Berri: Great Surprise on Land Oil, Power Ships Stuck between Mikati, Bassil
Amid the accumulated outstanding Lebanese files, from power ships to appointments, and spoiled food; the US mischievous agenda emerged back on the Lebanese political scene.
In a blatant interference in both Lebanese and Syrian internal affairs, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman claimed that "Lebanon has a moral obligation to support the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad."
"Lebanon had a moral as well as political obligation to support Syrians fighting to topple al-Assad," he said.
Not only did the US official admit his country's political defeat at the Lebanese front, but he also went on to interfere in Lebanese choices in the coming elections.
"The Cedar Revolution had not yet achieved a Lebanon free of al-Assad's manipulation and of Iranian influence," he said urging the Lebanese "to look ahead to parliamentary elections due next year."
"I hope those Lebanese who are here with us today, along with millions of others back home in Lebanon, will again show the world how they can transcend fear -in order to use those 2013 legislative elections to defeat the remnants of the Syrian occupation and reject the apologists of al-Assad's butchery," Feltman added.
Cohen Pressures Lebanon on Syria
Meanwhile, hours after US Coordinator for Eastern Affairs Frederick Hoff ended his meetings in Beirut, the US Undersecretary Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen came to Lebanon.
According to Lebanese papers, the US official's visit aims at checking Lebanese commitment to financial penalties imposed on Syria and Iran.
In an interview with "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily, Cohen unveiled that "the essential message he delivered to the Lebanese officials is that they should take the utmost precaution and be sure that Lebanon would not slide towards permitting Syria or Iran to use it in an attempt to evade the sanctions."
Cohen announced that his "visit's main objective is to increase the international stranglehold on Iranian and Syrian regimes," stressing that "what US wants from Lebanon and what we discussed with authorities here is that it shouldn't be a gate for Syria's evasion."
Asked about reports that "his trip was also aimed at targeting Hizbullah," Cohen refused to reply saying "it was the first time that he visited Beirut and that several other Treasury officials had come to Lebanon to follow-up financial issues."
Cohen held talks with Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Central Bank Governor Riyad Salameh and a number of representatives from the Lebanese banking sector.
In parallel, banking sources informed "al-Akhbar" newspaper that "Cohen seemed pressuring towards further Lebanese action on controlling money transfers from and into Lebanon."
"Al-Akhbar" has learned that "the US official raised during his meetings the issue of the transfer of some 231 bank accounts, belonging to 28 depositors, from the Central Bank to three Lebanese banks.
"He also stressed revisions to the laws and regulations controlling money laundering and combating tax evasion," the paper clarified.
Land Oil Surprise
At the internal level, Lebanese government is to convene today with 71-items agenda, on top of which is the oil sector governing body.
In this context, House Speaker Nabih Berri condemned Wednesday the government's delay in appointments, particularly in the oil sector.
"The stalling of the administrative assignments is unacceptable, especially the assignment of a committee to oversee the oil sector," Berri affirmed to
He also reiterated his firm position regarding questioning the government on oil sector appointments uncovering that "Lebanese land contained huge quantities of oil."
"The oil stocks in the areas of al-Qaa and the western Bekaa are capable of saving the whole Bekaa and Lebanon from chronic poverty," the House Speaker added.
Similarly, Berri confirmed to "an-Nahar" that "it's not acceptable to lose our oil wealth in land and sea while "Israel" is wasting no effort in order to benefit from this wealth," revealing that "dozens of foreign companies, most recently from Brazil, expressed their readiness to start oil drilling."
In another interview with "al-Joumhoryia" newspaper, Berri promised with "a great surprise that will be announced within days concerning oil in the Lebanese land."
Electricity Waits, Transportation Allowance to Pass
On another level, the issue of power-generating ships is still stuck between PM Mikati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.
In an interview with "an-Nahar", Mikati wondered how Bassil didn't "understand what the premier wants," viewing that "they [Change and Reform Bloc] usually read behind the lines. How didn't they understand something that is really clear?"
Mikati's statements came as Bassil said Tuesday: "the PM didn't reject the power-generating vessels project but he didn't either make a new suggestion... Frankly, I didn't understand what the PM wants."
The PM explained that he "opposes the leasing of the vessels because the mechanism followed in launching the tenders was wrong," adding that "there will be no political compromises concerning this matter as it should be done in a transparent and credible way, since it will cost the treasury more than $1 billion over 5 years."
Mikati highlighted that he will submit a memorandum to the government's meeting Wednesday that includes the reasons behind his objection.
At the legislative front, the Lebanese Parliament is expected to pass Wednesday the draft transport allowances.
Sources told "an-Nahar" that "the session will be normal and experimental for the continuation of the legislative work away from malicious performance."
In this context, "Future bloc" MP Nabil De Freige said to the same daily that "a consensual formula for a draft law on transportation allowances had been prepared."
"The draft law combines the previous draft law that I had submitted on transportation allowance and the draft law "Change and Reform bloc" MP Ibrahim Kanaan had submitted," De Freige said.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
