Friday, March 23, 2007

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on Thursday that his country was passing through a "dangerous time," for which he blamed the opposition. In a televised address on Thursday from the Grand Serail, Siniora spoke at length about his proposed reform plans for the public sector, but devoted only a few words to the ongoing political crisis and mounting tensions in Beirut that he has repeatedly blamed on his political rivals.

Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres told the commission investigating last summer’s war in Lebanon that he opposed starting the conflict, according to witness statements made public on Thursday.

"If it had been up to me, I would not have gone to war. If it had been up to me, I would not have made a list of objectives for this war… We were attacked and we had to defend ourselves. That’s all," Peres told the inquiry.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Syrian President Bashar Assad reiterated Tuesday that if any Syrian was found implicated in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, he will be tried by a Syrian court and not an international court. "Anybody who has a hand in this case would be considered a traitor by the Syrian law," Assad said in an interview with France 2 television.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

BEIRUT: The dialogue between Speaker Nabih Berri and parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri was to resume late Wednesday, despite speculation that the talks had reached a dead end, according to local media reports. A day after a gathering of pro-government MPs outside Parliament to protest against a decision by Berri not to convene the legislature, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt cancelled a news conference to avoid any risk of scuttling the fragile dialogue between Berri and Hariri.

Wed Mar 21, 12:13 PM ET

BEIRUT (AFP) – Belgium’s foreign minister accused Syria on Wednesday of not wanting to help solve Lebanon’s political crisis, by opposing an international court to try suspects in the killing of former premier Rafiq Hariri.

"If you ask me if Syria is disposed to contribute to a solution, frankly my reply is ‘no,’" Karel De Gucht told reporters after talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri from opposition ranks , speaks during a press conference at his house in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday March 20, 2007. Berri accusing the parliamentary majority of blocking efforts for a settlement to the political crisis. He criticized the protest in parliament which he said was held mostly by legislators belonging to Hariri’s parliamentary bloc, saying ‘their aim is to stop the dialogue,’ he said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Tue Mar 20, 12:03 PM ET

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker accused the ruling majority coalition on Tuesday of dealing a crushing blow to talks aimed at ending a political crisis, signaling a rise in tensions in the four-month-old standoff.

 The comments by Nabih Berri, a key opposition leader, came after pro-government legislators gathered inside the parliament building in downtown Beirut to persuade him to convene a session to ratify a U.N.-backed tribunal that would try suspects in former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri’s 2005 assassination

Mon Mar 19, 1:17 PM ET

 JERUSALEM(Reuters)-Israel,formally declared last year’s fighting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas a war on Monday, but it is searching for a name for the 34-day conflict.

A ministerial committee decided on the designation and its chairman said he expected a name would be found within a week in consultation with a separate panel set up by Defense Minister Amir Peretz.

Sunday,March 18,2007

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said on Sunday that the current "state of chaos" in Lebanon was not only affecting political life but was also having "drastic effects" on "the social and intellectual lives of the Lebanese." "Lebanese from all social classes and religions are complaining about the uncertain situation in Lebanon, because they find that their future as well as all their aspirations and dreams are being threatened," Sfeir said during a mass at Bkirki.

The prelate urged all security departments in Lebanon to "assume their responsibilities" to "allow the Lebanese to be confident about their future and that of their country."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

 The president of the Lebanese University has announced that elections suspended following clashes on various campuses earlier this year will now proceed. "Since the conditions that led to the delaying of the elections have changed, and since all the students insist that elections should be done in a democratic atmosphere, elections will be resumed at the Lebanese University on March 19," Zuhair Shukor said on Thursday.

Student representatives of the political parties are now preparing electoral campaigns, taking into careful consideration that any confrontation on campus could have serious repercussions for the political situation at large.