March 11, 2005

PRESIDENT PREVEZ MUSHARRAF VISITS BEIRUT AND OFFERS HIS CONDOLENCES TO AL-HARIRI FAMILY. THE PAKISTANI PRESIDENT STRESSES THAT SERIOUS INVESTIGATIONS SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO REVEAL AND PUNISH THOSE BEHIND THE FEBRUARY BLAST. MP BAHIYA AL-HARIRI: WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT AUTHORITIES WHO ARE TRYING TO FABRICATE A PLOT ABOUT THE REASON OF THE CRIME. AL-HARIRI FAMILY: ALL WE WANT IS THE TRUTH. MP AKRAM SHUHAYEB PRAISES SAUDI ARABIA'S FIRM STAND. FORMER PRIME MINISTER SALIM AL-HUSS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE STATE. President Pervez Musharraf visited the residence of late Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and condoled his death with the members of his family. Hariri, who served five terms as the prime minister, was killed in a car bomb blast last month. The president offered Fateha for the departed soul and expressed deep sense of grief and sorrow over the assassination of the former Lebanese leader. In a brief interaction with the media on board his plane, Musharraf said late Rafiq Hariri had a versatile personality who contributed greatly to the development of Lebanon. "In diplomacy, personal friendships contribute a lot and no doubt Hariri was a great friend and his death is a personal loss," Musharraf said. He said the late Lebanese leader also rendered great humanitarian services. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf harshly condemned the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, insisting: "The demands of the Lebanese people must be fulfilled and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 should be implemented." The president arrived in Beirut to offer his condolences to Hariri's family in Qoreitem. The Pakistani president stressed that "serious investigations should take place in order to reveal and punish" those behind the February blast. "I truly believe that Lebanon and the region have lost a great leader; and I have lost a loyal friend, whom I considered my brother," Musharraf said. The president further called for the implementation of UN Resolution 1559 "for the interests of the Lebanese." Musharraf added his hope that democracy and stability would be achieved in the country and that the Lebanese would regain their sovereignty. The president, his wife and Hariri's family then visited the former prime minister's grave in Downtown Beirut, amid heavy security measures taken by the Lebanese Army, to pay their respects. The Pakistani president did not meet with any Lebanese government officials during his visit. The President offered Fateha for the departed soul and expressed deep sense of grief and sorrow over the assassination of the former Lebanese leader. President Musharraf described Hariri as his personal friend and a visionary personality. He described his death as a loss for Lebanon, Pakistan and the Muslim Ummah. On arrival at the Beirut Airport, the President and Begum Sehba Musharraf were received by Saadeddine al Hariri the son of late Rafiq Hariri senior officials of the Lebanese foreign ministry and the Pakistani ambassador to Lebanon Asma Aniza. On the other hand Deputy Bahiya Al-Hariri urged the press to refrain from quoting sources that lack any scientific evidence into the assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, citing attempts to portray the murder as a suicide bombing, in order to mislead the public. "We have no confidence in the current authorities who are trying to fabricate a plot about the reason of the crime, especially since the prosecuting judge does not work on Saturdays nor Sundays, does not answer calls at night, and has not opened any of the files that remain in boxes." She added that she has evidence that the crime was fabricated in a complicated war. Deputy Hariri questioned the seriousness of a government-led investigation, pointing to procrastination. She expressed refusal to receive any of the local investigators. Meanwhile martyred former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri's son Sheikh Baheddine Hariri visited Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Aram I Kichehian at the Patriarchate in Antelias in the presence of Mr. Ara Sessirian. Sheikh Bahaeddine said he thanked the Patriarch for the condolences that he had offered to the family following the murder of Mr. Hariri, and reaffirmed commitment to strong ties with the Armenian community. Assassinated Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri's sons Bahaeddine and Ayman Hariri thanked Greek Catholic Patriarch, Gregoire III Lahham for the condolences that he extended to the family following the late leader's murder last month. Present at the meeting, which took place at the Patriarchate in Rabweh, were patriarchal vicar Mgr Selim Ghazal, Dr. Daoud Al Sayegh and a number of religious figures. "We came to thank Patriarch Lahham for his condolences, hoping to resume the relation that existed between our martyred father, the Patriarch and all other esteemed archbishops," Sheikh Bahaeddine told reporters. Murdered Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri's sons Sheikh Bahaeddine Hariri and Sheikh Saededdine Hariri visited Beirut's Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi at the Patriarchate in Achrafieh, in the presence of Dr. Dawood Saygeh, and thanked him for his support following the assassination of Mr. Hariri. Sheikh Bahaeddine told reporters that he also conveyed his gratitude to Patriarch Hazim, and reaffirmed a commitment to continue his martyred father's friendship with both the Patriarch and the Archbishop. Sons of assassinated Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Sheikh Bahaeddine and Sheikh Saadeddine Hariri, expressed gratitude to Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir for the condolences that he paid to the family following the February 14 murder of the late Premier, at a meeting in Bkerke. Sheikhs Bahaa and Saad later visited Papal Nuncio Mgr Luigi Gatti at the Papal Embassy in Harissa, where they thanked the Vatican diplomat for the sympathy expressed by His Holiness the Pope to the Hariri family and by Mgr Gatti himself. The late leader's sons also visited the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Vice President Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan to thank him for the condolences that he offered to the family The Mufti of Lebanon Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani received at Dar al-Fatwa the sons of late Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Sheikh Bahaeddine and Sheikh Saededdine, who thanked him for his support following the martyred leader's murder in a car bombing in Beirut on February 14. The meeting was also attended by former Minister Fouad Siniora and Mr. Mohammad al-Samak. Former President Amin Gemayel and his wife Mrs. Joyce Gemayel paid their condolences to the Hariri family in Koreitem. President of the National Liberal Party Dori Chamoun had also offered his condolences to the family of the martyred leader. Meanwhile the Islamic Orphanage Centre decided to name of its major charitable institutions after martyred Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The announcement was made by Mr. Farouk Jabr, who offered his condolences to Mrs. Nazeik Hariri in Koreitem. He said the decision was reached at an extraordinary meeting of the Centre's executive board. Mr. Jabr paid tribute to the late leader and cited Mr. Hariri's moral and financial support for charities in Lebanon and abroad. He stressed that his assassination was a loss for Lebanon, the Arab and Islamic nations, as well as the entire world. Also in Koreitem, British Ambassador James Watt visited Mrs. Nazik Hariri and offered his condolences to the family. On the other hand Sheikh Dr Mohammed Rashid Qabbani the Grand Mufti of Lebanon and the Deputy Head of the Higher Shiite Islamic Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan held a memorial for the martyred former Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri. The memorial was attended by prominent and highly ranked civilian and religious personalities. The attendants also included members of the different political parties, churches, former ministers, the legal system, Ambassadors, charitable societies, the Palestinian Authority, a large number of journalists, governors of different areas and a large number of citizens. Meanwhile Political controversy continued in Lebanon last Friday over the form and nature of the next government between parties and blocs, which stand in support of the government and the opposition alike. In a statement issued by the Presidential palace, the Lebanese President Emile Lahoud excluded the condition, placed by the opposition, of resigning or quitting the heads of the security department for the sake of forming a new government. On the other hand, the Shiite clergy in Lebanon Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah warned that Lebanon is facing the possibility of government vacuum and political disorder and security violation. He called in his Friday sermon on all Lebanese to resort to reason instead of reaction. On the other hand, a well-informed judicial source involved in the investigation of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri said that it is almost evident that the former Lebanese prime minister was killed in a booby trapped car explosion. The source explained that results of the explosion will be announced next week. He said that the investigators got the evidence from a surveillance camera in a nearby bank, which had filmed parts of the incident. Lebanese parties meeting underlined keenness on the constructive dialogue among all Lebanese ranks and standing by Syria. Participants at the meeting stressed the necessity to preserve Lebanon's national unity in the face of attempts to damage this unity. MP Mohammed Qabbani said about the investigations in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri that the truth must be unveiled and the way the process has been going make us loose confidence. MP Mohammed Baydoon called from his side for speeding up the process of forming the new government as the situation in Lebanon can not stand this loosing of time and he called on the new government to correct all the mistakes that accompany the investigation related to the killing of Mr Al Hariri. MP Akram Shohaib praised the Saudi stand and said it is a firm stand, stressing that in light of the global changes Lebanese have the right to govern themselves. MP Fares Bowez that the decision taken by President Bashar Al Assad to withdraw from Lebanon would be added to his achievements and if the decision is implemented in the way we like that would lead to real relationship. Minister Albert Mansour stressed the importance of implementing the Taif accord. At the United Nations the following statement was issued on Saturday, 5 March, by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: The Secretary-General took note of the speech delivered today in Damascus by the Syrian President, Dr. Bashar Al Assad, and will study it carefully. Meanwhile, he has requested his special envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, to travel to Beirut and Damascus this week to discuss with Lebanese and Syrian officials the full, complete and immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 1559. The United Nations envoy seeking the withdrawal of some 14,000 Syrian troops from Lebanon held talks with European Union (EU) officials today in Brussels on his way to his second visit to the region in a month. Terje Roed Larsen, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 calling for withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, disbanding all militias and extending Government control over the whole country, discussed his mission with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. Mr. Larsen, who said he would brief Mr. Solana on his return from Syria and Lebanon, also met with the EU's Policy and Security Committee, consisting of the Permanent Representatives of the 25 member states, who assured him of full EU backing for his difficult mission. He last visited Lebanon and Damascus in the first half of February, his first trip in the new job he assumed in January after serving as UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Since then, the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri has increased tension in the area. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Huss called for an international transparent investigation into the killing of the martyred Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri. He urged official to get on with the investigation and said let them ask the United Nations to participate in the investigations. Al Huss demanded the new government to adopt an international transparent and effective judiciary investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri. He also demanded holding honest elections and the formation of a committee of former judges to supervise the electoral process in Lebanon. The former Prime Minister underlined the importance of Syria and its situation for Lebanon saying the US, France and the United Nations are on one side and Syria is on the other. "Syria has a weight that can not be ignored. Therefore any international behaviour that takes no notice of this or deny it -- will lead to something appalling in the Lebanese society," al-Huss said. In an article published by Lebanese Assafir newspaper, al-Huss called to remind the United States over Iraq that due to its occupation of Iraq it was she who controls the Iraqi side of the Syrian-Iraqi border. "What is the logic that the US reproaches Syria over not controlling the Syrian side of the border and not blaming itself for not controlling the Iraqi side of the border," he asked. Meanwhile the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Hussein Drar said after meeting with the Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani that Egypt is optimistic and Egypt is keen on preserving stability and security in Lebanon. On the other had the director of Beirut municipality Abdul Moneim Al Arees stressed that the municipality will continue the projects viewed by the late Prime Minister and would implement future projects.