Post by Janjoon-Lebanese on Nov 2, 2006 16:48:09 GMT -5
Washington warns
02-11-06 06:02
BY: DAILY STAR
Washington warned of mounting evidence that Iran, Syria and Hizbullah are preparing plans to topple the Lebanese governmen
Washington warns of 'mounting evidence' of bid to bring down Siniora Cabinet
White house says it supports a 'sovereign, democratic' lebanon
Washington warned of "mounting evidence" Wednesday that Iran, Syria and Hizbullah are "preparing plans to topple" the Lebanese government. White House spokesman Tony Snow said in a statement that "support for a sovereign, democratic and prosperous Lebanon is a key element of US policy in the Middle East."
We are therefore increasingly concerned by mounting evidence that the Syrian and Iranian governments, Hizbullah and their Lebanese allies are preparing plans to topple Lebanon's democratically elected government, led by Prime Minister [Fouad] Siniora," Snow added.
Any attempt to destabilize Lebanon's democratically elected government through such tactics as manufactured demonstrations and violence, or by physically threatening its leaders, would, at the very least, be a clear violation of Lebanon's sovereignty" and UN resolutions, he said.
Hizbullah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, warned late Tuesday that Hizbullah and its allies will take to the streets "for as long as it takes ... to either topple the government or hold early and new parliamentary
elections," if consultations to form a national unity government should fail.
In an interview with Hizbullah's Al-Manar television, Nasrallah said it is a democratic right to demand the change of a government through "peaceful demonstrations."
Those who are currently in the government demonstrated in the streets last year until they toppled the Cabinet of Premier Omar Karami," he noted. "Why aren't we allowed to do the same? If we demand this right, they call us rioters?"
March 14 Forces member Fares Soueid said Wednesday that his allies "took to the streets last year against Syria and its [allies] in Lebanon. Against whom does Nasrallah want to demonstrate this time?"
Meanwhile, in comments made after a meeting between Speaker Nabih Berri and Siniora, the premier denied claims by UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen that a Lebanese official said arms continued to be smuggled across the Syrian border.
Neither the government, nor I, have informed anyone of this matter," the premier said.
In related comments, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Wednesday that since the Lebanese Army was deployed along the Syrian-Lebanese border in August, "no truckloads of weapons were caught entering the country from land or sea ... There are strict procedures being taken so that if there are any attempt to smuggle weapons, then they will be seized."
Siniora also accused Nasrallah of launching "inaccurate and aggressive" accusations against the government.
Sayyed Hassan knows that what he said is inaccurate," the prime minister said.
Nasrallah had accused unidentified members of the government of trying to "mortgage the country" to the US and of plotting the expansion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) into an "occupation power to help them to control the country."
The resistance leader said Hizbullah welcomed UNIFIL, as long as it did not have a Chapter Seven mandate, "or else the resistance will deal with them as an occupation."
Many countries taking part in UNIFIL contacted Hizbullah beforehand to get guarantees and we gave them the guarantees they needed," he added.
Concerning consultations set to begin next Monday and calls for the formation of a national unity government, Siniora said: We will take part in the consultations ... When we sit down for discussions, we will find Lebanon's best interests. We all know each has taken things to the extreme ... It is in no one's interests to turn the country into a battlefield or corner someone with the option of taking a decision 'or else.'"
A source close to Berri, the sponsor of the latest national talks, said Wednesday that the first round of consultations will take place on Monday, and that all party leaders and prominent politicians will attend, except for Nasrallah, who will be represented by the head of Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad.
The consultations will focus on two topics: a national unity government and a new electoral law, the source added.
Any discussions on the presidential file "must meet with the acceptance of all Christian leaders," the source said.
Nawaf Mussawi, Hizbullah's foreign affairs officer, said the government had to go.
We ask this helpless government," he said, "which couldn't stop the [Israeli] onslaught or reconstruct the country or preserve Lebanon's sovereignty by giving parts of it to the occupation in preparation to fully handing it over, what is the use for it to stay?"
Why should a government stay if its premier has nothing to do but to watch ... Nasrallah's televised interview, then issue a curative statement in which he speaks of his resistance through politics?" he asked. "Nasrallah didn't name Siniora or accuse him of things, but apparently 'the needle pricks the person putting it under his armpit.'"
Siniora's office issued a statement late Tuesday night, denying Nasrallah's accusation that governmental officials and the March 14 Forces wagered on the US disarming Hizbullah during this summer's war.
Chouf MP Marwan Hamadeh said Nasrallah's comments were "unacceptable, especially a one-week deadline for those attending the consultations to approve a national unity government.
This is not the way that a national unity government is formed," he added.
Hamadeh said he was concerned by "attempts to block every constitutional institution in the country through a political coup d'etat." -
02-11-06 06:02
BY: DAILY STAR
Washington warned of mounting evidence that Iran, Syria and Hizbullah are preparing plans to topple the Lebanese governmen
Washington warns of 'mounting evidence' of bid to bring down Siniora Cabinet
White house says it supports a 'sovereign, democratic' lebanon
Washington warned of "mounting evidence" Wednesday that Iran, Syria and Hizbullah are "preparing plans to topple" the Lebanese government. White House spokesman Tony Snow said in a statement that "support for a sovereign, democratic and prosperous Lebanon is a key element of US policy in the Middle East."
We are therefore increasingly concerned by mounting evidence that the Syrian and Iranian governments, Hizbullah and their Lebanese allies are preparing plans to topple Lebanon's democratically elected government, led by Prime Minister [Fouad] Siniora," Snow added.
Any attempt to destabilize Lebanon's democratically elected government through such tactics as manufactured demonstrations and violence, or by physically threatening its leaders, would, at the very least, be a clear violation of Lebanon's sovereignty" and UN resolutions, he said.
Hizbullah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, warned late Tuesday that Hizbullah and its allies will take to the streets "for as long as it takes ... to either topple the government or hold early and new parliamentary
elections," if consultations to form a national unity government should fail.
In an interview with Hizbullah's Al-Manar television, Nasrallah said it is a democratic right to demand the change of a government through "peaceful demonstrations."
Those who are currently in the government demonstrated in the streets last year until they toppled the Cabinet of Premier Omar Karami," he noted. "Why aren't we allowed to do the same? If we demand this right, they call us rioters?"
March 14 Forces member Fares Soueid said Wednesday that his allies "took to the streets last year against Syria and its [allies] in Lebanon. Against whom does Nasrallah want to demonstrate this time?"
Meanwhile, in comments made after a meeting between Speaker Nabih Berri and Siniora, the premier denied claims by UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen that a Lebanese official said arms continued to be smuggled across the Syrian border.
Neither the government, nor I, have informed anyone of this matter," the premier said.
In related comments, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Wednesday that since the Lebanese Army was deployed along the Syrian-Lebanese border in August, "no truckloads of weapons were caught entering the country from land or sea ... There are strict procedures being taken so that if there are any attempt to smuggle weapons, then they will be seized."
Siniora also accused Nasrallah of launching "inaccurate and aggressive" accusations against the government.
Sayyed Hassan knows that what he said is inaccurate," the prime minister said.
Nasrallah had accused unidentified members of the government of trying to "mortgage the country" to the US and of plotting the expansion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) into an "occupation power to help them to control the country."
The resistance leader said Hizbullah welcomed UNIFIL, as long as it did not have a Chapter Seven mandate, "or else the resistance will deal with them as an occupation."
Many countries taking part in UNIFIL contacted Hizbullah beforehand to get guarantees and we gave them the guarantees they needed," he added.
Concerning consultations set to begin next Monday and calls for the formation of a national unity government, Siniora said: We will take part in the consultations ... When we sit down for discussions, we will find Lebanon's best interests. We all know each has taken things to the extreme ... It is in no one's interests to turn the country into a battlefield or corner someone with the option of taking a decision 'or else.'"
A source close to Berri, the sponsor of the latest national talks, said Wednesday that the first round of consultations will take place on Monday, and that all party leaders and prominent politicians will attend, except for Nasrallah, who will be represented by the head of Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad.
The consultations will focus on two topics: a national unity government and a new electoral law, the source added.
Any discussions on the presidential file "must meet with the acceptance of all Christian leaders," the source said.
Nawaf Mussawi, Hizbullah's foreign affairs officer, said the government had to go.
We ask this helpless government," he said, "which couldn't stop the [Israeli] onslaught or reconstruct the country or preserve Lebanon's sovereignty by giving parts of it to the occupation in preparation to fully handing it over, what is the use for it to stay?"
Why should a government stay if its premier has nothing to do but to watch ... Nasrallah's televised interview, then issue a curative statement in which he speaks of his resistance through politics?" he asked. "Nasrallah didn't name Siniora or accuse him of things, but apparently 'the needle pricks the person putting it under his armpit.'"
Siniora's office issued a statement late Tuesday night, denying Nasrallah's accusation that governmental officials and the March 14 Forces wagered on the US disarming Hizbullah during this summer's war.
Chouf MP Marwan Hamadeh said Nasrallah's comments were "unacceptable, especially a one-week deadline for those attending the consultations to approve a national unity government.
This is not the way that a national unity government is formed," he added.
Hamadeh said he was concerned by "attempts to block every constitutional institution in the country through a political coup d'etat." -
