Rai Not to Visit Washington, Spiritual Summit in Dar Al-Fatwa
For his part, Rai said that "the Lebanese are now ready for dialogue after 36 years of sacrifices."
As usual, Washington tucks its poison of demands in the honey plate of diplomatic double standards.
And Between the stick of threats and carrot of promises' morsels, Syria was present in the meeting between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the current Security Council President Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Meanwhile, Palestine is to address the international forum through its great identity and occupied land, while Uncle Sam's policy chose to ignore UN recognition of the reduced state since it does not fall within the US-"Israeli" priorities that are struggling to turn volcanoes changing the face of the region into the lion's den in Syria.
And to US: Lebanon is the passageway.
Clinton Warns Mikati on Syria
In the office of the head of the UNSC that Lebanon currently holds its rotating presidency, PM Mikati received Monday Clinton who called Lebanese government to exercise caution in dealing with the situation in Syria.
"You should not be neutral or oppose imposing sanctions on the Syrian regime over its acts of violence," Clinton claimed.
For his part, Mikati responded by reiterating that "his government was seeking to achieve stability in Lebanon and spare the country the repercussions of the regional situations."
Reflecting Lebanese interest in respecting UN resolutions and avoiding selectivity in their implementation, PM emphasized that what is happening in Syria affects Lebanon, which can't take a negative attitude.
"As-Safir" Lebanese newspaper informed that Clinton warned "of financial transfers of deposits from Syria to the Central Bank of Lebanon, or Lebanese banks so that they become a haven for deposits linked to institutions and people that Washington put on the list of sanctions."
"Mikati replied by stressing the importance of protecting the Lebanese banking sector, which constitutes the backbone of the free Lebanese economy," "as-Safir" reported.
In a bold interference in Lebanon's internal affairs, Clinton also raised the issue of the Lebanese government adoption to a resolution this month, exempting the Iranians coming to Lebanon from visas, requesting reconsideration of this decision.
"Mikati said that this decision was taken by the government of former PM Saad Hariri," "as-Safir" clarified.
According to a statement circulated by Mikati's media office, the PM called US delegation to continue providing assistance to the Lebanese Army so that it can carry out its missions, especially those related to UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Clinton also claimed that while "the US was aware of the necessity of continuing assistance to the Lebanese Army, armed groups can't carry out the role of the state or the government."
A US source told "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily that Clinton stressed to Mikati that Lebanon should be committed to its international obligations and mainly the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
In parallel, after his meeting with Clinton, Mikati held talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.
"As-Safir" daily learned that "the seven-minutes meeting between the two men came as part of the US pressure on Lebanon over the Palestinian UN bid."
After the US delegations, Mikati met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who expressed Moscow's willingness to provide assistance to the Lebanese Army and asked Mikati to inform Russia of the needs of the army.
"Expressing his country's support for Lebanon's sovereignty," Lavrov noted that "Lebanon should be kept isolated from the repercussions of developments in the region."
Mikati also met Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi in New York and contacted President Michel Suleiman briefing him on the outcome of his New York's meetings.
Berri: Do not fear the Resistance; Fear For It
At the internal scene, state's political and religious leaders met in the south to celebrate the pastoral visit of the Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai to the land of holiness, victory, and resistance in the Lebanese South.
Rai's visit which was the first by a Maronite Patriarch to Southern cities and towns near the Occupied Palestinian border ended in a luncheon banquet at House Speaker's Nabih Berri's house in Msayleh.
The lunch was also attended by President Michel Suleiman, ministers and lawmakers, Army Commander General Jean Kahwagi, UNIFIL commander Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, as well as Muslim and Christian religious leaders.
"The Resistance will defend Lebanon against any aggression and we say to all sides that they should protect it rather than expressing fear of it," Berri stressed.
In his welcoming speech Berri called "the international community to pressure "Israel" to withdraw from the Shabaa Farms and Kfarshouba hills and halt its ongoing violations of Lebanon's sovereignty."
Stressing the need for dialogue to build confidence between parties, Berri pointed out that "we are keen on direct, frank, and unconditional dialogue in order to reach an agreement over a defense strategy."
Referring to the unrest in Syria, Berri called on the Lebanese factions to stop statements and incitement against the neighboring country, financing or arms smuggling to Syria across the border.
At another level, "an-Nahar" daily quoted an informed source who revealed that Rai is to skip Washington in his US tour after he was informed that "the time was not appropriate to arrange a meeting with the US president."
According to the daily's edition, Rai's statements concerning resistance and situation in Syria "caused wide displeasure in Washington."
Spiritual Summit, "Israeli" Spies Arrested
Meanwhile, a spiritual Christian-Islamic summit will be held at Dar al-Fatwa on Tuesday at in the presence of the head of the Sunni, Shiite, Maronite and Druze spiritual leaders, along with the members of the Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue.
The summit that will be hosted by Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani will focus on stressing the spiritual leaders' support to the state and its institution, Taef accord, coexistence among sects and call for dialogue among the Lebanese.
"Al-Akhbar" newspaper reported that the summit will come out with a statement of seven points confirming that "the liberation of occupied Lebanese and Arab land is a national duty, rejecting foreign interference in the affairs of Arab countries, and calling to respect the wills."
The paper also uncovered that that the statement will not mention the STL and its funding.
"The statement will be empty of any reference to the STL , i.e. no adoption or rejection," "al-Akhbar" said.
At the security level, the Army Command declared in a statement Monday that an Egyptian national and his Lebanese wife in the southern region of Hasbaya were arrested on suspicion of collaborating with "Israel".
The statement explained that the couple was under surveillance for some time. The Egyptian A.S. suspect confessed that he had started working with the Zionist intelligence in 1999.
Revealing that he had entered Palestinian occupied territory three times and that he had presented security services to the "Israeli" enemy in exchange for money, he said that his wife was aware of his activity with "Israel".
According to Press reports, "a transmitter, maps and an "Israeli" mobile line were found in the man's house."
The army discovered at his house a device used to sending information to "Israel", as well as a CD containing aerial photographs of civilian and military targets in southern Lebanon, and a SIM card of an "Israeli" mobile phone line.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
