politics

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Sleiman chastises critics of Saudi role in Lebanon
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Monday condemned "any form" of criticism against Saudi Arabia and thanked the kingdom for its support for Lebanon.In remarks after talks with Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja, Sleiman said: "We are very keen on the consolidation of ties between Arab states."
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 01:25

Rumors fly over fugitive Fatah al-Islam leader
Conflicting reports were circulated in the media on Monday concerning wanted Fatah al-Islam leader Abdul Rahman Awad. Al-Liwaa newspaper said that Awad may have headed to Turkey to live with a Lebanese extremist known as Abu Bakr Aqida. Al-Liwaa said Awad was last seen last week in what is known as the Taware neighborhood of the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Sidon.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 01:10

Qassem urges 'calm' talk over 'stark differences'
Hizbullah's second in command said on Monday that his group's plan for Lebanon was the establishment of a "fair and capable" state. Sheikh Naim Qassem said the party was committed to the Taif Accord, adding that federalism was equivalent to the "destruction of the country." The proposal of administrative decentralization, he said.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 00:55

Security Council states receive report on probe into Hariri assassination
The new report from the UN commission investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will most likely be released on Tuesday, while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's office began distributing the report on Monday to UN Security Council members, a UN official told .
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 00:40

Migrant workers being smuggled to Lebanon from Philippines - officials
Filipino migrant workers are being smuggled to Lebanon with the help of corrupt immigration officials in Manila who work alongside illegal employment syndicates, senior politicians in the Philippines have warned. The Philippines banned its workers from coming to Lebanon during the 2006 summer war with Israel.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 00:25

Lebanese divided over thaw in ties with Damascus
As Lebanon's fractious relations with Syria begin to thaw and politicians start gearing up for next years elections, an increasing number of public figures are traveling on visits to Damascus to meet senior political figures there. But in Lebanon, such trips are proving divisive. Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Kahwaji's recent visit to Damascus.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 02-Dec-2008 00:10

Siniora thanks Ban for progress on Hariri tribunal
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora met with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in Doha on Sunday to discuss recent developments on the Special Tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The talks took place on the sidelines of the International Conference on Financing for Development in the Qatari capital.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 01-Dec-2008 01:08

Palestinians urge caution in moves to capture fugitive Fatah al-Islam militant
Senior Palestinian figures from across the political spectrum have urged a cautious approach in attempts to capture fugitive Fatah al-Islam militant Abdel-Rahman Awad, who is thought to be hiding at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp on the edge of Sidon. After meeting with Education Minister Bahia Hariri, Abbas Zaki, the PLO representative in Lebanon.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 01-Dec-2008 00:53

Better late than never: Beirut officially joins Chemical Weapons Convention
Lebanon has become the 185th country to sign up to an international convention banning the use of chemical weapons, more than a decade after it was launched. The 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) outlaws the production, stockpiling and deployment of chemical weapons, and calls for signatory states to destroy their stocks of such devices.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 01-Dec-2008 00:38

Mouawad's son uses ceremony for slain father to score political points
The family and supporters of late Lebanese President Rene Mouawad held a ceremony on Saturday to commemorate the 19th anniversary of his assassination. The weekend event was held under the sponsorship of President Michel Sleiman, who was represented by Minister of State Youssef Takla.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 01-Dec-2008 00:23

No time for complacency in Lebanese politics
Only in Lebanon can a single Parliament session see the prime minister harried by MPs over the implementation of a 12-year-old law, challenged by his deputy over the latter's powers, and mocked by the speaker for pleading the poverty of the public purse - and still be regarded as a welcome and refreshing development.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 01-Dec-2008 00:08

Kahwaji, Assad discuss military cooperation in Damascus talks
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Jean Kahwaji met Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus over the weekend to discuss different methods of cooperation between the armies of both countries. According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, the talks focused on the issues of border control and demarcation and exchanging information and military expertise.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 30-Nov-2008 23:53

Siniora calls on all Lebanese to 'commit to national consensus'
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on Friday that consensus among the Lebanese was the key to safeguard the country against all forms of foreign interference. Siniora added that the challenges Lebanon was facing nowadays were not to be compared with bigger and harder challenges of the past.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 01:24

Lebanon offers formal recognition to state of Palestine
Lebanon has decided for the first time to establish diplomatic relations with the state of Palestine, and has approved the opening of an embassy in Beirut. "The cabinet has approved the establishment of diplomatic relations with the state of Palestine," Information Minister Tarek Mitri said following a Cabinet meeting late on Thursday.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 01:09

WAAD picks Hobeika as leader
Joseph Elias Hobeika was elected at the head of the National Secular Democratic Party (WAAD) on Friday during general elections held at the party's headquarters in Hazmieh. Joseph is the son of slain former Lebanese Forces leader Elias Hobeika, who is also the founder of WAAD. Hobeika was assassinated in car bomb attack in 1999.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 00:54

PSP meets with Hizbullah
The Progressive Socialist Party's (PSP) information officer on Friday said in comments published Friday the PSP met with Hizbullah at State Minister Talal Arslan's residence in Khaldeh. In an interview with the Al-Liwaa newspaper, Rami Rayess said the meeting, which took place last Wednesday, did not bring together PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 00:39

Najjar urges independent judiciary
Minister of Justice Ibrahim Najjar said the judicial system should be kept "separate from political debate, and not be affected by it."He added that the Cabinet session on Thursday appointed judges to the Judicial Council as requested by former president of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Antoine Kheir.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 00:24

Obama seeks Lebanon stability
United States President-elect Barack Obama expressed hope that Lebanon would be a stability factor and not an explosive one, adding that Washington will not compromise with Damascus at the expense of Lebanon. The daily An-Nahar on Friday, quoting a Lebanese official who visited Obama advisers recently, said.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 29-Nov-2008 00:09

Fadlallah raps political leaders
Senior Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah said during Friday prayers at the Imam Hassanayn Mosque in Haret Hreik that the rhetoric used by Lebanon's political leaders "proved that they were not open toward other opinions." He said Lebanon's politicians were the result of a "culture of violence."
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 23:54

Raids under way in Ain al-Hilweh
Fatah official and commander of the Palestinian Armed Struggle Command Munir al-Maqdah said Thursday that a joint Palestinian security force was carrying out raids in Ain al-Hilweh camp in search for six Fatah al-Islam members." The security force that includes members from different organizations along with the Armed Struggle is making several raids of areas.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 23:39

Cellulars dominate Lebanese Cabinet session again
Lebanon's Cabinet convened on Thursday to discuss an array of political and economic issues, including appointments in the judiciary and the civil service, the cellular phone sector, and the establishment of a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee on border patrols. As went to press, the session was still under way.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 01:04

Israel wants to 'corner' Hizbullah in EU - Moussawi
Hizbullah's foreign relations officer, Nawwaf al-Moussawi, accused Israel on Thursday of launching "a political and diplomatic campaign to corner Hizbullah in Europe." "This campaign aims to shackle the European role in Lebanon and the region, to impose the Israeli logic and cover up continued Israeli crimes and aggressions.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 00:49

Hariri condemns deadly attacks in Mumbai
Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri condemned Wednesday night attacks in Mumbai and said such crimes were "denounced by the world's laws and religions." Islamist militant attacks in India's financial Capital Mumbai left more than 125 people dead. Coordinated attacks were launched by Islamists on luxury hotels and other targets in India's financial hub.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 00:34

Najjar presides over meeting of Arab justice ministers
The Council of Arab Justice Ministers met at the Grand Serail on Thursday, with Lebanese Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar presiding for the first time, as Kuwaiti Justice Minister Hussein Nasser al-Hreiti handed over the presidency to him. "It is a great honor for Lebanon to welcome the justice ministers of the Arab world.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 00:19

UNIFIL touts deal to prevent annual flooding in Kfarkila
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane elaborated on Thursday on details of an agreement made by UNIFIL with Israel and Lebanon over flooding in the Southern border village of Kfarkila. Initial details of the agreement had emerged on Wednesday. Speaking to, she said.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 28-Nov-2008 00:04

Long-awaited Hariri court could be up and running by March - UN chief
The United Nations special tribunal tasked with prosecuting suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri could begin as early as March 1, according to a report issued Wednesday by the UN secretary general."Practical arrangements for the prosecutor to arrive in The Hague on 1 March 2009.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 23:49

Lebanon's strategy talks can wait, but the thinking can't
Few issues so deeply divide the Lebanese these days as those surrounding Hizbullah's independent arsenal and the extent (if any) to which resistance against Israeli occupation should be pursued, yet both of these questions have to be answered in order to arrive at the national defense strategy sought by the current slow-motion edition of "dialogue."
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 23:34

The IMF answers Lebanon's request
The authorities have requested follow-up Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA) with an access of 12.5 percent of quota (SDR 25.375 million [$37.8 million]) to support their economic program for 2008-09 and continue benefiting from the macroeconomic and financial discipline provided by Fund involvement.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 23:19

Kahwaji stresses LAF role, while politicians bicker some more
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Jean Kahwaji on Wednesday stressed the necessity of enhancing security procedures in the Bekaa Valley in order to prevent smuggling along the border with Syria. During an inspection tour of military units in the Bekaa, General Kahwaji stressed the army's role in defending the nation's territory and preserving its security.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 01:20

MPs press Siniora to implement overdue civil-service wage hikes
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora defended his government's financial policies during a regular session of Parliament on Wednesday. In response to inquiries made by opposition MPs, Siniora said that the recently adopted increase in the minimum wage and other salaries had laid a huge burden on the Treasury.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 01:05

Syria seeks changed relations with America - on its own terms
Syria fell out of favor with the West following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005, a murder which Syria is suspected by the UN of helping commit. Syria's implication in the assassination, its continued interference in Lebanese domestic politics, its aiding of insurgents in Iraq.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 00:50

Israel-Hizbullah saber rattling raises UN concerns
The intensification of violent rhetoric between Israel and Lebanon was to be discussed Wednesday during a United Nations Security Council meeting on UN chief Ban Ki-moon's most recent report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, a UN spokesman has said.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 00:35

No trouble at Ain al-Hilweh - PNA foreign minister
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki dismissed in comments published Wednesday fears of violence erupting at the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, "because everyone learned from the Nahr al-Bared experience." Around 460 people were killed, and more than 30,000 refugees were displaced during fighting between the Lebanese Army.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 00:20

LOG head lashes out at Berri, Hizbullah
The head of the Lebanese Option Group (LOG), Ahmad al-Assaad, accused Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday of becoming the "official spokesman for Hizbullah." Speaking at a news conference at his office in Tayyouneh, the Shiite politician also accused Hizbullah of being the "new feudal lords" in predominantly Shiite rural regions of Lebanon.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 27-Nov-2008 00:05

Sleiman meets Khamenei to close visit to Tehran
President Michel Sleiman wrapped up a two-day visit to Iran on Tuesday after holding talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other officials. In a joint press conference with Ahmadinejad hours before ending his visit, Sleiman reiterated that relations between Tehran and Beirut.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 26-Nov-2008 01:02

Italian ambassador calls for peace in Lebanon
Italian Ambassador Gabriel Checchia said Tuesday peace in Lebanon would pave the way for peace in the region, due to Lebanon's "essential role as a mediator between all civilizations." He emphasized the importance of dialogue between different Lebanese parties. During a ceremony organized by the Union of Municipalities in Tyre.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 26-Nov-2008 00:47

Israeli pullout from Ghajar 'just a matter of time'
United Nations spokeswoman Michele Montas said in comments published Tuesday the world body expects Israel to withdraw from the northern part of the village of Ghajar the "very soon," adding that only a pullout "mechanism" was delaying the move." The world body is still consulting with concerned parties.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 26-Nov-2008 00:32

Berri calls for unified Arab stance on Gaza siege
Speaker Nabih Berri urged Arab states on Tuesday to come up with a unified stand to break the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza strip. "The atrocious Zionist siege imposed on Gaza will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe," Berri said in a statement. The speaker described Israeli tactics against Gaza as "terrorist practices par excellence."
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 26-Nov-2008 00:17

Lebanon ratifies treaty against nuclear testing
Lebanon on Tuesday became the 148th nation to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the organization working for the treaty's implementation said. The CTBT has been signed by 180 countries, but to come into effect it still needs ratification by key holdouts including the United States, Israel, China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran and Pakistan.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 26-Nov-2008 00:02

Factionalism at Ain al-Hilweh delays handover of 'Prince of Al-Qaeda' to LAF
The capture of Abdel Rahman Awad, the elusive Fatah al-Islam fugitive, is being delayed due to the delicate politics that govern life in the sprawling Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp where he is thought to be hiding, Palestinian sources have told . Lebanese authorities have issued a warrantfor Awad's arrest.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 23:47

The need for an anti-corruption culture
The conventional wisdom in regard to pacts and agreements, whether regional or international, including the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention, is that the acid test is in the implementation rather than in the text. So is the case generally with legislation of any kind.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 23:32

Israeli paper says Hizbullah wants Palestinians to avenge Mughniyeh
Hizbullah has outsourced its plans to avenge the assassination of senior commander Imad Mughniyeh to Palestinian militants, according to Israeli officials, over fears that a Hizbullah-led action would trigger a massive Israeli response against Lebanon.The Israeli officials quoted anonymously in The Jerusalem Post said.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 23:17

Can the Lebanese agree on a defense strategy?
In two recent articles about Lebanon's efforts to define a suitable strategy for national defense, I have attempted to explain the importance of first laying down stable foundations. I have argued that this must include Lebanese leaders' agreeing on what diplomatic space this country should seek to hold
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 23:02

Lebanon to be ruled by Syria if March 14 loses poll - Jumblatt
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt warned on Monday that a defeat for the March 14 Forces in parliamentary elections slated for next spring would mean a return of Syrian rule to Lebanon. "We are approaching pivotal and decisive elections," Jumblatt, a leader of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority in Beirut.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 01:21

Ahmadinejad opens Sleiman visit with praise for Lebanon's resistance feats
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday praised Lebanese resistance against Israel, in a meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Sleiman, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. Ahmadinejad added that the 34-day summer 2006 war with Israel led to "many achievements for the Lebanese people and the region."
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 01:06

Sleiman 'unlikely' to accept arms offer from Iran
Rumors of an Iranian proposal to visiting Lebanese President Michel Sleiman to help arm Lebanon's military amount to little more than political maneuvering, as a number of factors would likely keep the Lebanese government from approving defense assistance, several analysts told on Monday.
Source : dailystar.com.lb | 25-Nov-2008 00:51