Khazen

BEIRUT, 20 Mar 2006 (IRIN) - The in-absentia trial of Lebanese lawyer and human rights activist Muhamad Mugraby began on Monday, in a military court. He is accused of slander for having criticised the authorities use of military courts to prosecute government critics.

By Marwan Kanafani and Elizabeth Schiffrin, WALKING through the unpaved streets of Ain el-Helweh

BEIRUT, 13 March (IRIN) - BEIRUT, 13 March 2006 (IRIN)

BEIRUT, March 14 (Reuters) - Lebanese leaders agreed at national talks on Tuesday to disarm Palestinian factions outside refugee camps within six months and called for full diplomatic ties with Syria. But the officials meeting to end a political crisis that has paralysed the country did not agree on the two hottest issues: disarming the pro-Syrian Hizbollah guerrilla group and the fate of pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud.

Further talks would take place on March 22, said parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who called the "national dialogue" conference. "There was agreement on a lot of issues that were divisive for us and we did not think at some moments we could agree on them," said Saad al-Hariri, leader of the anti-Syrian parliament bloc and son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri."Today no one won but Lebanon."

Lebanese politicians had warned that any failure to reach a consensus in the talks could leave the country that fought a 1975-1990 civil war more divided and undermine efforts to control a public debt that reached above $35 billion last year.

Khazen History

Historical Feature:
Churches and Monasteries of the Khazen family