LA in Financial Crisis, Extra Expenditure into Solution

Zeinab Essa

As the electoral positions of both the government and the opposition marked the beginning of the current week, the Lebanese Labor's Day seems to calm some of the political heat.

Meanwhile, a storm of positions is expected to be launched hours later with the scheduled visit for US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

Feltman in Beirut

In this context, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton paved the way for the visit of her envoy by a conversation with the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

According to the NNA, the phone conversation between Clinton and Suleiman tackled the latest regional and international developments as well as the means to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.

"Clinton commended Suleiman's positions during last month's Arab League summit, particularly his call to maintain diversity in the Arab world on the basis of democracy and political participation," the NNA reported.

Ministerial sources informed "al-Akhbar" Lebanese daily that Clinton contacted Suleiman to avoid the embarrassment that occurred in the previous visit of Feltman when the President refused to set an appointment for the US official.
For its part, "an-Nahar" newspaper reported Tuesday that Feltman will meet in addition to President Suleiman, House Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Meanwhile, questions are raised on the outcome of the dinner that "March14" plans to set for their "sincere" guest in the house of MP Boutros Harb.
"Al-Akhbar" quoted "March 14" sources as saying that "their discussions with Feltman are to concentrate on the Arab Spring, the "Syrian Revolution", in addition to domestic issues particularly the parliamentary elections."

Commenting on Feltman's visit, well informed diplomatic sources told "al-Binaa" paper that "the US envoy is to ask the Lebanese opposition to provide the fullest possible logistical and military assistance to armed Syrian groups."
"He will further urge the Lebanese government to abide by US sanctions against Syria," the daily highlighted, pointing out that "Feltman will also emphasize the need for adopting 1960's electoral law."

According to "al-Binaa", "the US official will stress that the Lebanese opposition must win the 2013 election whatever circumstances are present."
"Feltman will assure his Lebanese allies that he will secure all financial expenditures for this electoral battle from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, even if the campaign needed three billion dollars," the newspaper uncovered.
It further mentioned that "the US is talking about a big coup in the Lebanese arena."

"The US scenario to follow the elections era stresses three great results the "March 14" must obtain: gaining a parliamentary majority, a government that does not include "March 8", and a new Lebanese President from within "March 14" ranks where the first candidate is [the Head of the Lebanese Forces] Samir Geagea."
In another US blatant interference, "an-Nahar" revealed that a senior US Congress official will pay a suspicious visit to the Lebanese borders with Syria and particularly the Wadi Khalid region to inspect the situation in the region.

Suleiman Contacted Al-Assad:

On another level, "as-Safir" daily unveiled that President Suleiman telephoned Monday his Syrian counterpart President Bashar al-Assad.
"As-Safir's" sources refused to reveal the details of the talks, but said that they focused on the Syrian developments.

"The two men concentrated on the United Nations envoy Kofi Annan's ceasefire plan and the international efforts to end the crisis," the sources told the paper.

This came as Suleiman met with the Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji to follow up the general security situation on Lebanon and the Lebanese Army's (LA) achievement in intercepting a ship of weapons to armed groups in Syria.
"What the army has done falls under its duty to control the Lebanese land and sea," a military source confirmed to "al-Akhbar", pointing out that " the LA had a clear decision to prevent the smuggling of arms from and into Lebanon."

"The LA is against importing or exporting the sedition and it is seeking to extricate Lebanon from the regional crisis with the least possible losses," the source stressed.

On the internal scene, the LA source warned that the military establishment will run out of money because of the LL 8900 billion extra expenditure crisis.
"The Lebanese army is greatly affected in its daily life, and security," the source stated, noting that " the LA is under the pressure of a financial, logistical, and health crisis."

In a similar context, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi presented Monday a draft law on the government extra-budgetary spending bill to the government's general secretariat.
The minister stressed to "an-Nahar" that "the Finance Ministry is tackling the suitable mechanism to implement a law on extra-budgetary spending."
Safadi warned that "the extra-budgetary spending has become a heavy burden on the government."

Berri Backs Electoral Reforms

For his part, House Speaker Berri denounced "March 14" attempts to exploit the latest developments in Syria for their 2013 parliamentary elections campaigns.

In remarks to "an-Nahar", Berri said that "he didn't lose hope yet on the possibility of adopting an electoral law based on proportionality."

The Speaker further welcomed the participation of Lebanese expats in 2013 polls.
"I support the allocation of 10 parliamentary seats to expatriates in the same manner that Algeria and France do," Berri told "an-Nahar".
He added that the allocation would be implemented either by increasing the number
 of parliamentarians or allocating 10 seats for expatriates out of the 128 MPs.

"Women deserve to be represented at parliament... and we no longer hear about lowering the voting age to 18," Berri said, pointing out that "the issue is in the government's hands."
"Reforms in the electoral law don't concern many candidates and officials as they only desire to occupy the seats of parliament," Berri stressed.



Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org