Bellemare’s Secret Meeting with Siniora: Indictment before March
Zeinab Essa
And between the "Israeli" aspirations and perplexity in the selection of the target starting from Iran and moving to Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, the reply came decisive from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran:
""Israel" is a cancer to be removed soon. The United States and its Western allies will regret any wrong move against Tehran; we are ready to face any threat of sanctions or military action by dozens of Iranian threats that will change the face of the region and the whole world."
In Syria, where the threads of the conspiracy are witnessing defeat after another before the lion's den and the steadfastness of the people, the diplomatic battle between Washington and Moscow is witnessing a major retreat on the American- Gulf front.
The US - Gulf project to the United Nations' Security Council has not and will not pass and Moscow would not accept any decision that affects the interests of its strategic ally.
Meanwhile, eyes and hopes remain heading towards House Speaker Nabih Berri to pick up from his pocket the rabbit of magical solution for the troubled relationship between the Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Free Patriotic Movement.
Mikati: I'm Not Limited to Any Stance, Governmental Action a Priority
Bellemare in Secret Meeting with Siniora: Indictment before March
"Israel" backed by US is beating the drums of verbal war as doubts are raised about its ability to translate these threats into realistic action.
In Lebanon, the political class suffers noticeable rigidity caused by freezing the governmental action.
In parallel, PM Mikati denied the existence of any mediation efforts to resolve the governmental crisis that erupted over a dispute between the PM and ministers loyal to "Change and Reform" Bloc.
In an interview with an-Nahar Lebanese daily, Mikati confirmed that "there are no contacts and no mediations to resolve the current crisis."
Reiterating that he would call for cabinet sessions only if the ministers agree to hold productive meetings, PM wondered "why would we spend 12 hours weekly sitting at the governmental table if we won't be productive and if none of the Change and Reform bloc ministers was satisfied?"
"I am not ready to accept any underestimation of the council of ministers as an institution," Mikati added noting that the cabinet "should either meet and take decisions and respect them or else what's the use of its sessions."
"I do not impose preconditions as I am not limited by any stance. However, my only condition is for productivity to be restored to the council of ministers," Mikati told "an-Nahar".
In the same context, Mikati's sources told "as-Safir" that "the ball is in the "Change and Reform bloc" ministers' court.
"The solution is not through sedatives but through a radical solution," sources added.
Bassil: We're Not Responsible for Crisis
For his part, Energy and Water Minister Gibran Bassil rejected Mikati's accusations.
"Others are disabling the government," Bassil stressed.
Commenting on Mikati's move of naming Christian candidates for appointments in state institutions, Bassil unveiled that the bloc "hasn't changed its stance in terms of the unconstitutionality of PM's behavior either by holding onto the names that he suggested or by suspending the work of the government."
In remarks to "an-Nahar", the minister stressed that "they refuse that anyone sets conditions," pointing out that "if the situation continues as it is, the bloc's ministers would interfere in the share of Muslims and vice versa."
"The role of the minister regarding the appointments must be respected," he acknowledged.
Bassil also stressed to "as-Safir" newspaper that "it wasn't the responsibility of Aoun's ministers to find a way out of the crisis."
"It is the responsibility of the person who stirred the problem," he said in reference to the PM.
"The issue is not personal," he said, adding that "it is about the constitution, rights and prerogatives."
Sources close to the "Change and Reform bloc" told "as-Safir" that the bloc "would launch starting next week a campaign aimed at rejecting alleged attempts to marginalize Aoun's bloc and weakening it."
On the conflict, Hizbullah Political Bureau Member Ghaleb Abu Zainab stated that "it is important for the governmental process to return to normal as soon as possible because its current paralysis will harm the Lebanese people."
"We are also in agreement that stability in Lebanon is crucial and it therefore requires all political parties to cooperate to maintain it and distance the country from any foreign influences," he said.
Commenting on the efforts to solve the governmental crisis, "al-Binaa" newspaper unveiled that "PM Mikati is supposed to visit House Speaker Berri at the beginning of the next week to set a launching point to activate efforts to solve the crisis."
At another level, "al-Akhbar" Lebanese newspaper unveiled that during the last visit of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Daniel Bellemare he held a secret meeting with former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
Bellemare stressed to Siniora that the "he is to complete before the first of March the indictment in crimes linked to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and specifically, the crimes of attempted assassination of Elias Murr, Marwan Hamadeh, and the assassination of George Hawi."
Quoting high political sources in "March 14", the daily clarified that Bellemare informed Siniora that "the indictment will include the name of fifth man added to the four accused in the murder of Hariri."
When asked by Siniora whether the indictment, will include the names of Syrians, Bellemare denied that.
As Siniora's sources did not deny that he met the STL's Prosecutor, they refused to disclose what took place in it.
Moreover, the paper stated that "sources familiar with Bellemare's Beirut visit informed that the latter wished during his meeting with the Army Intelligence Director Brigadier General Edmond Fadel, that his team was able to take advantage of the information in the possession of the Directorate of Army Intelligence."
Source: Lebanese Newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
