Feltman in Beirut, LA Continues Northern Operation
This came as the US representative Suzan Rice's expression of disgust from the Russian- Chinese veto raised a number of questions:
Hadn't she herself used this veto against voting to condemn the Zionist entity and to prevent the Palestinians from achieving their minimum rights?
It is simply the US- Western hypocrisy and double standards.
Meanwhile, "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily mentioned that it is expected that Mikati is to meet Monday House Speaker Nabih Berri as the latter is to decide after the meeting if he is to intervene to solve the crisis or remain following the policy of self- distance.
"The stated reasons related to dispute on some appointments are not convincing," Berri added noting that "I'm not so interested, so far, to turn the mediation engines."
"Let others bear their responsibilities by showing will to respond positively to proposed exits from the circle of closed attitudes," the daily quoted Hizbullah sources.
Viewing that "it is important for parties participating in the government to bear their responsibilities and to reach agreements among each other," the MP confirmed that "we do not want anyone to use the cabinet as a field of sending political messages."
The report added that ""National Struggle Front" ministers "dissociated themselves from the current dispute," adding that "they are ready to participate in any cabinet session Prime Minister Najib Mikati calls for."
"Mikati is abusing his power as he is violating the constitutional article 65 stating that the government's sessions should be held regularly," he noted highlighting that the "PM does not have the right to suspend sessions this easily."
Aoun denied that he was hindering government productivity, noting that the obstruction of the appointment of the head of the Higher Judicial Council is one of the several instances in which FPM proposals are being thwarted.
"Mikati's recent action at government demonstrated that he is adopting the same approach as his predecessors in that he is seeking to usurp the Christian figures' decision-making power," Aoun confirmed.
He noted that "the appointment of top civil servants could have been subject to a vote, but the problem lies in obtaining two-thirds majority of the votes."
"I suggested amending the constitution so that the vote depends on the majority of the votes," Suleiman stated.
On the security level, a military source informed "an-Nahar" that "the military operation carried out by the Lebanese army in the area of Wadi Khaled and Mount Akroum in the north, is to continue and that it may not be limited to the northern border."
And the US- Arab draft felt with a Chinese- Russian knockout in the United Nations Security Council.
Was this the first time the US diplomat discovers the word veto?
However, as the Russian diplomacy and intelligence represented by both Moscow's Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and head of its intelligence Mikhail Fradekov towards the Syrian capital Damascus, it was clear that Russia declared that Syria is a red line.
In Lebanon, the sunny weekend carried nothing new at the level of political movement to solve the governmental crisis after Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced the suspension of ministerial sessions.
Mikati Firm in Position, to Meet Berri
In an interview with "as-Safir" Lebanese newspaper, Mikati asserted that he is firm in his position regarding finding a new mechanism to restore cabinet's productivity.
In remarks to "as-Safir" the House Speaker that he didn't enter yet on the line of tackling the new governmental crisis because the sides of the conflict didn't ask him to and secondly because he feels that this problem is artificial and exaggerated.
In parallel, "as-Safir" quoted Hizbullah sources as announcing that "Hizbullah is preparing to move in the mediation in the next few days in an attempt to bridge the gap between Mikati and Aoun."
In this context, "Loyalty to resistance Bloc" MP Hassan Fadlallah stated that contacts will be made within the next few days in order to reactivate the cabinet's work.
The Two Khalils Mediation, Aoun: Not to be Blackmailed
For its part, "al-Akhbar" paper reported Monday that "Berri's political aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil as well as Hizbullah's Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's political aide Haj Hussein Khalil intend to launch Monday or Tuesday at the far extent communications with the sides concerned with the governmental conflict."
"The two Khalilis move isn't related to Hizbullah's delegation expected visit to al-Rabieh Monday," "al-Akhbar" clarified noting that "the visit came in the sixth anniversary of signing the understanding between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah."
Commenting on the issue, Head of "Change and Reform Bloc" MP Michel Aoun stressed denied that "he was obstructing government activity, accusing PM Mikati of abusing his power when he decided to suspend ministerial sessions."
Wondering "why didn't Mikati ask the government to vote on the appointments that he proposed so that we can resolve this issue once and for all," Aoun remarked that "he knew very well that he would fail and therefore decided to play the democratic game and suspend cabinet sessions."
"The president and prime minister are taking turns in confronting me ... we will not be blackmailed or intimidated ... and I will topple the government at the appropriate time if I found it necessary to do so."
For his part, President Michel Suleiman expressed optimism on Monday that the government members will be able to resolve the dispute among each other soon.
"The rift between the cabinet members is on minor issues," Suleiman told "as-Safir" Newspaper.
Feltman in Beirut, Military Operation Continues in North
At another level, "an-Nahar" newspaper reported Monday that US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will visit Lebanon in the next two days to deliver a letter of condolences from US Vice President Joe Biden to the family of late Democratic Renewal leader Nassib Lahoud.
"It is "unknown whether Feltman will hold any other meetings while he is in Beirut," "an-Nahar" mentioned.
Explaining that "the military operation which began last Friday was planned long ago but time was selected in link to weather," the source stressed that "the army will enter all the areas in which illegal actions threatening national security are performed."
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
