Mariam Ali

The Special Tribunal of Lebanon published Friday one of the silliest chapters in a comic play whose American- "Israeli" writers are seeking tragic consequences. However, these failing writers are to face an audience famous with its ability to unmask the real faces of the sitcom play actors.

STL Silly Sitcom

After one month has passed on the announcement of the names of the so-called "accused" people in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in every local and international media outlet, the STL declared the already leaked names.
 
"These are the four individuals named in the indictment: Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hussein Oneissi, Assad Sabra," a statement by STL said.

"What was known was revealed by the tribunal and the words used in the statement suggested that it has achieved a breakthrough that will lead to the arrest of the accused. The words seemed like a joke rather than a statement issued by the international tribunal," "al-Akhbar" Lebanese news paper said in its Saturday Editorial.

For its part, "as-Safir" Lebanese daily said that the "only addition in the STL move was the publication of two photographs for each individual which demonstrates only the size of the country's exposure."

"UN investigators, who came from various places and directions were allowed in the past six years, to put their hands wildly and without controls on all archives of the Lebanese state, from the university students names to airline passengers to the owners of licensed cars, to customs and warranty data as well as the public security fingerprints and so on," "as-Safir" added.
 
False Witnesses on Fire

Not far from the STL scandals, the false witnesses file is back to the Ministry of Justice Minister and particularly to Minister Chakib Cortbawi.
 

"Al-Akhbar" daily uncovered that "Cortbawi will begin studying the file during the weekend after he received a detailed report on the issue during the past two days."

Noting that the he was surprised with the large size of the file, the minister pointed out that this issue "wasn't to reach this stage if the magistrates had done what they are supposed to do from the beginning."

In the same context, "al-Intiqad" website informed that Cortbawi confirmed during a meeting Friday with Major General Ali Hajj and his lawyer Ibrahim Awada that "he would not interfere in the judiciary, but would not permit to place any file in the judges' drawers."

This came as the two men explained to him the course of the charge against the false witness, Zuhair al-Siddiq, which is still in the drawers of the General Appeals in Mount Lebanon office since two years.

Meanwhile, as the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati returned from his vacation, the country is expected to witness a busy ministerial-parliamentary week starting from Tuesday.

Oil a Priority

The Lebanese natural oil resources, maritime borders, Lebanese livelihood and national dialogue remain at the top of discussions.
 
Mikati is to hold a meeting at the Grand Serail devoted to discuss oil and maritime demarcation which will be presented in the government's next.

Similarly, the Committee of Public Works and Energy will hold a special legislative session next Monday in the parliament devoted to discuss a proposed law on the maritime areas of Lebanon, prepared by MP Mohammed Qabbani before being transferred to House Speaker Nabih Berri who according to "as-Safir" will try to find a compromise between Qabbani's draft and that of the government before the Parliament launches its legislative sessions on the coming Wednesday and Thursday.
 
For his part, Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil stated that"we have not started oil exploration since 2010 until now because a law on oil exploration has not been approved up till now."

Accusing former PM Saad Hariri's government of intentionally delaying the drafting of the law, Bassil stressed that "under the new government, a new law is being drafted without delay, that's why no one should ... start launching accusations in this regard."

Following talks with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, Bassil hit back at Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, without naming him, over remarks made by the latter earlier in the day on the issue of Lebanon's maritime resources.

"Who allowed him (Geagea) to renounce our rights and jeopardize Lebanon's borders, sovereignty and resources?" Bassil asked.

Bassil said "the question should not be addressed to someone who is trying to defend these rights, but to those who are squandering these resources."

Suleiman's National Dialogue

In a parallel development, President Michel Sleiman has finished a first round of consultations with leaders aimed at re-launching the stalled national dialogue to end the country's political division.

"We cannot say a new session of national dialogue is imminent because it depends on the outcome of the president's consultations with all party leaders," a political source following up the dialogue talks told The Daily Star.

While the new majority endorsed Suleiman call for national dialogue, "March 14" leaders have voiced rejection to the proposed dialogue.

Suleiman met Friday with "Change and Reform Bloc"leader Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace in the latest of his consultations.

Suleiman discussed with Aoun "the means sufficient to ensure the success of national dialogue in view of the positive repercussions this step will have on the internal situation when leaders meet to consult on topics under discussion to reduce the intensity of rhetoric and political tension," said a statement released by presidency office.

It added that when rival leaders meet, they can pave the way for "a new stage of work and productivity at the government level in the fields of administration and development, in addition to urgent draft laws, at the forefront of which is the parliamentary election law."

"Suleiman is waiting for the return of opposition leader and former Premier Saad Hariri from France to discuss with him his invitation for all-party talks at Baabda palace," presidential sources told "al-Joumhouria" daily Saturday.

The sources said that Suleiman's only "obsession" is to gather the bickering politicians at the dialogue table to consolidate the country against the "regional storm blowing on Lebanon."

Lebanese Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn stressed the importance of national dialogue "to come out of all the dilemmas and crises that the country is facing."

Adding that "this means the non-absence of any political group, even if it is not represented in the government," he stressed that "the new government is fully cooperative and united."

On the other hand, Ghosn assured in his interview with "as-Safir" newspaper that "some friendly countries such as France, are still willing to provide aid to the army," clarifying that "the Army's commander visit to France was very successful."

"There is no formal decision that the US will stop its military aid, despite the going whispering in more than one place about such possibility. However, the U.S. military commander of the Central Region assured us that that U.S. aid is still taking place," the minister concluded.

Source: Lebanese Newspapers