| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Gemayel: Opposition wants a mini Hezbollah state in Lebanon |
| 2008-01-22 |
| Lebanon's former president Amine Gemayel said today that the opposition is neither interested in a solution nor in negotiating the Arab league initiative . Gemayel during a press conference at his residence in Sin El Fil told reporters : "Every time we make a new offer they try to knock down and ask for more . Even if we agreed to their demand of a veto in the government they will still insist on other impossible demands." The issue is no longer about partnership as is being claimed by the opposition . The issue is about destroying all the Lebanese institutions and changing the regime in Lebanon and this we see as a coup against Taef , the National Charter and the constitution. He added Gemayel said all the opposition is trying to do is pave the way for a Hezbollah Mini state in Lebanon. Gemayel said the speech of Nasrallah is clear when he described the Israeli human body parts in a revolting language that disgusted the Lebanese people. Nasrallah acted as if he is Lebanon and completely disregarded the role of the state. Gemayel said , the March 14 alliance cooperated fully in the most positive manner with the Arab initiative and we found that our own views were identical to those of the Arab league . Gemayel described the clarifications of Arab league chief Amr Moussa as fair to all. Gemayel said that March 14 has accepted to give up its right of an absolute majority in return for the opposition's approval to abandon its veto power demand. Gemayel also stressed that the majority adheres to the nomination of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as President. |
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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Aoun sez he's sick, sends son-in-law to represent him |
| 2008-01-20 |
| General Michel Aoun has asked his son-in-law Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa was able to have his first breakthrough last Thursday when he succeeded in arranging a quartet meeting between the opposition and the majority . The meeting which lasted for nearly four hours was attended by Moussa, Lebanons former president Amine Gemayel, Parliament majority leader MP Saad Hariri, and General Michel Aoun. Moussa wanted to have a follow up meeting to cover the issues that were not agreed on during the first meeting , in order for the parliament to proceed with the election of a president on Monday Aoun who was appointed by the Hezbollah-led opposition to negotiate on its behalf initially asked for the postponement of the quartet meeting , but upon the insistence of Moussa he appointed Bassil as his replacement . |
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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| France told Syria: Half plus one quorum or no conditions before vote |
| 2007-12-26 |
| A reliable March 14 source has revealed that the parliament will very soon present to Lebanons speaker Nabih Berri a draft to amend the constitution in order to elect General Michel Suleiman as president. The source asserted that the majority is very serious about moving ahead on the amendment regardless of the objections it may face. The source confirmed that the special emergency session of the parliament will not only be responsible for amending the constitution but also to approve the budget and other vital issues . The source also asserted that it is unconstitutional to elect a government employee without amending the constitution . Speaker Berri has announced few days back that there will be no need to amend the constitution in order to elect General Suleiman. The source revealed that the majority has refused to negotiate with Aoun , because he is dictating his conditions as if they are not subject to any negotiations . He added first things first lets elect first a president and then all the conditions of the opposition are negotiable with the new president . The source revealed that Paris has already told Damascus Either the president of Lebanon is elected based on a quorum of half plus one or General Suleiman should be elected without any preconditions. Another reliable march 14 source has revealed that the government has been discussing the idea of replacing the Shiite ministers that have resigned over a year ago . The candidates are : Ibrahim Mohammad Mehdi Shamseddine, former Minister Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Beydoun, Deputy Ghazi Youssef, Ali Sabri Hamadeh or businessman Fadi Younis. Other candidates are being discussed with the prominent Al-Assaad family. Bassem el Sabaa was also considered as a candidate but he turned this down. As with regards to replacing the assassinated minister Pierre Gemayel, both his father Amine Gemayel and his brother Sami have turned down the offer to replace him. The other candidates that are being discussed are: Michel Khoury, former adviser to the former minister Pierre Gemayel , or former Minister Edmond Rizk and possibly others. The Phalange party , which is headed by former president Amine Gemayel may be meeting soon to discuss the issue. |
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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Berri: My initiative is supported by 76.9 % of the Lebanese |
| 2007-09-15 |
| Lebanon's speaker Nabih Berri stressed last night that his initiative is made in Lebanon , is supported by 76.9 % of the Lebanese and neither Syria nor the rest of the opposition knew about it before it was announced Berri disclosed the above during an interview with Marcel Ghanem host of LBCTV 's Kalam el Nas program. Berri revealed that neither Syria nor Hezbollah and Free patriotic movement of General Michel Aoun knew about the initiative before he declared it . Berri revealed that he has asked a local research firm to find out how the Lebanese people felt about the initiative and the results were very encouraging he said: - 76.9 % of the all the Lebanese support it against 23.1% that don'tBerri told Ghanem that his initiative is supported by Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-Moon. Berri revealed that he was waiting for a positive response from the March 14 alliance before visiting Patriarch Sfeir in Bkirki, discuss all the candidates he ( Sfeir) has in mind and agree on one consensus candidate . He said so far he has not received March 14 response. When asked by Ghanem why he came up with the initiative he said " I would like to think that I have matured enough to realize that we have reached a deadlock and it is about time we drop the demand for a government of national unity. He added " the government will be formed immediately after the new president is elected." It is not clear why Berri claimed that he did not receive March 14 alliance response. March 14 alliance offered a positive response yesterday after a meeting Wednesday at the residence of former president Amine Gemayel in Bikfaya. The response was published yesterday by Ya Libnan and most of the Lebanese newspapers. |
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