Lebanese interior minister announces code of ethics for parliamentary elections monitoring

Siniora criticizes Israel's "vile" marketing of pullout from Ghajar village

Lebanon dismantles more Israeli spy networks

Supreme judicial council refutes anti-judiciary campaign

Lebanese President General Michel Sleiman received at the presidential Palace of Baabda former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and held a session of talks that dealt with a host of regional and international issues and recent development in the region and Lebanon as well as the country's forthcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held on June 7.

Albright arrived in Beirut Tuesday with an international observation delegation ahead of Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections.

Albright, a board director of the Council on Foreign Relations and Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton, is co-leading the high-profile team to assess preparations for the Lebanese elections on behalf of the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

NDI, an international NGO committed to supporting and strengthening democratic institutions worldwide, has operated in Lebanon since 1996, working with Lebanese civil society groups to reform the country's political system.

The organization was accredited by the Interior Ministry to observe the summer polls earlier this year.

NDI has a long history of election observation, including the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections, when it partnered with The Carter Center, which has also sent observers to Lebanon ahead of the polls.

Albright, the chairman of NDI's board, is co-leading the delegation with former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark.

According to NDI the delegation, Albright and Clark will meet during their visit with various political leaders, election experts and community leaders, as well as NDI's team of eight long-term observers.

The delegation is expected to announce the observation mission's preliminary findings and recommendations on Thursday.

Lebanon should adopt a series of measures before parliamentary elections next month to ensure that the vote is seen as credible, the international electoral monitoring organization headed by Albright has said. Albright, along with former Canadian Prime Minister Joseph Clark, headed a delegation to Lebanon from the National Democratic Institute, one of the monitoring groups officially accredited to observe next month's vote.

Speaking toward the end of their visit, the pair called for a mechanism that allowed election results to be challenged in case of controversy, improved voter education and plans to meet the logistical challenges of holding the election on a single day to be put in place before June 7th.

Current plans to form a Constitutional Council that would arbitrate in the case of challenges to election results are deadlocked due to a political impasse. "The council has yet to be formed, with many observers concerned that it will not be established by election day," a statement released by NDI said. "The delegation hopes that a means will be found between now and June 7 to break the existing political deadlock and that the Council will be established and fulfill its mandate."

They also warned that "the candidates, parties and the public" were in need of more information about the new election law, noting "confusion" about aspects of process.

"The delegation hopes that between now and election day, the election authorities could expand the education campaign they launched earlier to better inform election workers and voters about new regulations," they said.

Holding the vote on a single day entails "major logistical challenges," the delegation said. "Plans must be put in place to ensure adequate voter mobility and security," they said, adding that this would take "significant management and co-ordination efforts by the Defense and Interior Ministries."

The delegation also identified a series of problems with the current process that will not be solved before election day, noting that Lebanon's electoral system means that the "results are all but predetermined in an overwhelming majority of the races."

The lack in official ballot papers is also a cause for concern ahead of the race. "The lack of pre-printed ballots can compromise the secrecy of the vote and strengthens the power of political elites, creating the opportunity for deal making and undue influence of voters."

The delegation found that the drawing of district lines had led to "discrepancies in the number of voters per district and therefore unequal weight given to each vote."

But Albright acknowledged that the new election law, which will only be used for this vote, represented a "significant step forward toward greater transparency and confidence in the process."

"Lebanon's people alone should determine the country's future" she said, adding that the new laws put in place for the election will hopefully "pave the way for broader changes after the upcoming poll."

The delegation said that the formation of an election supervisory committee, new campaign finance and media regulations and Interior Minister Ziad Baroud's impartial approach to the electoral process were all "positive electoral reforms that represent improvements over past elections."

The delegation was on a four-day visit to Lebanon aimed at evaluating the preparations for the vote.

Around 30,000 soldiers and security officers will work as part of a joint national security plan set up by the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces for the upcoming parliamentary polls. Interior Minister Baroud presided over a meeting of the Central Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the security plan that would be adopted during the elections in June.

The meeting was held in the absence of Public Prosecutor Said Mirza and General Security director General Major General Wafik Jezzini.

A statement issued following the meeting said participants discussed the joint security plan, which is based on "providing security to balloting centers before and during the elections." The statement added that around 30,000 soldiers and security officers would be part of that plan.

Meanwhile, media reports said on Tuesday that an electoral disagreement between Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun regarding the Jezzine district would be resolved through a conciliatory proposal offered by Hezbollah to the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

When asked about the issue, a well-informed source close to Berri told The Daily Star on Tuesday that the situation in Jezzine was very positive and a deal would soon be reached. "An agreement will surface soon," the source said.

Concerning the rumors about a concession by Hezbollah to the FPM, the source said the Amal Movement was not concerned with such reports, as the movement had already secured a seat in Beirut's second district and that this matter strictly concerned Hezbollah and the FPM.

As-Safir newspaper said on Tuesday that Hezbollah, which insists on running elections under one unified list, offered new concessions to Aoun, adding that the new deal called for abandoning the second Shiite parliamentary seat in Baabda in favor of Aoun, which raises the likelihood of nominating FPM candidate Ramzi Kanj.

The newspaper, however, said the issue remained pending awaiting responses before the weekend so the opposition's Jezzine and Baabda tickets could be announced.

Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri will announce the March 14 Forces' list in Beirut's second and third districts on Thursday, while the FPM will hold a ceremony the same day to announce its electoral platform.

Meanwhile, pro-government sources told the Central News Agency on Tuesday (CNA) that an extensive meeting of the March 14 Forces would be held Monday at Le Bristol Hotel in Beirut, and would gather March 14 candidates from across the country.

According to the CNA, participants in the meeting would announce the coalition's political platform, which would be entitled, "Yes for the State, No for Chaos."

Separately, former MP Nazem Khoury announced on Tuesday a list gathering independent candidates running for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The list includes Khoury and former MP Emile Nawfal for the two Maronite seats in the Jbeil district and Mustafa Husseini for the Shiite seat.

Khoury said that the independents alliance's main goals were to propose a new electoral law based on the proportional system, larger districts and decentralization, in addition to abolishing political sectarianism.

Economy and Trade Minister Mohammad Safadi said "the Tripoli Solidarity list is not just a temporary alliance, but rather a permanent one." The Tripoli Solidarity list, which gathers the Future Movement, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Safadi, held its first news conference in Tripoli on Tuesday.

Safadi said this alliance "would become more effective after June 7, and will deal with all the problems of the city," which he added "is deprived of real development."

Safadi said the candidates on this list believed in building a strong and capable state. He added that the alliance was "prepared to represent the city of Tripoli and carry its causes to the Parliament and state institutions."

In other developments, Education Minister Bahia Hariri said the alliance with Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya was not only limited to the parliamentary elections, "but are based on principles including Lebanon's Arab identity and state-building."

In a statement Tuesday, Hariri stressed the Future Movement's keenness on achieving a representation of the Islamic group in Beirut, saying: "This highlights the importance of our alliance, as it's not an issue of numbers, but an issue of agreements."

Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya launched its electoral platform in Sidon on Tuesday. In a speech on the occasion, the group's politburo official Ali Sheikh Ammar stressed the importance of Al-Jamaa's unity in the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Ammar presented the group's electoral program, which he said was based on launching political, economic and social reforms.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea met with US Ambassador Michele Sison. Discussions focused on the latest internal and regional developments.

On the other hand, Baroud congratulated on Monday the head of the intelligence branch in the Internal Security Forces, Colonel Wissam al-Hassan, and all the officers and members of the department whose work led to the arrest of an Israeli spy network in Lebanon.

Baroud said in a letter addressed to Hassan that intelligence officers have proved their high sense of responsibility and showed enthusiasm in their service, leaving a good impression on the Lebanese public and "spreading an atmosphere of calm and tranquility among Lebanese citizens."

Over the weekend, security forces arrested more people on suspicion of spying for the Israeli Mossad secret service.

Three suspects were also arrested overnight in the southern village of Habboush "and initial indication shows that they were spying for Israel," a security official said.

Local media on Monday identified the suspects as Elizabeth H., a hostess, Ali A. and Hussein K. Witnesses said the three were in the same car when they were busted in Habboush near Nabatiyeh.

Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat quoted security officials as confirming that the three work for the Mossad, adding that they are currently in Hezbollah's custody and will be handed over to the Lebanese security service once preliminary interrogation is completed.

As-Safir newspaper reported on Monday that a Lebanese intelligence force last week raided the house of a security member identified only as H.S. in the southern suburbs neighborhood of Bourj al-Barajneh.

The suspect confessed to collecting data on the activities of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and close aides "for many years." He also confessed to recruiting his wife, who was arrested as well.

The detained security member said his task included a "lot of traveling to nearby countries to hand over data."

Two Lebanese men and a Palestinian were also arrested on April 25 on suspicion of spying for Israel and were linked by the authorities to a retired general security officer arrested for spying earlier that month.

Former Brigadier General Adib al-Alam was arrested along with his wife Hayat Saloumi and nephew Joseph Al-Alam and charged in April with espionage - a charge that carries the death sentence.

The three are accused of informing Israel about Lebanese and Syrian military and civilian sites "with the aim of facilitating Israeli attacks," a judicial official said last month.

Another suspect, Marwan Fakih, was arrested in the south in February.

In another development, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also on Monday said that Israeli plans to withdraw troops from part of a divided Lebanese village on the Lebanese border are a ploy to divert attention from spy networks uncovered in Lebanon.

"This shrewd propaganda by the Israeli press reflects Israeli anger and embarrassment in the face of several Israeli spy networks uncovered by Lebanese security throughout Lebanon," Siniora said in a statement.

His comments followed reports in the Israeli press that hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to announce this week that Israel wants to withdraw its troops from the northern part of the divided border Lebanese village of Ghajar.

Israel's security cabinet is expected to discuss the issue on Wednesday.

Following the end of Israel's war on Hezbollah in Lebanon in August 2006, Israel has kept a military presence in the northern part of the Lebanese village and has built a fence there.

After the war, Israel said it would keep its troops in northern Ghajar until security arrangements were agreed with UN and Lebanese forces, but such accords have not yet been struck.

Siniora said Israeli media reports that the withdrawal was a bid to boost his own government ahead of the June legislative elections were but a ploy to divide the Lebanese.

"No one will be fooled by these claims," he said, adding that since the 2006 war Lebanon has been demanding that Israel withdraw from Ghajar unconditionally in line with UN Resolution 1701.

According to a UN-drawn "blue line" marking the border between Israel and Lebanon drawn after Israel withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000, the northern part of the village lies on Lebanese soil.

Meanwhile, the Higher Judicial Council will meet next week to discuss mounting criticism against Lebanon's judiciary in the wake of the controversial 44-month detention and surprise release of four generals in the Hariri assassination case.

A well-informed judicial source said the meeting, which was announced Thursday by the council's president, Magistrate Ghaleb Ghanem, would focus on the "unprecedented campaign against the judicial body."

Brigadier General Jamil Sayyed, one of the security officials the tribunal ordered released on Wednesday, citing insufficient evidence, called for the resignation of senior Lebanese judges.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Sayyed said: "What happened [Wednesday] amounts to the downfall of the Lebanese judiciary at the hands of the international justice."

He added that would consider himself compensated "if the judges who erred, the officers and the journalists who fed the false witnesses with information, resign as a result of the court's decision."

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon ordered on Wednesday the release of four Lebanese generals held without charge since 2005 on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The release of the generals stirred a wave of reactions among pro-government and opposition forces. Opposition figures called for holding the country's judicial authorities accountable for keeping the generals in detention without charge.

Sayyed said he would wait for the resignation or dismissal of judges, but if this did not happen, he and the others might eventually bring a lawsuit against those responsible for his detention.

"I do not seek revenge. ... Hate is for the weak, but at the same time I like accountability," he said.

For his part, Brigadier Raymond Azar, another released officer, said that "the coming days will prove our innocence," while General Ali Hajj urged Lebanon's judiciary to justify the detention of him and his comrades.

Meanwhile, President Sleiman said he was relieved by the decision to release the four generals, adding that the move proved that the international tribunal was not politicized.

Addressing Arab and foreign reporters in London on Thursday, Sleiman said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's decision to release the generals means "the international court began its work in a transparent way and free of politicization."

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said Thursday that he would not drop his political accusations against Syria, although he accepted the decision reached this week.

"We accept the tribunal's ruling," Jumblatt said following talks with Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri in Qoreitem.

He added that the STL"decided for the time being" that the officers were not involved in the assassination of Hariri.

Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Thursday that the decision to release the four officers was a good sign that "political influence" had no role in the STL's actions.

Certainly, this decision has negative repercussions for the Lebanese judiciary and raised major questions that cannot be disregarded," Mikati said in a statement. He also stressed the need to "stop political interference in judicial issues."

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will give a televised address on Al-Manar television channel on Friday. A statement issued by Hezbollah said Nasrallah would tackle the party's crisis with Egypt and the release of the four officers.

Also on Thursday, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the March 14 Forces should be "proud" of the release of the four generals, stressing that the opposition "has always attempted to hamper the establishment of the tribunal."

In remarks to reporters, Geagea said: "Some parties are trying to benefit from this event to attack the government and Lebanese authorities."

"It wasn't [former President] Amin Gemayel or Saad Hariri or [MP] Marwan Hamadeh who ordered the arrest of the generals, but Detlev Mehlis and all the prosecutors who succeeded him," Geagea added.

The LF leader also said that the release of the four generals would have a "positive influence on the March 14 Forces and its Cedar Revolution."

The head of the European Commission delegation to Lebanon, Patrick Laurent, said Thursday that the STL was not politicized. During a visit to South Lebanon, Laurent said the tribunal was looking for facts based on a professional process.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet convened on Thursday in an ordinary session, during which ministers commented on the release of the four generals.

Interior Minister Baroud said the security bodies would cooperate to protect the officers. However, Baroud added that he had learned, via the tribunal, that some of the four did not want protection.

For his part, Minister of State Wael Bou Faour urged the Lebanese politicians not to misuse the issue to "destroy the judiciary and government institutions."

Energy Minister Mohammed Fneish, a member of Hezbollah, said that his party's stance on the politicization of the tribunal did not change with the release of the generals.