Arabic News Weekly Edition for Lebanon, 2/21/2005
Weekly Edition, Lebanon - Week of February 21, 2005
- Major Sunni groups in Lebanon withdraw from government's coalition
The Islamic Group in Lebanon, the major Sunni groups, announced withdrawal from Ein Altineh meeting which includes the Lebanese groups and political forces which support the government and is an alley for Syria. Lebanon, Politics, 2/26/2005 - Amal Movement: relations with Syria are principled
Deputy Head of the political bureau in Lebanese Amal Movement Nseb Hutet stressed Friday that Lebanon's relation with Syria is a principled and considered one of the firm principles that Lebanon is committed to in facing the Israeli objectives in the region as well as the foreign pressures and challenges. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/26/2005 - UN team starts investigations in the Hariri assassination Lebanon-UN, Politics, 2/26/2005
- Lebanese foreign minister: redeployment in line with the Taif agreement Lebanon, Politics, 2/26/2005
- Switzerland will not send investigators to Lebanon Lebanon-Switzerland, Politics, 2/26/2005
- Syria is to put the Taif accord into force
Syria underlined on Thursday strong keenness on cooperation with UN Secretary General Special envoy Terji Roed Larsen, and reiterated commitment to implement the Taif agreement as well bilateral accords with Lebanon. Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 2/25/2005 - Syria's statement on a new withdrawal from Lebanon
A Syrian official source announced the following on Thursday: Following the successful visit of the international envoy, Terry Rod Larsen, early this month to Syria and Lebanon, Syria's people and government express complete surprise over the media and political escalation that has preceded the wrapping up of the international envoy's mission in pursuing the implementation of the resolution 1559. Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 2/25/2005 - Junblat welcomes the Syrian redeployment
Chairman of the Lebanese socialist progressive party Walid Junblat welcomed the Syrian announcement on the redeployment of the Syrian forces in Lebanon but he simultaneously called for a direct negotiations with the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad for the interests of the two states. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/25/2005 - Israeli warplanes renew violations of Lebanese airspace
Israeli warplanes on Thursday renewed violations of the Lebanese airspace to the south and this provoked the Lebanese army to retaliate by opening fire on them. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/25/2005 - Karami denies intention to resign
The Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami said he has no intention to quit the presidency of the Cabinet except in case the Lebanese parliament cast non confidence in his government. Lebanon, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Egyptian efforts to defuse the Syrian crisis in Lebanon
Egypt has started efforts with Syria to help it in dealing with the increasing pressures imposed on it by the USA and Europe after the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri. Egypt-Lebanon, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Patriarch Sfair: President al-Assad's statements are positive
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfair depicted President Bashar al-Assad's statements quoted by Amr Moussa on the implementation of the Taif agreement as positive. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Lebanese people call for dialogue
Lebanese Minister of State Karam Karam called Wednesday for establishing a fast and serious investigation to uncover the responsible for Rafic Hariri assassination. Lebanon, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Arab officials stress commitment to the Taif agreement
Saudi Ambassador in Beirut Abdullaziz Khouja on Wednesday described Syrian-Saudi relations as very strong. Regional-Lebanon, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Lebanon confirms the Palestinian right to return support
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud stressed Wednesday his country's supporting for the Palestinians' "right of return" which is implied in the 194 UN resolution. Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 2/24/2005 - Lebanon cooperates with UN on the Hariri investigation
Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon is committed to cooperate with the UN on preparing a report to the UN Security Council on the reasons and circumstances of the heinous assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafic Hariri. Lebanon-UN, Politics, 2/23/2005 - Hariri's assassination and the Saudi government Saudi Arabia-Lebanon, Politics, 2/23/2005
- Chirac accuses the Syrian intelligence of running Lebanon
The French President Jacques Chirac renewed his call for Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon accusing of what he called its spies of controlling it. Lebanon-France, Politics, 2/23/2005 - Satterfield prepares to visit Lebanon
The spokesman for the US Department Of State, Richard Boucher, denied news which said that the US assistant secretary of state for the Middle East affairs David Satterfield had arrived in Lebanon but said that Satterfield will leave for Lebanon before the end of the current week. Lebanon-USA, Politics, 2/23/2005 - Stability of the Lebanese Lira; decrease in Hariri Solidaire shares
The change rate of the Lebanese Lira in the dealings of the Lebanese market has stabilized, but the Central Bank interfered via selling the US dollar with the aim to alleviate pressure from investors who felt great fears after the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri. Lebanon, Business, 2/23/2005 - Junblat invites Nasrullah to join the opposition Lebanon, Politics, 2/23/2005
- Lebanese leadership response to American European warning Lebanon-USA, Politics, 2/23/2005
- Qaddoumi: Resolution 1559 contradicts UN Convention Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 2/23/2005
- Parliamentary meeting to discuss the Hariri assassination
The Lebanese opposition received a preliminary consent from the speaker of the Lebanese parliament to convene a general session to discuss the assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri. Such discussions will permit the opposition to debate the issue of confidence in the government. Lebanon, Politics, 2/22/2005 - Massive Lebanese demonstrations demanding withdrawal of Syrian forces
Scores of thousands of Lebanese demonstrated yesterday in the downtown of Beirut at the request of the opposition, chanting slogans calling for sacking the government and the withdrawal of the Syrian forces. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/22/2005 - Hoss: Syrian presence in Lebanon is legitimate
Former Lebanese Premier Salem al-Hoss said Monday that the Syrian troops presence in Lebanon doesn't violate Lebanese sovereignty because it was based on the acceptance of Lebanese government. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/22/2005 - Lebanese minister and assassination of Hariri Lebanon, Politics, 2/22/2005
- Syrian foreign ministry statement on resolution no. 1559 Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 2/22/2005
- On the file of Hariri's assassination
The Lebanese authorities said on Monday it intends to inquire from the United Nations over appointing investigation teams in the assassination of Rafic Hariri, chaired by the Irish officer Peter Gerald, while the Lebanese defense minister Abdul Rahim Murad ruled out that the Lebanese authorities will show flexibility in dealing with the UN delegation which will head for Beirut within the few coming days. Lebanon, Politics, 2/21/2005 - Junblat prefers direct dialogue with Damascus
The crisis between the Lebanese government and the opposition over the assassination of the former prime minister has inclined to more tension with the rejection of the opposition the dialogue initiative proposed by the Lebanese authorities parties, rather demanding direct dialogue with Damascus. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/21/2005 - On UN's investigation into the Hariri assassination Lebanon, Politics, 2/21/2005
- The Observer: Israeli and U.S. allegations make no sense
The British "Observer" newspaper said that the image which had begun to crystallize on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri completely differs from what Israel, Washington and Lebanese opposition have portrayed in accusations and allegations. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/21/2005 - Egyptian daily: Israel is behind the assassination of Rafic Hariri
The Egyptian 'al-Osbo' newspaper stressed that Israel is the first beneficiary from assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 2/21/2005 - Lebanon stresses strong relations with Syria
Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Ghazi Z'eter said Sunday that the Lebanese people strongly adhere to solidarity and the unity of Syrian-Lebanese track in the face of difficulties and threats. Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/21/2005 - Tourists to Lebanon decrease following the Hariri assassination
Officials in the Lebanese Middle East Airlines ( Middle East) announced that more than 65% of the volume of booked reservations on its flights coming to Lebanon were cancelled since the assassination incident of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri last Monday. Lebanon, Politics, 2/21/2005 - Lebanese deputy calls for national dialogue Lebanon, Politics, 2/21/2005