could have a "negative impact" on the country.
"Our duty dictates that we have a government on the eve of the UN General Assembly, particularly since we are poised to join the Security Council in the next two years," Suleiman said
“How could Lebanon be invited to play an effective role toward building international peace,” a reference to the country’s nomination to the non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, “while being internally incapable of forming the long overdue national-unity government.”
Suleiman urged the various political leaders to adopt "constructive initiatives" to help speed up Cabinet formation and called for the resumption of national dialogue.
Suleiman warned against "throwing accusations at each other," saying this "will only increase the split in the country."
"The Constitution marks the boundary of powers, and there are no boundaries for national unity," Suleiman told his guests, among whom were Speaker Nabih Berri, PM-designate Saad Hariri, caretaker PM Fouad Saniora and MP Walid Jumblatt. General Michel Aoun and former President Amin Gemayel were absent, since both are abroad
Suleiman called on the political leaders to rise above egoism and narrow personal interests and to act in the best interest of the country
Suleiman also called for strengthening and unifying Lebanon, “to be able to confront the Israeli aggressions and to stand in the face of strife.”
Suleiman also stressed the importance of the implementation the Taif Accord “and the pursuing of national dialogue sessions to guarantee coexistence among Lebanese factions.”
Wednesday
6:03pm PM designate Saad Hariri discussed the status of governmnet formation with MP Robert Ghanem
5:58pm Nadim Gemayel invited Siniora and March 14 MPs to attend the memorial marking his father's assassination on September 14
05:42 pm Al Markaziyah : Sfeir did not participate in the presidential Iftar due to the distance between Diman and Baabda
05:37pm Judicial source: the Higher Judicial council considers the accusations by Jamil Sayyed are personal in nature and politically motivated
5: 30 BBC : Afghanistan's deputy chief of intelligence, Abdullah Laghmani, has been killed after a suicide attack in the east of the country.
5:25 CNN : A 7.0-magnitude tremor jolted the Indonesian island of Java earlier in the day, killing at least 34 people and injuring more than 300, according to Indonesian Health Ministry official Rustam Pakaya. Another 40 are missing and possibly trapped, he said.
4:30pm PM-designate Hariri met Army Commander General Kahwaji in Qoreitem
04;00pm Bloomberg: BP Plc, Europe’s second-largest oil company, reported a “giant” discovery at the Tiber Prospect in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico that may contain more than 3 billion barrels, after drilling the world’s deepest exploration well. It was drilled to approximately 35,055 feet (10,685 meters), greater than the height of Mount Everest.
15:35 Minister Baroud issued instructions to the central security council to pursue the issue of the disappearance of Joseph Sader
3:19 March 14 coordinator Fares Soueid: The issue of the kataeb is being dealt with and it will hopefully be resolved after Gemayel returns from his overseas trip
3:11pm Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil leaves Qoreitem after meeting with PM-designate Saad Hariri, without making any statement
2:51pm Fatfat : Hariri did not propose a government of national leaders during his meeting with aoun as reported by as Safir . The meeting of the majority was to reconfirm our existence as the majority
2:40pm March 14 warns against “the renewed attempts to annul the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) by blackmailing the state and the international community.”
2:33pm MP Sami Gemayel: "No official in the Kataeb party will visit Syria before Damascus apologizes and admits to mistakes made at Lebanon’s expense.”
2:17pm PM-designate Saad Hariri meets with Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil in Qoreitem
1:42pm Speaker Nabih Berri meets with Cypriot counterpart Marios Karoyan at Nejmeh Square
12:47 MP Walid Jumblatt after meeting with Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah : We share his political views, positions on regional issues
12:37pm MP Ali Bazzi: We have to know that we “can’t clap with one hand.” We have to be optimistic in order to form a cabinet.
12:26pm MP Ali Hassan Khalil after meeting Berri: Mistaken are those who put a timeframe for cabinet formation. The only solution to overcome the crisis is for all parties to meet and agree on a single formula.
12:06pm Tawq: Love for the homeland requires an understanding among the Lebanese to face the dangers. They have to make up their minds and form a cabinet that would deal with Lebanese affairs first.
11:48 Speaker Nabih Berri arrives at Nejmeh Square to preside over the weekly Wednesday parliamentary meetings
11:37 Suicide attack kills 22 including 18 civilians and four government officials, outside a mosque in eastern Afghanistan
10:40 Al-Liwaa newspaper: Hezbollah, Amal delegations and MP Walid Jumblatt’s son Timor, who will represent his father.to attend Hariri’s Iftar on Thursday .
09:38 Jumblatt to visit Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah at his residence in Haret Hreik later on Wednesday
09:26 MP Anwar al-Khalil told the Voice of Lebanon : Some Saudi-Syrian issues still unresolved. Khalil added that President Michel Suleiman's attending of the UN meeting in September, while the government formation is still stagnant, is unacceptable.
07:35 Habib told "Voice of Lebanon": President Suleiman’s speech was objective and we have to rise selfishness and personal interests . General Aoun has demanded share greater than his size . No disputes within the majority over the distribution of portfolios
7:31 Al Akhbar: the Army Command received a letter from the Iranian embassy inquiring about the type of weapons it needs . The Army responded with a list , focusing on the need for air-defense systems. Iran has previously made offers to sell arms to the army
07:10 a meeting between Geagea and Suleiman took place last night after the Iftar
06:59 French diplomat : a government of national unity in Lebanon could prevent an Israeli adventure
06:37 France source: The region could start witnessing significant changes starting end of September
06:04 "Free Patriotic Movement" sources : Hariri presented 2 proposals to Aoun : divinding up some ministries and a government of national leaders
05:57 Dozens of young people from the Burj al Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp cut off the airport road last night in protest against power blackouts
05:49 As Safir : Hariri will , hand over to Basil his proposal for government formation as per his discussions with Aoun
05:43 Council of Bishops will hold tenth annual meeting
05: 32 Mikati : I'm not in the March 14 alliance . I am a centrist like Jumblatt
Tuesday
8:30 pm President Suleiman at the Iftar : “How could Lebanon be invited to play an effective role toward building international peace,” a reference to the country’s nomination to the non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, “while being internally incapable of forming the long overdue national-unity government.”
07:50 pm IAEA’s Baradei : “The idea that we will wake up tomorrow, and Iran will have a nuclear weapon is an idea that is not supported by the facts as we have seen them so far,” he said.
6:4o pm Guests start arriving at the Presidential Palace in Baabda for the annual Iftar that will be hosted by the president
06:02 pm Higher Judicial Council called for distancing the judiciary from politics and condemns the recent attacks against judicial figures by Jamil Sayyed
