Barajneh, Sabra and Shatila - located near the Hizbullah-controlled southern suburbs. He said his followers enjoyed "strong and good" relations with the Palestinians. "There will be no war between the camps and their neighbors," he said, calling on the Palestinians to act responsibly and not allow "strife to infiltrate the camps." The Lebanese Cabinet had called on Saturday for vigilance in the face of reports of new attempts by Islamist militants to infiltrate the country's dozen Palestinian refugee camps. The Hizbullah leader also warned against the recent move to privatize the cellular industry, a move long opposed by the opposition with accusations that the tender would be rigged to favor bidders close to the government. "Just you wait and see who buys it up," Nasrallah said, echoing the concerns of many observers who believe powerful politicians will steer the deal toward their cronies and/or relatives. - With agencies

Lebanon launches interactive mapping Web site: http://lebanonmaps.net/

Lebanon launches interactive mapping Web site
By Nicholas Kimbrell
Special to The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Representatives from the Tourism Ministry, the Social and Cultural Development Association (IMNA), SRI International, USAID in Lebanon, and the Lebanese Army High Command met in Downtown Beirut on Wednesday to launch the new, interactive mapping Web site Lebanonmaps.net. Lebanonmaps.net is the first free mapping engine of its kind in the Arab world. The Web site, not unlike Mapquest and Google Earth, offers directions to and from 15,000 popular points of interest across Lebanon. Lebanonmaps allows visitors to plan and edit trips to landmarks throughout the country, offering distance and time of travel estimates and lodging suggestions.

In a written statement, Jawad Adra from IMNA said, "When all this work is evaluated, it will be recognized for what it is, as the first comprehensive, interactive and progressive database of its kind in this area and a good example of successful collaboration between international organizations, national NGOs, and both private and public sectors." The Tourism Ministry hopes that Lebanonmaps will open all of Lebanon to foreign and domestic visitors alike. Citing the lack of readily available maps and directions to many of Lebanon's national treasures, the creators of the mapping engine hope to foster greater interest in national tourism, particularly to some of Lebanon's more remote, rural regions. "This new, interactive mapping Web site, Lebanonmaps.net removes [prior] obstacles," Raouf Youssef, USAID Lebanon mission director, said in a statement. "It offers everyone, free of charge, comprehensive coverage of the entire nation, and driving directions to thousands of points of interest. It also features tourism-focused interactive maps that include photographs and descriptions of tourism sites throughout the country."

Lebanon's tourism sector has shown only a slight decline despite the 2006 summer war with Israel and the current political crisis. Lebanon welcomed more than 1,062,000 visitors in 2006 and the slightly lower 2007 forecast demonstrates the resilience of the tourism sector. The tourism sector contributes an estimated 9 percent to Lebanon's GDP, comparable to 11 percent in Egypt and 8 percent in Jordan. However, the Tourism Ministry acknowledges tremendous room for growth. In 1974, tourism constituted 19.4 percent of Lebanon's GDP. After the news conference, Nada Sardouk, the director general of the Tourism Ministry, told The Daily Star that Lebanonmaps was intended primarily for "tourists and young Lebanese." The mapping engine successfully solves the "lack of information, communication and distribution" that had inhibited tourism across the country. "This is a scientific tool that will change the culture of tourism in Lebanon," she added. When asked how Lebanon maps compared to more advanced mapping engines like Google Maps and Mapquest, Sardouk said: "It's not our goal to become like [these] Web sites. Lebanonmaps is a national, cultural site, intended to facilitate the exploration of Lebanon." The Lebanonmaps project was funded primarily by USAID in Lebanon.