Ain-Al-Yaqeen - March 18, 2005

		March 18, 2005

THE SAUDI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: THE KINGDOM WAS NEITHER ASKED TO CONDUCT MEDIATION NOR DID IT MAKE ANY OFFER IN THIS CONTEXT.
THE SPEECH OF BAHIA AL HARIRI CONFIRMS THE BASES FOR LEBANON'S FUTURE.
KARAMI INSISTS ON NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT.
THE LEBANESE ISSUE AND THE ARAB SUMMIT DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING BETWEEN ASSAD AND MUBARAK.
SYRIAN SECURITY WITHDRAW FROM BEIRUT AND TRIPOLI.
THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION TEAM INTO THE KILLING OF HARIRI LEAVES LEBANON TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATIONS TO KOFI ANNAN.

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese jammed the center of downtown Beirut, packing its central square and spilling out onto the surrounding roads, in the largest demonstration yet demanding the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from the country.

Seemingly every available space around the heart of the city overflowed with people waving the red-and-white striped Lebanese flag in what was being billed as the largest demonstration ever in Lebanon's history.

In the main mosque, still under construction, demonstrators even crammed the tiny balconies hundreds of feet up on the four minarets, balconies that the muezzin traditionally used to sing out the call to prayer. A few daredevils inched their way out along the huge construction crane looming over the square to drape a Lebanese flag at the end.

The most notable element in the rally was that it did represent a broad cross section of Lebanese from all around the country.

"They can say that they represent a wide spectrum of Lebanese factions, including some Shiites, and they have been able to bring the Sunnis into the streets, which is not easy," said Ghassan Salame, a former minister of culture and political science professor, speaking by telephone from Paris. "They have an upward momentum now after a week that was full of uncertainty."

There have been rallies in the city center since former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated, on Feb. 14, but organizers were determined to make this one especially large in response to the pro-Syrian march led by the militant group Hezbollah that also filled the downtown with hundreds of thousands of mostly Shiite demonstrators.

"This will counterbalance last Tuesday, and now we can sit and talk," said Mazen al-Zain, a 30-year-old financial analyst, noting that he himself was a member of an illustrious Shiite clan from southern Lebanon. "What is really important after today's gathering is that we all sit down at the same table."

The presence of such a huge number of Lebanese added pressure on the government of Syria to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of both its 14,000 troops and its estimated 5,000 secret police officers in the country.

The United Nations envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, was due to report back to Secretary-General Kofi Annan about the exact promises delivered by the Syrians in talks last Saturday. The United States and other Western nations have said they want all Syrians out before new parliamentary elections tentatively scheduled for May. Also, a United Nation fact-finding mission of senior police officers is returning to New York this week from Lebanon to give Mr. Annan its assessment of the investigation into Mr. Hariri's assassination.

Participants in the march were convinced that the size of the opposition to any Syrian presence meant that the withdrawal was only a matter of time.

The demonstration turned into an all-day affair, with marchers gathering around midmorning, hours before the official 3 p.m. start time, and the last speakers still going strong at 6 p.m. Banks and schools closed early and offices around the capital emptied, all swelling the crowds. The mob was so thick that numerous participants fainted and ambulances slowly inched their way through to rescue them.

Marwan Hamade, the first speaker, who himself survived a car bomb in October, addressed some of his words to the slain prime minister. "Your dream came true today and the horrendous crime failed," he said, before going on to repeat the opposition demand that all the leaders of the security services resign for their failure to protect Mr. Hariri.

Bahiya Hariri, Mr. Hariri's sister and a member of parliament, used her speech to reach out to both Hezbollah and Syria, which has long seen Lebanon as its last negotiating card to retrieve the occupied Golan Heights from Israel.

"We will stand by Syria until its land is liberated and it regains its sovereignty on the occupied Golan Heights," she said, prompting boos from the crowd. As for Hezbollah, she said, "We insist on building together with them the future of great Lebanon."

There were numerous calls on President Émile Lahoud of Lebanon to resign and one sign said "The Anti-Swimming Revolution," a reference to Mr. Lahoud's penchant for spending hours each day at the pool. Syria's forcing through a three-year extension to Mr. Lahoud's term last August was the opening shot in the tensions that culminated with Mr. Hariri's assassination and the current popular movement demanding Syria's withdrawal.

Mr. Lahoud angered many Lebanese over the weekend by suggesting that the demonstrations should end because someone might throw a hand grenade, possibly setting off a renewed civil war. They were also angry that Mr. Lahoud reinstated last week Prime Minister Omar Karami, who was forced to resign on Feb. 28 by a giant opposition protest. Still, the opposition has not pressed demands that Mr. Lahoud resign, fearing a complete power vacuum at the top in the absence of a cabinet.

"We kicked him out the door and he came back through the window," said Mr. Marwan Kayrouz, a 33-year-old real estate investor, who like many dismissed the idea of a renewed civil war. "Who is going to fight who? All the factions are here." Indeed, the mix of demonstrators was readily apparent in the mix of dress codes, from veiled women to horsemen in traditional Arab headscarves to women with bare midriffs and pierced belly buttons. A few of the banners cemented the theme of unity by displaying both a cross and a crescent.

Many of the banners displayed a certain degree of wit: "Long Live the Syrians in Syria," one said.

The demonstrators have adopted blue as the color demanding the truth from the investigation into Mr. Hariri's assassination and two long blue scarves were draped around the neck of the two main figures in the famous statue on Martyrs Square, the blue cloth occasionally lifting in the slight breeze under sunny skies.

"I feel a certain kind of grandeur today," said Tarek Hamade, the chef at the rooftop Virgin Restaurant that overlooks the entire square. "The Lebanese people are finally saying what they wanted to say for years, and they are saying it out loud."

Opposition Lebanese MP said that Lebanese and Syrian intelligence services are hiding the truth behind the assassination last month of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

"You want the truth on the assassination?" asked Marwan Hamade, addressing a crowd of 800,000 people at a massive demonstration called by the anti-Syrian Lebanese opposition.

"It's lying in the dark chambers of the (Syrian-Lebanese) intelligence services that are ruling us and that you are in the process of sweeping out."

Hamade was the official opening speaker at the rally, held in central Beirut near Hariri's grave.

On Monday, Syrian intelligence services evacuated three posts in northern Lebanon and were preparing to leave four others, a Lebanese security official said.

The evacuated positions were immediately taken over by the Lebanese army.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend made a commitment to call home all his forces in accordance with a United Nations Security Council Resolution.

But his gesture has done little to calm the spirits of a Lebanese opposition that is pressing for a full withdrawal as well as for light to be shed on Hariri's assassination.

"They killed (Hariri) because he was thwarting their plan to make Lebanon submit. They killed him because they are the enemies of democracy and Arabism," said Hamade, who himself escaped assassination last year.

The opposition is seeking the removal of Lebanon's public prosecutor and the heads of the six Lebanese security services, which they see as perpetuating Syrian influence.

"The independence uprising will not stop until all our demands are met," Hamade said.

Meanwhile the Hariri family, his bloc in parliament and his Tayyar Al Mustaqbal Movement have unanimously pledged allegiance to his sister Bahia as his political successor amid a snowballing drive to name her for the premiership once Omar Karami abandons his hopeless bid to form a national unity government.

"All three sides along with his senior-most advisors have turned his political, social and development mandate to his sister, naming her as the new leader of Tayyar Al Mustaqbal," Arabic for Future Tide, An Nahar reported Wednesday.

In a dispatch from Sidon, hometown of the Hariri clan, An Nahar said Bahia was chosen after the ex-premier's two elder sons, Bahaa and Saad, resolved to stay out of politics pending the final outcome of the investigation of their father's assassination.

A collective board of advisors, Future Tide leaders and parliament bloc members has been set up to help Bahia Hariri conduct her new mandate. An Nahar said she might run in the spring election for her brother's seat in parliament.

She has won the support of two most prominent Sunni politicians to be named for the premiership as the most eligible figure to head a salvation government of national unity." The two were ex-Premier Selim Hoss and Tammam Salam, who spoke out for Mrs. Hariri after a meeting with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

On the other hand Fouad Siniora, Finance Minister in Hariri's governments who is now the family's senior-most advisor, said in a statement that Bahaaeddine and Saadeddine Al Hariri left Beirut, but to tend to their business enterprises after nearly a month's absence.

The British newspaper The Independent had reported Tuesday that Rafiq al-Hariri's two elder sons, Bahaa and Saad, have fled Lebanon respectively to Switzerland and Saudi Arabia after receiving threats that they would be the next target of their father's assassins.

Meanwhile, an official Saudi foreign ministry source denied Tuesday reports circulated by some media outlets over Riyadh's "mediation" in the situation in Lebanon.

In response to reports circulated by some media organs concerning the mediation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the situation in Lebanon, an official source of the Foreign Ministry denied these reports by saying the Kingdom was neither asked to conduct any mediation nor it made any offer in this context".

On the other hand President Bashar Assad discussed the situation in Lebanon and Syria's troop redeployment with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, who arrived earlier in the day in an unscheduled visit, an Egyptian official said.

Assad and Mubarak, meeting in a hilltop palace overlooking Damascus, discussed the ongoing movement of Syrian troops from central and northern Lebanon, which is expected to be completed by the end of March.

Mubarak was accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Zakariya Azmy, the president's chief of staff, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported that Mubarak and Assad on Monday discussed during a telephone call "the situation on the Syrian and Lebanese arenas in light of international developments regarding this issue."

President Mubarak returned home after a flight visit to Syria during which he had important talks with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad dealing with the latest developments in Lebanon, topics to be addressed by the Arab summit which will be held in Algeria next week, development of the Syrian Lebanese relations and bilateral relations.

Middle East News Agency (MENA )correspondent in Damascus quoted well informed Syrian sources as saying that President Assad briefed President Mubarak on the timetable of the evacuation of the Syrian troops from Lebanon in accordance with Taif agreement. The sources said President Bashar Al Assad underlined Syria's respect of international legitimacy.

Syria sources did not rule out that President Mubarak's visit was aimed at assuring Syria and renewing Egyptian support for Syria as Damascus has declared its agreement on the resolution No 1559.

Reports said President Mubarak stressed Egypt's role in keeping channels opened between Syria and the United States.

Meanwhile, Presidents Mubarak and Assad held tête-à-tête session of talks upon Mubarak's arrival in Damascus. Then the two leaders were joined by the members of the Syrian and Egyptian delegations.

President Assad hosted a breakfast banquet at Al Shaab Palace in honour of President Mubarak and his accompanying delegation, which included Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit, Chief of the Presidential Palace Dr. Zakaria Azmi, and Minister Omar Suleiman.

"The lightening visit by President Hosni Mubarak to Syria on Tuesday aimed at holding consultations with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on the agenda of the coming Arab summit, slated in Algiers for March 22-23," a Presidential source said.

President Mubarak's visit, the source added, also aimed at exchanging views on ties between Syria and Lebanon.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit held a session of talks with his Syrian counterpart Farouk Al Shara on the sidelines of the summit talks.

They tackled the latest developments on the Lebanese Syrian arena, evacuation of the Syrian troops and bilateral relations.

In Lebanon Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Omar Karami on Tuesday began parliamentary consultations to form a new Lebanese government. Karami met former Lebanese Premiers Rashid al-Sulh, Saleem al-Hoss and Amin al-Hafez and two former Speakers of Parliament Kamel al-Asa'ad and Hussein al-Husseini.

Al-Hoss and al-Husseini expressed support to Karami's efforts to form a government of national unity to face repercussions of the current stage in Lebanon.

Karami met the Liberation and Development Bloc headed by Speaker of the Parliament Nabi Berri and Wafaa Bloc for Resistance headed by Mohammed Ra'ad as well as al-Wifaq Bloc chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Michael al-Mur.

Karami also met Al-Baath Arab Socialist Party Bloc headed by the MP Assem Qansaw who stressed the necessity of forming a government of national unity with the participation of all Lebanese to deal with the current situation.

Karami told journalists following the end of parliamentary consultations that he had received the opposition delegation and their demands were discussed. He said he called for a deep dialogue for their demands in order to reach common indicators.

In New York Secretary-General Kofi Annan expects Syria to fully withdraw its forces from Lebanon before May elections, a UN envoy said after briefing Annan on his recent talks with Syria's leader.

Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said there was a broad international consensus behind the May deadline but repeatedly declined to say whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had committed himself to that timetable, saying, "I don't want to go into these details."

Roed-Larsen, in answer to questions, also made clear he did not threaten Syria with punitive UN Security Council action.

"Sanctions were not on the agenda," he said. "There isn't an 'or else.' We simply expect that it happens," he said when asked what would happen if Syria failed to meet the timetable.

"The conclusion after my briefing today is that the secretary-general expects the full withdrawal of all Syrian troops, including the intelligence apparatus and military assets, to take place before the Lebanese parliamentary election," Roed-Larsen told reporters.

Roed-Larsen met with Annan the day after returning to New York from meetings in Europe, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon aimed at ensuring Syria's compliance with the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council last year.

A joint Lebanese-Syrian military commission would meet on April 7 to set a date for the final withdrawal of all forces, Roed-Larsen said.

He plans to return to the region in early April to complete a draft report on Syrian compliance in time for Annan to give it to the Security Council on April 19.

After meeting Assad in Aleppo, Syria, on March 12, Roed-Larsen had said the president "committed to withdraw all Syrian troops and intelligence from Lebanon."

Roed-Larsen said Annan had also emphasised that Lebanese parliamentary elections should be free and fair and take place as scheduled.

"The secretary-general urges all concerned parties to work together to safeguard the stability and national unity of the republic of Lebanon," he added.

There was a broad global consensus that free and fair elections in May were crucial to Lebanon's stability, he said.

A Lebanese security source said 4000 to 6000 Syrian troops had returned home since the pullout plan was announced on March 5, leaving 8000 to 10,000 in eastern Lebanon.

He said all Syrian forces had pulled back to the Bekaa Valley or crossed into Syria.

Witnesses said that Syrian intelligence employees evacuated their last base in Beirut, Wednesday morning, in a step bringing Damascus closer to meet the demands set by the USA and the Lebanese opposition.

The said base was a headquarters for the Syrian intelligence in Beirut. The witnesses said that one bulldozer demolished two guards positions and that the last intelligence employees left the building Syrian military trucks that carried the equipments and the furniture.

Earlier, the Syrian intelligence evacuated its office in Hamra street and two other positions in Beirut under the eyes of the Lebanese security forces which blocked the streets outlets to facilitate the Syrian mission.

A United Nations team investigating the killing of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri in a February 14 bomb blast has completed its probe, officials said on March 16.

The head of the UN team, Peter Fitzgerald of Ireland, informed Lebanese President Emile Lahoud that he would leave Beirut and travel to New York, where he would submit his report to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the official news agency ANI said.

The United Nations said in New York that Annan would release the report's findings to the Security Council next week.

The UN team, comprised of Irish, Egyptian and Moroccan investigators and joined by Swiss bomb experts, has been in Beirut since February 24 gathering information on the killing..

From his side President Emile Lahoud underlined the necessity of enhancing national unity, solidarity and dialogue on ideas which the Lebanese people expresses different viewpoints about. "I hope the formation of a new government will create an opportunity for dialogue through participating in a national federation government," he said during a meeting with Lebanese Army Commander Lieu. Gen. Michel Suleiman.

He referred to the important role the army and security apparatus play in preserving stability and security in Lebanon.

Meantime US President George W Bush has said that America continues to view the Hezbollah organisation as terrorist "because of terrorist activities in the past," but the group could gain legitimacy by ending violence and not threatening regional peace efforts.

"The Shiite Muslim group can prove it is not a terrorist organisation by laying down arms and not threatening peace, including peace between Israel and the Palestinians," Bush said after a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House last Tuesday.

Bush also said his meeting with Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir at the White House "is in no way embracing any religion for Lebanon."

"It is a way for me to speak to people that believe that Lebanese society ought to be freed," he said.

Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Butros Sfeir held talks with George W. Bush in Washington as the U.S. president reiterated his demand for free elections in Lebanon this spring. Following his meeting with Sfeir Bush said: "I assured his eminence that United States policy will work with friends and allies to insist that Syria completely leave Lebanon so the election process will be free and fair."

Sfeir, added: "We want an independent Lebanon and a full Syrian withdrawal according to UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and the Taif Accord, as they do not differ. A total withdrawal will be completed. And if it isn't then I am sure those who have been monitoring the issue will continue to do so."

Sfeir thanked Bush for what he called his "sincere interest" in a free and peaceful Lebanon.

Bush insisted Syria must withdraw all its troops from Lebanon, and its intelligence services, which he said "are embedded in all the Lebanese government's functions."

He said: "I firmly believe in the examples of Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe there will be a Palestinian state. I believe we'll be able to convince Syria to fully withdraw from Lebanon or else she'll be isolated. I believe those examples will serve as examples for others over time are examples of democracy."

Sfeir's high profile visit to Washington had been seen by many as an attempt to sway U.S. opinion regarding Lebanese resistance group Hizbullah. But Sfeir, who supports integrating Hizbullah into Lebanon's political mainstream, insisted the issue of Hizbullah was not raised during his discussions with Bush.

Sfeir said: "We discussed the Lebanese issue in general without going into details and we did not discuss specific parties."

Bush and Sfeir's meeting also touched on U.S. economic and political help for Lebanon. But the Patriarch refused to elaborate on the issue. He said: "When we return to Lebanon, we will speak of this issue."

As to whether Sfeir had been given a message from Bush to the Lebanese people, the prelate said: "The U.S. president's message is very clear and he says it everyday."