Nothing New on Extra Spending... Berri Speeds Gov’t on Oil
Zeinab Essa
The Lebanese week closed its doors with the departure of international envoys from the Lebanese arena.
However, open files remained on the top of the political debate.
Meanwhile, the security files that extend from the arms ship "Litfulla II" to the continuous "Israeli" breaches in the South headed the other Lebanese topics.
Syria Frustrated from Lebanese Parties
"As-Safir" Lebanese newspaper reported Saturday that "the Lebanese authorities had received a letter expressing Syria's frustration from the increasingly provocative steps of some Lebanese parties against Damascus."
According to "as-Safir" sources, "after the recent developments on the Lebanese-Syrian borders, Damascus urged Lebanon to stop these provocations."
"The Syrians, however, hailed the Lebanese Army's efforts in this field, particularly in terms of intercepting the ship," the daily added.
It further informed that "Damascus stressed the need to complete investigations in the arms ship, especially that Syria had acquired documented information about the involvement of known foreign names in this case ."
"Syria also accused some Lebanese parties of operating with these sides to sabotage the relationship between Lebanon and Syria," the report clarified.
In parallel, the daily unveiled that "the Lebanese majority took a major political decision to study all the steps required to prevent the recurrence of the smuggling of arms especially that there are previous cases in which the United Nations Interim Forces inspected ships."
In this context, "as-Safir" revealed that it learned that a meeting was recently held between a leader in the majority and the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Lebanon Derek Plumbly.
The Lebanese figure asked the UN envoy on the way the ship managed to pass despite the UNIFIL presence.
It is in the interest of the United Nations to help the investigations in uncovering the truth and saving your reputation," the majority representative told Plumbly.
For his part, the Chief Gen. of the Lebanese Army General Jean Qahwaji stated that "the responsibility of the army is to carry out its tasks in controlling the borders and preventing the smuggling of arms."
"The LA deals very seriously with the issue of arms ship," Qahwaji told "as-Safir", adding that "the army fully performs its duties in this area."
"The investigation will continue to the end and those involved in the matter will be immediately arrested and referred to the judiciary," the LA commander stressed.
This came as Qahwaji discussed Friday the issue with Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali and the Secretary-general of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, Nasri Khoury.
More from Investigations
On the investigations level," as-Safir" listed the preliminary results as follows:
-The side that prepared the ship and sent it to Lebanon acquires a technical expertise and intelligence as it succeeded in filling all the gaps that can appear in such operations.
- A Lebanese side is most probably involved in the case.
-The investigations haven't proven whether some Arab countries were involved or not.
- There is a possibility that among the arrested 14 people, some carry fictitious names.
- The investigations found nothing related to money transfers from Lebanon to Libya or other countries related to the ship. This suggests that the money might have been transferred from outside Lebanon, or that the money was paid in cash.
- The investigation determined the phone numbers were used from outside Lebanon, and specifically from Alexandria and Cairo, as well as between Lebanon and Libya. However, the phone numbers were not registered in certain names and no movement appeared to them which strengthens the hypothesis that they were damaged.
-The investigation is questioning signals about renting warehouses to store the weapon in the city of Tripoli and Akkar.
Suleiman: Smuggling Weapons to Syrian Opposition A Double Crime
On the same level, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman reiterated that Lebanon "is not a base to launch operations against Syria."
"The idea of smuggling weapons is a crime to be punished," he said, pointing out that "the idea of smuggling weapons to the Syrian opposition is a double crime that should not be taken lightly."
Suleiman refused to discuss the details of the investigations concerning "Lutfallah II" in light of the statements by the Syrian and Saudi ambassadors to Lebanon.
The President further commented on the internal political scene
In remarks to reporters in Baabda Palace, Suleiman repeated his rejection to sign the LL 8.9 trillion bill of extra spending expenditure.
"My decision not to publish a law with inherent constitutional and legal violations does not aim in any way to hamper and cripple the country," the President confirmed.
In response, the majority's sources liked the President's position to US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman's visit and the president's phone conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"Suleiman is abiding by the policy of hampering the government," the sources told "al-Akhbar" daily.
Moreover, the paper revealed that " "March 8" ministers as well as those of the "Change and Reform Bloc" will raise the expenditure issue in the scheduled Wednesday session at Baabda palace.
"The session will be a heated one, as the ministers aim at recalling the presidency's responsibilities in this context," "al-Akhbar" stated.
Spending on Hot Debate
It further mentioned that "the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati proposed to delay the session fearing a harsh campaign of criticism against Suleiman."
In parallel, the Head of the "Change and Reform Bloc" MP Michel Aoun is expected to respond to the President and the Leader of the "National Struggle Front" MP Walid Jumblatt during Saturday's festival.
Aoun's sources told "an-Nahar" daily that the festival forms a response to "a daily bet on the bloc's loss of popularity and mobilization capacity."
For his part, House Speaker Nabih Berri Speaker Nabih Berri accused the government of killing time in the oil file.
Berri Speeds Gov't on Oil
In an interview with "an-Nahar", the Speaker found no pretext to justify the postponement of the government's session on Thursday in light of the pressure, protests and movements in several sectors.
He also urged the government to speed the completion of oil decrees and seek the demarcation of the maritime border with the Zionist entity in order to preserve Lebanon's oil wealth."
"I made a huge progress in this file and the government should follow-up the mission," he stressed.
Berri also threatened that he would let parliament hold the government accountable if it doesn't take new measures next week because Lebanon's sovereignty on its maritime border and the preservation of its oil resources impose a mobilization by everyone."
The Lebanese week closed its doors with the departure of international envoys from the Lebanese arena.
However, open files remained on the top of the political debate.
Meanwhile, the security files that extend from the arms ship "Litfulla II" to the continuous "Israeli" breaches in the South headed the other Lebanese topics.
Syria Frustrated from Lebanese Parties
"As-Safir" Lebanese newspaper reported Saturday that "the Lebanese authorities had received a letter expressing Syria's frustration from the increasingly provocative steps of some Lebanese parties against Damascus."
According to "as-Safir" sources, "after the recent developments on the Lebanese-Syrian borders, Damascus urged Lebanon to stop these provocations."
"The Syrians, however, hailed the Lebanese Army's efforts in this field, particularly in terms of intercepting the ship," the daily added.
It further informed that "Damascus stressed the need to complete investigations in the arms ship, especially that Syria had acquired documented information about the involvement of known foreign names in this case ."
"Syria also accused some Lebanese parties of operating with these sides to sabotage the relationship between Lebanon and Syria," the report clarified.
In parallel, the daily unveiled that "the Lebanese majority took a major political decision to study all the steps required to prevent the recurrence of the smuggling of arms especially that there are previous cases in which the United Nations Interim Forces inspected ships."
In this context, "as-Safir" revealed that it learned that a meeting was recently held between a leader in the majority and the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Lebanon Derek Plumbly.
The Lebanese figure asked the UN envoy on the way the ship managed to pass despite the UNIFIL presence.
It is in the interest of the United Nations to help the investigations in uncovering the truth and saving your reputation," the majority representative told Plumbly.
For his part, the Chief Gen. of the Lebanese Army General Jean Qahwaji stated that "the responsibility of the army is to carry out its tasks in controlling the borders and preventing the smuggling of arms."
"The LA deals very seriously with the issue of arms ship," Qahwaji told "as-Safir", adding that "the army fully performs its duties in this area."
"The investigation will continue to the end and those involved in the matter will be immediately arrested and referred to the judiciary," the LA commander stressed.
This came as Qahwaji discussed Friday the issue with Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali and the Secretary-general of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, Nasri Khoury.
More from Investigations
On the investigations level," as-Safir" listed the preliminary results as follows:
-The side that prepared the ship and sent it to Lebanon acquires a technical expertise and intelligence as it succeeded in filling all the gaps that can appear in such operations.
- A Lebanese side is most probably involved in the case.
-The investigations haven't proven whether some Arab countries were involved or not.
- There is a possibility that among the arrested 14 people, some carry fictitious names.
- The investigations found nothing related to money transfers from Lebanon to Libya or other countries related to the ship. This suggests that the money might have been transferred from outside Lebanon, or that the money was paid in cash.
- The investigation determined the phone numbers were used from outside Lebanon, and specifically from Alexandria and Cairo, as well as between Lebanon and Libya. However, the phone numbers were not registered in certain names and no movement appeared to them which strengthens the hypothesis that they were damaged.
-The investigation is questioning signals about renting warehouses to store the weapon in the city of Tripoli and Akkar.
Suleiman: Smuggling Weapons to Syrian Opposition A Double Crime
On the same level, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman reiterated that Lebanon "is not a base to launch operations against Syria."
"The idea of smuggling weapons is a crime to be punished," he said, pointing out that "the idea of smuggling weapons to the Syrian opposition is a double crime that should not be taken lightly."
Suleiman refused to discuss the details of the investigations concerning "Lutfallah II" in light of the statements by the Syrian and Saudi ambassadors to Lebanon.
The President further commented on the internal political scene
In remarks to reporters in Baabda Palace, Suleiman repeated his rejection to sign the LL 8.9 trillion bill of extra spending expenditure.
"My decision not to publish a law with inherent constitutional and legal violations does not aim in any way to hamper and cripple the country," the President confirmed.
In response, the majority's sources liked the President's position to US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman's visit and the president's phone conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"Suleiman is abiding by the policy of hampering the government," the sources told "al-Akhbar" daily.
Moreover, the paper revealed that " "March 8" ministers as well as those of the "Change and Reform Bloc" will raise the expenditure issue in the scheduled Wednesday session at Baabda palace.
"The session will be a heated one, as the ministers aim at recalling the presidency's responsibilities in this context," "al-Akhbar" stated.
Spending on Hot Debate
It further mentioned that "the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati proposed to delay the session fearing a harsh campaign of criticism against Suleiman."
In parallel, the Head of the "Change and Reform Bloc" MP Michel Aoun is expected to respond to the President and the Leader of the "National Struggle Front" MP Walid Jumblatt during Saturday's festival.
Aoun's sources told "an-Nahar" daily that the festival forms a response to "a daily bet on the bloc's loss of popularity and mobilization capacity."
For his part, House Speaker Nabih Berri Speaker Nabih Berri accused the government of killing time in the oil file.
Berri Speeds Gov't on Oil
In an interview with "an-Nahar", the Speaker found no pretext to justify the postponement of the government's session on Thursday in light of the pressure, protests and movements in several sectors.
He also urged the government to speed the completion of oil decrees and seek the demarcation of the maritime border with the Zionist entity in order to preserve Lebanon's oil wealth."
"I made a huge progress in this file and the government should follow-up the mission," he stressed.
Berri also threatened that he would let parliament hold the government accountable if it doesn't take new measures next week because Lebanon's sovereignty on its maritime border and the preservation of its oil resources impose a mobilization by everyone."
Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
