By Nafez Qawas, NEW YORK: Resolution 1701, the permanent settlement of Palestinians, the presidential poll, and Israeli violations were the main issues addressed by President Emile Lahoud in his address to the UN's 62nd General Assembly on Friday Lahoud called for international support and assistance for Lebanon to prevent the country from falling apart. "Some states are trying to interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs against international norms ... I urge the international community to prevent and halt these interferences for they are increasing the existing tensions in the county," he added.

President Lahoud said foreign interference in Lebanese domestic issues "could instigate hatred and increased tensions on the Lebanese scene, a matter which not only might have negative repercussions on the upcoming presidential election, but on the safety of the Lebanese as well." Lahoud reiterated Lebanon's commitment to the implementation of Resolution 1701, and denounced all related Israeli violations. "The implementation of  Resolution 1701 requires the liberation of the Shebaa Farms and the Kfar Shouba Hills in the South of Lebanon, in addition to the release of all Lebanese detained in Israel," said Lahoud.

Lebanon's central bank has revealed the combined profits of the commercial banks operating in the country increased by 6.8% in the first seven months of the year, in spite of ongoing political turmoil which has badly damaged much of the economy, reported the Daily Star. The combined profits had reached $451m by the end of July, while customer deposits increased by 5.8% to $64.2bn over the same period.

daily star, BEIRUT: Defying all odds, Lebanese banks maintained their steady profits and growth in the first seven months of this year. According to the Central Bank, the combined profits of all the commercial banks operating in the country reached $451 million in the first seven months of 2007, an increase of 6.78 percent compared to the same period of 2006. The Central Bank also said that capital inflows and remittances have improved in the month of July. It added that the balance of payments in the month of July alone recorded a surplus of $363 million.

At the end of 2006, the combined net income of these banks reached more than $665 million.These impressive results were achieved amid political and security turbulence which have hit most economic sectors in the country. The consolidated balance sheets of commercial banks in the first seven months of this year jumped by 9.79 percent to $79.586 billion while customer deposits increased by 5.8 percent to $64.205 billion in the same reporting period. It is worth noting that the 10 top banks in Lebanon - including BLOM, Audi, Byblos and Bank of Beirut - control more than 70 percent of the market share. In the month of July alone, the deposits rose by $1 billion while assets jumped by $550 million. Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh told the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) at its last meeting that banks are expected to achieve a growth of 6 to 7 percent at the end of 2007 if the situation remains relatively calm.

But ABL president Francois Bassil said in a statement to the Central News Agency that the profits of the banks may dwindle if the presidential election is not held on time. He warned banks may be forced to increase the provisions on nonperforming loans and this will affect profits in general. Economists and bankers are holding their breath as rival politicians try to push their own candidates for the presidency.

التواصل ضرورة خصوصا ان الطريق لم يعد مقطوعا امــــام الاطراف" 
الخازن: لقاءات اليوم تسهّل اجراء انتخاب رئاسي لا يكون سببا لازمة جديدة

المركزية - اعتبر عضو تكتل "التغيير والاصلاح" النائب فريد الخازن ان التواصل مسألة ضرورية خصوصا ان الطريق لم يعد مقطوعا بين بعض الاطراف.  ورأى في لقاءات اليوم في المجلس النيابي أمر جيّد يسهّل ويمهّد اجراء انتخابات رئاسية لا تكون سببا لازمة جديدة في البلاد، مشددا على ان العمل الجدي للدخول في الاستحقاق الرئاسي يفترض تشاورا وتواصلا مع الجميع.  وقال في حديث الى اذاعة "صوت لبنان" ردا على سؤال: "المهلة الدستورية لانتخاب رئيس للجمهورية تبدأ اليوم. وامامنا نحو شهرين لانتخاب الرئيس وهذا أمر طبيعي ان لا يتم انتخاب رئيس للجمهورية في اليوم الاول لهذه المهلة حتى في الظروف العادية، في مرحلة سابقة قبل الحرب في لبنان لم يتم الانتخاب في اليوم الاول من المهلة الدستورية لكن اليوم يبدأ العمل جدياً لانتخاب رئيس جمهورية من اليوم حتى انتهاء المهلة، وأرى اننا اليوم دخلنا المرحلة الجديّة والعمل الجدي للتوصل الى توافق والى انتخاب رئيس جمهورية بحسب الاصول الدستورية".  اضاف: "يجب ان لا ننسى اننا اليوم ندخل المهلة الدستورية ونحن في أزمة سياسية والبلاد في أزمة مرتبطة بالحكومة منذ نحو عشرة شهور ولا بد من التمهيد والتشاور والتواصل، ولكن التواصل مقطوع كما هو معروف للتوصل الى إتمام الاستحقاق الرئاسي بحسب الاصول الدستورية".  وعن التواصل على خط كتلة "التغيير والاصلاح" قال: "من جهتنا سيكون وفدا يمثل التكتل ليلتقي الرئيس بري، وبما ان اليوم الجلسة تشاورية واذا تم الاتفاق اليوم على انتخاب رئيس جمهورية نحن جاهزون لهذا الامر لكن كما هو واضح ولا نكشف سرا عندما نقول ان الاجواء اليوم ليست مهيّأة بالشكل المطلوب وايضا هناك خلاف حول تفسير الدستور".