Berri Snaps Back, Jumblatt Moves, Aoun to Respond
It seems that the Lebanese clock had limited its turn on three edges: the first is
Sunday's expected demonstrations, the second is Monday's legislative session while the third still pending, as it was leaked that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is to announce its indictment including a new name within the coming hours.
However, between the known agenda and the surprises at the political field, eyes remain fixed on Lebanon's rights in its oil wealth.
Suleiman: Any "Israeli" Breach to Our Oil Wealth Will Lead to War
From Czech Republic, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman confirmed that "any "Israeli" breach to our oil rights will lead to war."
Clarifying that "we never assaulted "Israel" that always attacks us," Suleiman added that the last attack was its violations against our exclusive economic zone."
He further stressed Friday that "Lebanon is witnessing a period of stability despite the unrest in the region," hoping that "any action regarding oil exploration in the eastern Mediterranean would not take place against the Lebanese interests."
Addressing regional developments, the president noted that "democracy is not being applied fairly when it comes to the Palestinian cause."
"The Palestinian cause is a constant source of regional and global tension," Suleiman acknowledged.
He therefore warned of the emergence of a new wave of Arab extremism to confront "Israeli" extremism, hoping that "the Arab League would resume its normal role to tackle such issues after it had steered away from its main goals."
Siniora Threatens with Civil Peace, Berri Snaps Back, Jumblatt Moves
At the internal level, House Speaker Nabih Berri has snapped back at "March 14" forces that threatened to boycott Monday's parliamentary session if no compensation is made to $ 11 billion extra-budgetary spending during former Prime Ministers' Fouad Siniora and Saad Hariri's era.
Berri called the opposition to approve his proposal to form a joint ministerial-parliamentary committee to resolve the dispute.
In remarks published in several newspapers on Saturday, Berri said: "I improved the conditions of the success of my proposal so that it gets implemented."
Stressing that "the draft-law proposed by the "March 14" forces cannot be studied 48 hours before the session," Berri clarified that "only the government's bill will be subject to approval if a majority was provided."
"I informed the ministers of the National Struggle Front and I hope that the other party (March 14) would cooperate with us to settle this issue," the speaker added.
This came as Berri met on Friday with three ministers of NSF leader MP Walid Jumblatt. Ministers Ghazi Aridi, Wael Abou Faour and Alaeddine Terro visited him. The three ministers also held talks with PM Najib Mikati.
In an interview with "as-Safir" newspaper, Abou Faour unveiled that "the meeting of the ministers with Berri was aimed at averting a division in the country and reaching a solution ahead of the session to avoid voting that would lead to major divisions."
"The House Speaker is keen on resolving the deadlock because he is aware of the deep division among the March 8 and 14 MPs and knows its repercussions," he said.
In parallel, Jumblatt ministerial sources told "an-Nahar" daily that "there is a possibility to reach a solution in the next couple of days.
Jumblatt's move came in parallel to Siniora's argument that "addressing the problem for one out of six years and leaving the problems of other years unaddressed is aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the group in power at that time."
In his Friday press conference Siniora warned that "this negatively affects the economy and civil peace of Lebanon."
Commenting on Siniora's statements, "as-Safir" uncovered "it seems that the echoes of Siniora's remarks were not conforting in Ain al-Tine."
Aoun's Response Soon
Meanwhile, the paper reported Saturday that the "Change and Reform Bloc" is preparing a detailed response to Saniora's claims.
In an interview with "as-Safir" the bloc's MP Ibrahim Kenaan viewed that "Siniora's and other "March 14" MPs' press conference resembles a dangerous scandal at the constitutional and parliamentary levels and can't be covered by the media play organized by Saniora."
"Saniora is asking for a financial clearance through the media at a time when he has been asked in the past 5 years to make a clearance through an accurate accounting," Kenaan added.
STL's New Invention
At the STL level, a new legal inventory appeared to the Lebanese surface.
According to the STL's statement, the tribunal's pre-trial judge Daniel Fransen had asked the Appeals Chamber to define the crime of "criminal association" following the Prosecution's recent request to amend the indictment.
Well informed sources told "as-Safir" that it seems that the "STL is seeking to
show that the so-called accused in the assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri four have done so as an entity named as "criminal group"."
"The final outcome appears to be Hizbullah," the newspaper sources viewed.
Demonstrations Divide Martyrs' Square
At another context, "al-Akhbar" newspaper reported Saturday that General Ashraf Rifi advised Governor of Beirut, Nassif Qalush not to grant permission to the protest that Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir called for on Sunday in Martyrs' Square under the title of protesting against Syrian regime.
"The security forces will act as if the protests are to take place, they will divide the Square into two parts: north to al-Asir's protest, and south to the demonstration, former minister Fayez Shokr will organize in response to Asir's demonstration."
At the Syrian front, "al-Binaa" daily stated that "the Syrian authorities arrested head of al-Qaeda and his assistant in the provinces of Damascus and Damascus' countryside."
"The Syrian officials refuse to uncover the names of al-Qaeda detained members pending completion of the investigation with them," the paper added.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
