by forcing on Lebanon's majority the so called “ national Unity government “ in which the opposition will have the lion’s share of ministries through which they can control the country.
An Nahar political sources have reported that careful reading of the Syrian political stance towards Lebanon indicates that never before has an Arab country through its official media demanded that another Arab country should amend its constitution during the formation of a government .
An Nahar sources have also reported that Syria is allocating specific roles to its allies aimed at obstructing the formation of the cabinet unless their demands are met . While General Michel Aoun is charged with attacking the Prime minister designate and making impossible demands, Lebanon's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah is charged with attacking Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir who has been the most outspoken Christian spiritual leader against the obstruction of the Lebanese democratic institutions .
Yesterday Fadlallah slammed Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir over calling for a cabinet based on the outcome of the parliamentary polls. In a remark aimed at changing the constitution Fadlallah said : "We call for a popular majority and popular referendum … so that people would have their say."
The objective of the Syrian regime according to the An Nahar political sources is to force president Michel Suleiman and the Prime minister -designate to allocate the ministries as demanded by the opposition and to include in the government individuals that cannot get along with the PM designate , such as Aoun’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil ( who has failed as the minister of communications through his corruptive management style and failed in securing a parliament seat in the election last June) . The next stage according to the sources will see the demand for a change in the constitution . The Syrian official media is already calling for strikes and disruptions in the country if the demands of the opposition are not me.
Lebanon is not the only country in which Syria is interfering . Yesterday Syria recalled its ambassador to Iraq after Baghdad demanded that Damascus hand over two suspects in last week’s deadly bombings in the Iraqi capital. The Iraqi government also asked that Syria to “hand over all those wanted [by the Iraqi judiciary] for committing crimes of murder and destruction against the Iraqi people,” Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement.
Iraq further demanded that Syria expel “terrorist organizations that use Syria as a headquarters and launch pad to plan terrorist operations against the Iraqi people.”
Baghdad had recalled its ambassador in Syria following last week’s deadly bombings in the Iraqi capital.
Syria is also consistently interfering in the internal affairs of the Palestinian territories through its ally the Hamas movement and the militant Palestinian factions opposed to the elected government of president Mahmoud Abbas. Just like it is doing now in Lebanon Syria had obstructed the inter Palestinian dialogue talks and the negotiations to form a national unity government
On several occasions Jordan too had accused Syria of sponsoring terrorist organizations in order to destabilize the kingdom.
Yesterday British foreign minister Evan Lewis said : “ Syria should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Lebanon and should stop supporting organizations such as Hezbollah. The formation of a new government in Lebanon is important for the security of the country and the region”
A senior U.S. official also told An Nahar yesterday : President Obama wants to improve relations with Syria, but it would be impossible if Syria and its friends continue to disrupt the democratic institutions in Lebanon.
Wednesday
7: 00pm Senator Edward M. Kennedy will lie in repose at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum before his funeral at a historic Boston church where he prayed daily while his daughter successfully battled her own cancer.
6:00 pm BBC : Incumbent Hamid Karzai appears to have extended his lead in Afghanistan's presidential election, after more early results were released.
5:30pm The inhabitants of Al-Sheikh Ayash on the northern border, blocked the international highway in protest of electricity cuts.
5:25pm MP al-Jarrah called for a National Unity Cabinet capable of facing the economic crisis.
5:20pm Siniora headed a meeting on Nahr al-Bared camp and met caretaker Minister Lahoud and the UAE ambassador
5:15pm MP Zahra said that Bkirki is behind the foundation of Lebanon’s entity thus, it is not permissible to target it with strong-worded criticism
2:50pm March 14 after its meeting: The only security in Lebanon should be that provided by the state.
2:40pm MPs quoted Berri speaking of livelihood problems, such as electricity and water, that require an extraordinary government not a care-taker one.
1:40 pm Reuters: UN inspectors are set to report that Iran has slowed the expansion of its disputed nuclear program and is cooperating more with them just as major powers prepare to discuss harsh sanctions against Tehran.
1:30 VOA : U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy passed away today . U.S. President Barack Obama says the late U.S. Senator was "the greatest United States senator of our time."California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is married to Kennedy's niece, Maria Shriver, called him "the rock of our family," and a champion of social justice.
1:25 Hezbollah's Kaouk: Why is America trying to prevent the opposition from holding onto the Ministry of Communications ?
1:20 Youths blocked the road in Majdal Anjar with burning tires to protest against the raids carried out by the army following the arrest of the assailants of Major Khater
1 :18 Siniora, discussed the general situation with a delegation from Western Bekaa in the presence of MPs Ghanem, Saad, Al Kadiri, Wahbi and Jarrah
1 :16 adviser of former President Amin Gemayel, Sassine Sassine said in a statement read after attending minutes of the meeting of the Secretariat-General of the March 14 that the Phalange party will suspend the attendance of such meetings pending the return of Gemayel
1 :12 the leader of the Supreme Islamic Council in Iraq, Abdel Aziz al-Hakim has passed away
1 :07 Hezbollah Mps are meeting in the parliament building
1 :05 MP Marwan Hamada told Sawt al Mada : The obstruction against the government formation has escalated and it is foreign influenced
12:15pm Berri headed to the parliament in Nijmeh Square to meet MPs as part of Wednesday's regular parliamentary meetings.
11:50 Berri leaves Baabda Palace without making any statement.
11:43 Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora met with UAE’s ambassador and discussed with him bilateral ties.
11:15 Minister Mario Aoun told ANB: The PM-designate should prove that the cabinet formation decision is Lebanese by stepping up efforts to form the government. It is natural for a meeting to take place between Aoun and Hariri.
11:10 President Michel Suleiman is meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri at the Baabda palace.
11:00 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday in London that his government was making progress toward reopening talks with the Palestinians and hoped to be able to do so shortly.
10:40 MP Nabil de Freij told Future TV: The majority made as much concessions as it can for the sake of the nation. MP Walid Jumblat is still part of the March 14 forces.
10:30 The general-secretariat of the March 14 forces began its weekly meeting.
10:28 MP Emile Rahme told LBC: Even if MP Michel Aoun gives up his demand to bring Gebran Bassil back to the cabinet, we won’t give up on him .
10:00 BBC : Afghan election authorities are due to release more results from presidential polls after an early count gave incumbent Hamid Karzai a slight lead.
8:30 MP Ziad al-Qadri told VOL: Conditions should not be put on the majority. On the contrary, we should put conditions on the other party, since the majority has already made many concessions.
8:00 Washington Post: Home prices climbed in the Washington DC, region and most parts of the country in recent months, another sign that the housing market is slowly stabilizing, according to two reports released Tuesday.
7:30 A cluster of vehicle bombs exploded simultaneously Tuesday in Afghanistan's largest southern city, flattening buildings and killing at least 41 people.
7:30 MP Ammar Houry told VDL: The meeting of the general-secretariat of the March 14 forces will witness positive developments today. Details of cabinet obstacles are no longer a secret.
Tuesday
10:12 pm PM-designate Saad Hariri said during Iftar dinner : I want to assure our enemy in Israel that Hezbollah will be in the government because it is in the interest of our nation that we all participate in the government , regardless whether Israel likes it or not
9:30pm : Last night Hariri met MP Hassan Khalil
8:21pm Health Minister Khalifa told LBC: the measures taken to combat the swine flue are similar to those of regular influenza . The quantity of vaccine available for the swine flu is not sufficient
6:22 pm Al Manar : The army arrested a person with unusual features in Aitroun south Lebanon and is now interrogating him. He entered the country illegally from the occupied territories
5:34pm Mukhtarain: I dont expect the government to be formed anytime soon.
