
the outstanding issues.
With the regards to the boycott of al Manar TV in Germany he said that he brought it up and was told the best way to handle this is through legal means .
Suleiman defended the trip by Syria of General Kahwaji. The cabinet decided that all visits to Syria by all officials should be approved by it( the cabinet) in advance
The cabinet also decided to subsidize diesel fuel by up to 3000LL ( $2.00) per 20 liters should the price ( of 20 liters) exceed 15,000LL ( $10.00)
Meanwhile , General Aoun's visit to Syria continues to outrage the ruling March 14 Christian leaders . President Assad continues to roll out the red carpet for Aoun and today he sent his private jet to pick up Aoun's son-in-law minister Gebran Bassil and his family to take them to Aleppo Syria where he (Assad) was hosting a dinner to honor him ( Aoun). Yesterday Aoun was transported from Homs to Aleppo by a government own helicopter .
The sad news is that Syria is forcing the Christians in Aleppo to participate in Aoun's welcome . According to Voice of Lebanon radio station the residents of Bab Touma were forced to attend the welcoming ceremony of General Aoun and 20 people that refused to attend were arrested by the Syrian authorities . Those arrested were from the families of Jabr, Muhanna, Shanaat , Saloumi, Farah and several other families according to VOL
Saturday
21:23 Aoun said during a dinner hosted by the Syrian authorities that he is not involved in resolving the pending bilateral issues between Lebanon and Syria
20:00 : Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad told OTV: Aoun’s visit to Syria will show results in the coming weeks and months.
19:30 The Free patriotic Movement has denied distributing posters of Assad and Aoun that read " from an enemy to a friend to an ally" and signed by FPM . These posters are in reference to the history of Aoun's relationship with Syria . Aoun fought the Syrians , lost the battle and had to flee to France where he remained in exile for 15 years. After returning to Lebanon he allied himself with Hezbollah, Syria's allies in Lebanon.
18:47 son of slain general Francoise Hajj told ANB TV : Our family is hopeful of finding out who killed my dad , but unfortunately we do not have much faith in the investigation taking place
17:29 MP Habib : There are 2 groups in Lebanon. One group wants a Lebanon that is under the thumbs of Assad and Ahmadinejad ( in reference to the Iranian and Syrian backed Hezbollah group) and the other group ( March 14 group of the Cedar revolution) wants a Lebanon that is sovereign, free and independent
16:45 : Aoun and his delegation accompanied by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad visit , an Armenian cathedral in Aleppo, a museum and the old Maronite archdiocese.
16:35 : Popular march organized by Progressive Socialist Party from Mukhtara to the Tomb of Kamal Jumblat on the 91st anniversary of his birth.
16:17 Voice of Lebanon : Syria is forcing the Christians in Aleppo to participate in Aoun's welcome . The residents of Bab Touma were forced to attend the welcoming ceremony of General Aoun and 20 people that refused to attend were arrested by the Syrian authorities . Those arrested were from the families of Jabr, Muhanna, Shanaat , Saloumi, Farah and several other families
16:00 Aoun during an interview with Syrian TV: Lebanese-Syrian relations today are stronger than before .... As a military force Israel can destroy but cannot occupy. I do not fear for Lebanon from terrorist groups. Lebanon does not have the area and the resources to Settle Palestinians
14:00 A Syrian Executive jet flew cabinet Minister Gebran Bassil, his wife and Aoun's wife to Damascus to attend a lunch hosted by President Bashar Assad, according to Voice of Lebanon Radio.
13:57 Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani said, after meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, that he had presented to the PM a report on President Michel Suleiman’s “positive” visit to Tehran. Shibani added that Prime Minister is welcome in Iran.
12:08 Minister of Environment Toni Karam, with the cooperation of the Lebanese Armed Forces, has launched a reforestation campaign in Deir Kfifan in Batroun with a project called “New Lebanon Green.”
12:06 PM Fouad Siniora is meeting with Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani at the Grand Serail.
11:55 Change and Reform bloc MP Nematallah Abi Nasr told NBN TV: "MP Michel al-Murr represented the Christians for 18 years and had many powerful positions ... I hope that Murr, after walking away from our bloc will not become an opponent to our bloc leader MP Michel Aoun". Abi Nasr added that if he was the patriarch he would thank Aoun for visiting Syria.
09:20 Harb called for forging relations between Lebanon and Syria on the basis of establishing official diplomatic ties and exchanging embassies.
Friday
19:15 Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc on Friday praised general Aoun for his courage in visiting Syria and for his frankness regarding his past mistakes
19:10 NNA Fayez Shokor, leader of the Syrian Baath party said: "Aoun went to Syria as a Christian patriotic leader and would come back as the Pope of the orient ". Shokor, made the announcement to reporters after talks with parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
19:00 Elie Mahfoud, president of the Change Movement said any reconciliation between Christians must begin at the mother church in Lebanon ( Bkirki) and not in a Syrian church as Aoun is doing. Mahfoud said: "We have 2 enemies, the Israeli enemy and the Syrian enemy . Both have slaughtered our children and our families and have displaced thousands of our citizens." Mahfoud asked: "What should we apologize for ? The killing of Mufti Hassan Khaled or President Bashir Gemayel, or his child Maya Bashir Gemayel? He added : If Aoun continues this way he will be endangering the Christian presence not only in Lebanon but in the entire region
18:22 After meeting at Baabda palace , President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora attend a cabinet meeting in Baabda , which the president is chairing .
18.20 Crude oil is now below $42 / barrel. This represents a drop of over 72 % since last July 11 when oil hit $147 /barrel. Oil price is heading towards $40 and lower according to experts
18:15 US President George W. Bush: The Middle East has become more free and hopeful in 2008. Examples of this are the “Cedar Revolution” in Lebanon which commanded Syrian withdrawal from the country, and Libya’s decision to stop its nuclear weapons program , and the weak democracy in Iraq.
17:30 Minister Fawzi Salloukh returned from Oslo after attending the signing of the agreement on the Prohibition of cluster bombs
16:50 Judge Merza filed charges against two unknown persons accused of assassinating Sheikh Saleh al -Aridi
16:40 Aoun arrived in Aleppo . Was transported from Homs by a Syrian government owned helicopter
Tags: Aoun, Germany, Hezbollah, merkel, source: Lebanon Files, Suleiman, Syria, UNIFIL, Ya Libnan











