to deal with the state of Lebanon and not through their allies in the country.

Syria on the other hand was doing exactly the opposite of what Suleiman was preaching . They rolled out the red carpet for general Aoun ever since he arrived and Assad has offered him a better reception than Suleiman's when he visited Syria.

Aoun's visit to Syria has come under heavy attacks by several Christian leaders. One Christian observer told Ya libnan : Aoun has become a paid slave to Syria, Iran and Hezbollah's anti-Lebanese schemes and he has become a loud and reliable mouthpiece for their heretical, anti-democratic, anti-human rights, and anti-west propaganda.

Similarly March 14 ruling majority leaders criticized Aoun's visit

MP Walid Jumblatt went a step further yesterday in his criticism of Syria : "Reconciliation with Syria is impossible " he said during an interview with Future TV

Thursday

00:50 March 14 majority alliance held a meting n Quraitem to discuss the latest development

22:53

22:40 Phalange Party leader Amin Gemyael during Kalam el-Nas talk show on LBC: The formula under which the central government is currently functioning is a failure. I am not calling for federalism, but a system which could be applicable to Lebanon’s situation. Aggravated by what I said about Hezbollah arms during my (latest) speech made them distort my words about federalism which I did not mention. There is nothing new in Aoun’s visit to Syria since he has aligned himself to Syria’s allies. An invitation to visit Damascus has been extended to me several months ago. I am among those who call for best relations with Syria, but the time is not right for a visit. The Lebanese Syrian relations have to be set on the right track, but after resolving the outstanding issues such as border demarcation, Sheba farms and the Missing Lebanese in Syrian jails . We must win the 2009 elections . Union elections results are an indication how the upcoming elections are going to be like. We have 54% while the opposition has 39%.

21:30 President Michel Suleiman returned to Beirut, ending a two-day official visit to Germany.

20:00 Crude Oil tumbled below $44 a barrel today

19:38 Kanaan told Hezbollah's al Manar TV: we have witnessed the failure of the adversary politics towards Syria and the history will record for Aoun the honor of achieving the ambitions of the Lebanese. This was in reference to attacks by Christian leaders against Aoun's subservience towards the Syrian regime

19:25 Syrian FM Mouallem: The Lebanese - Syrian agreements were designed to serve the interests of both countries and any agreement that is not seen this way by the Lebanese could be canceled without any repercussions. Aoun’s visit to Syria will boost his popularity . We are friendly brothers with Gen. Aoun because there are common traits between him and President Assad.

18:29 Siniora discussed with the minister of Interior the security situation in the country

18:18 Gemayel : Some Lebanese have transformed themselves into Syrians ( in reference to Aoun) . Those who want to open a new page with Syria , why don’t they open a page with Lebanon first

17:10 : The 3 SSNP attackers of al-Mustaqbal TV reporter Omar Harqous were questioned today. Questioning judge Abdel Rahim Hamoud decided to release two ( Mohammad Ali Awadah & Ali Reda Hassan ) and detained one ( Adonees Asaad Nasr ).

16:50 Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun met “several times with representatives from the Israeli Mossad in Paris, during the period of his exile between 1991 and 2005,” the French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Thursday. According to the paper, French intelligence officers charged with monitoring Aoun’s movements advised him to avoid meeting with agents of a country Lebanon was still officially at war with.

“However, the Christian General refused to listen to these warnings. At the time, Michel Aoun was one of the primary opponents of the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. " The newspaper added

16:30 OTV: The supporters of FPM claimed victory in the elections at the Antonine University .

16:16 Moawad : Aoun's visit to Syria is regrettable in form and substance

16:00 Mousawi : Since all parties are so sure about winning in the upcoming elections then there should be no reason against holding them (elections)

15:45 Finance minister Shatah ended his ministerial meeting over the budget in the presence of Interior Minister Baroud and tomorrow he will have another meeting to finalize the budget

15:45 : Higher Islamic Shiite Council announced that al Adha holday will start next Tuesday.

15:40: Interior Minister Ziad Baroud: We need more funds than what has been allocated for the issue of security in the government budget, this is one issue I will bring up at the cabinet meeting

15:15 MP Saad Hariri and US ambassador Sisson discussed bilateral relations

15:00 Speaker Berri decided to hold a parliament session on Dec 16 and 17 to deal with government issues and another session on Dec 18 to deal with the selection of half of the constitutional council

14:50 Finance committee to meet Dec15 to review several laws

14:35 Suleiman from Germany urges all nations to deal with Lebanon through its president

14:25 The presidential council of Iraq signs the security agreement with the uS after it was ratified by the cabinet and the parliament
14:20 A Syrian was killed in a traffic accident on the Munniyeh - Tripoli road

13:20 : Judge Mezher questioned Youssef al-Jarah regarding his dealings with Israel.

13:00 : Speaker Nabih Berri ends the legislative session in parliament. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora agrees to subsidize fuel oil prices by LL 3000 ( $2.00) per 20 liters throughout the winter season

12:30: VOL: Firefighters working on evacuating a number of employees at Vasco Group Building at Ashrafiyeh following a fire at an electric generator. Staff is trapped in the Vasco Group buildings

11:11 Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun gives a lecture at the Damascus University.
Talked about his memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah

10:46 Prime Minister Fouad Siniora arrives in Nejmeh Square to participate in the parliamentary session that will discuss social security and pension.

9:30: MP Atef Majdalani to VOL: Aoun’s visit to Syria demonstrates that there is someone attempting to diminish Lebanese Christian political and religious authority represented by the president of the state or the Church represented by the Patriarch.

8:15 : MP Samir Franjieh: Aoun’s visit to Damascus is a Syrian message to President Suleiman by receiving him as head of state; it is also a message to Patriarch Sfeir and the Maronite Church in response to the famous 2000 Maronite Bishops declaration.

7:15 A bomb explosion inflicted damage to a car owned by Joseph Najjar in Zahleh's Moallqa district.

Wednesday

00:20 price of crude oil has dropped below $46/ Barrel

22:47 Aoun told Hezbollah's al Manar TV: My visit to Syria is very successful and those who are jealous over the reception I received , let them furnish a red carpet in their homes and walk on it

22:20 American report: Peace between Israel and Syria will reduce the influence of Iran in the region specially with regards to Hezbollah and will improve chances of stability in Lebanon

21:47 Ghassan Mukhaiber told ANB: The FPM did not switch from being an enemy of Syria to an ally or a follower of Syria and Iran . One of the reasons for Aoun's visit is to open a new page and to learn from the past

21:00 Ya Libnan exclusive: according to Ya Libnan representative in Sydney, Australia the FPM supporters were told that Aoun has already resolved the issue of the missing Lebanese and those in Syrian jails . Assad has reportedly left it out for Aoun to decide when and where the missing Lebanese will be handed over to him. According to his supporters , Aoun may decide not receive all the missing Lebanese at the same time to maximize gain in the upcoming elections . Assad reportedly wants Aoun to win in the upcoming elections and will do everything to help him succeed

20:55 MP Jumblatt told Future TV:" I am hoping to meet with Nasrallah: I was the first to recognize the victory of the resistance in the July war and called for the recognition of each other and I encouraged the Hariri - Nasrallah meeting to remove tension in Beirut.
No Palestinian weapons are outside the camps. These weapons are Syrian. Syria is a terrorist factory starting with Shaker al Absi all the way to Jawhar and Awad. The unfair agreement with Syria should be cancelled. I am against the joint Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council.

March 14 wants to win the elections to consolidate the independence march. If they win ( March 8) , however, (Syrian) tutelage will return, Palestinian arms will remain and so will both the Lebanese and the Resistance armies.

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