March 3, 2006

THE ARAB PARLIAMENTARY UNION CONCLUDES ITS DELIBERATIONS IN JORDAN WITH A FINAL DECLARATION STRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE LEBANESE NATIONAL DIALOGUE. SAAD AL-HARIRI STRESSES THAT ALLEGATIONS THAT AL-QAIDA WAS BEHIND THE ASSASSINATION OF HIS FATHER IS A DIVERSION TACTIC TO DISCREDIT ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THOSE SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDER. PRESIDENT LAHOUD RECEIVES TWO INVITATIONS FROM SHARM EL-SHEIKH FORUM AND THE NON-ALIGNMENT SUMMIT. RICE: IT IS UP TO THE LEBANESE TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD LEBANON. Deliberations of the 12th Arab Parliamentary Union Conference were concluded last Tuesday at the Dead Sea. The final session included the official ceremonial to transfer the Presidency of the Arab Parliamentary Union to Jordan, represented by Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Hadi Majali. In a speech, Majali expressed appreciation for Former President of the Arab Parliamentary Union Nabih Berri over his vital role and over currying out the responsibilities to enhance the Arab parliamentary work. Nabih Berri delivered a speech during the final session expressing best wishes for the new President of the Parliamentary Union. He called on all Arab Parliaments to cooperate with the governments to implement the outcomes of the Arab Parliamentary Union Conference, to serve the Arab nation, and to activate freedom and democracy. The conference discussed issues of fighting terrorism, supporting the Palestinian people, enhancing the Arab parliaments and activating their role, activating democracy as a strategic choice, suing out an International resolution that prohibits defaming religions, and enhancing the educational concepts based on the Islamic and Arab civilization. Speakers and members of Arab Parliaments underlined the need to revive Arab solidarity in all domains, namely economy, politics and security. The General Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) said in a final statement the Arab world was facing giant economic and political challenges within a new world order, economic globalization and international double standards vis-a-vis Arab causes. The conferees called anew for reviving the Arab solidarity and protecting the national security of the Arab countries, spreading democracy and strengthening human rights. The statement said it was important to give the priority for the collective national security of the Arab countries. The Conference strongly condemned the cartoons of Prophet Mohammad Peace Be Upon Him that were published by Danish and European newspapers. The cartoons, it added, "is part of a campaign to tarnish Islam from zionist circiles and the circles of hatred in the West." The conference refused all justifications over the publications of the cartoons under the pretext of freedom of expression. It called on the Arab governments to work on producing a UN resolution that bans the assault against religions. The Arab parliamentarians urged Arab countries to continue with the reform and modernization plans. They refused the US proposed Greater Middle East project because it "is a clear bid to erase the Arab and Islamic identity of the region and ... a flagrant interference in the regional countries." On the Palestinian cause, the Arab MPs said Israel has derailed the peace process and violated the rights of the Palestinian people by building a separation barrier and continuing expansion of settlements. They called on the UN, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the international diplomatic Quartet to pressure the Israeli government to release the Palestinian and Arab prisoners, in addition to 20 Palestinian MPs held in Israeli detention centers. The Arab lawmakers condemned the Israeli systematic escalation against the Palestinian people, the assassination policy and freezing the transfer of duties to the Palestinian Authority (PA). On Syria, the MPs voiced their support for the regime in Damascus to regain the occupied Golan Heights, in addition to breaking the international isolation. On Lebanon, They backed the holding of a national dialogue conference in Lebanon next March, in a bid to bring about success for the event. They called for supporting Lebanon and the investigation to prevail the truth about the assassination of Rafiq Harriri and to condemn the Israeli threats to Lebanon. The MPs called on the international community to intervene to stop the Israeli assault against Lebanon. Regarding Iraq, the AIPU called for need of preserving the unity of the Iraqi lands and people, respecting the sovereignty and independence of the Iraqis. They called for the implementation of UN resolution 1546. It condemned all forms of terrorism in Iraq, namely the attacks against diplomats, journalists and civilians, in addition to mosques and shrines. The AIPU, meanwhile, welcomed the peace agreement in Sudan, and rejected the transfer of peacekeeping mission from the African Union (AU) to the UN. The AIPU conferees said the transfer was undermining the sovereignty and independence of Sudan. The AIPU voiced their support for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in its sovereignty over three islands occupied by Iran. It condemned the fact that Israel has not ratified the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and said the Middle East region should be clear of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). (more) hd.bsb. The AIPU conference, while noting that occupation was the seed of terrorism, condemned all forms of terrorism in the occupied Arab territories and slashed out at all countries harbouring and financing terrorism. It called for differentiating between terrorism and right of peoples to resist occupation to regain their stolen rights. It said a resolution by the Arab foreign ministers to establish a satellite channel tasked with countering all bids tarnishing picture of Arabs and Muslims, should be implemented. The conference called for placing a strategy to overcome the problem of water shortage in the Arab world and tackle the water security. On the other hand Head of the Future Bloc in Parliament MP Saad Hariri stressed it was unacceptable to keep on turning around in an empty cycle as that would give a chance to the President, his allies and the Syrian regime to benefit and return to the political scene. In an interview publish in the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, Hariri explained that the priority in deciding on the next president belonged to the Christians and any candidate should have the approval of the Patriarch. Hariri added that the president would be someone loyal to his country, credible and trustworthy and would not be hostage to outside forces. In the interview MP Saad Al-Hariri said that allowing Lebanon to remain in the present status quo is to the benefit of President Emile Lahoud and his Syrian backers, who are seeking to renew their influence in Lebanon. "It is unacceptable to leave things in the state they have been in over the past few months and to keep turning around in circles," Hariri said in an interview with Egypt's Al Ahram newspaper published in Lebanon last Wednesday. "This would give the opportunity to the president, the political forces allied with him and the Syrian regime to take advantage of this situation to renew their presence on the political scene," he added. The legislator, who heads the majority bloc in parliament, said the March 14 camp was determined to oust Lahoud, even if it did not command the two thirds majority in parliament that is required by the constitution to vote him out. Hariri, one of the pillars of the anti-Syria coalition seeking Lahoud's removal, said the majority was seeking alliances with other political groups to attain its goal. "We are open to all other political forces to reach our goal. We hope that in the end we will be able to convince them or at least some of them to reach an agreementand start taking practical steps to elect a new president," he said in the interview. Asked if Gen. Michel Aoun was among the parties that the majority camp was trying to win over, Hariri said: "We are ready to cooperate with Gen. Aoun or others within the scope of our political principles. We did all we could to convince Gen. Aoun to join our present government but this did not happenif he wants to ally himself with the March 14 coalition then he is welcome." Gen. Aoun was a pivotal member of the alliance that along with international pressure succeeded in forcing Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon after 30 years of military presence. However, the leader broke with the group during the May-June legislative elections and has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the pro-Syrian Hizbullah. Hariri said that no candidate has been designated yet to replace Lahoud, as the latter is still in his post. However, discussions are being held about the specifications of the next head of state. "He should be a figure who is well known for his loyalty to the nation and should be honest and trustworthy. He should be someone who works for the interest of the country and its people and not someone who is the pawn of foreign countries," said the legislator. The majority accuses the staunchly pro-Syrian Lahoud of blocking the country's political and economic recovery. It argues that Damascus forced parliament to extend his mandate for three years in 2004 and that the extension should be annulled. Hariri dismissed as lies allegations that the notorious al-Qaida terror group was behind the assassination of his father former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. "This is a big lie that the remnants of the Lebanese-Syrian security regime are trying to propagate," the slain leader's son said. He said this was just a diversion tactic to discredit accusations against those suspected of involvement in the murder, including some "big pillars of this regime." Four former heads of Lebanon's intelligence forces have been charged with planning or carrying out Hariri's assassination in a massive Feb 14, 2005 truck bomb that killed 21 others. They were arrested after a U.N. investigative commission implicated them in the murder. Hariri accused Syrian intelligence forces of being behind the infiltrations into Lebanon of Qaida operatives to undermine the security situation in the country. On the other hand Saad Hariri held separate rounds of talks with Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Druze leader Walid Jumblat ahead of a national dialogue meeting aimed at discussing thorny political issues that are plaguing Lebanon. The media reported that the talks between Hariri, who heads the majority bloc in parliament and Nasrallah lasted for seven hours at the former's Koreitem residence. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since Hariri returned to Lebanon in February after spending six months abroad due to security reasons. A statement issued after the talks said the two politicians, who represent Lebanon's Sunni and Shiite communities, were "determined to exert all efforts to abort strife" in light of events in Iraq, where the two sects are at the brink of civil war. "They emphasized unity among Muslims in Lebanon considering it the starting point for national unity," the statement said. Sources said Hariri and Nasrallah discussed all major political issues including U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 that calls for free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon and the disarmament of all militias in the country, including Hizbullah. The two subjects are expected to dominate the national dialogue held at the Parliament building in downtown Beirut. The sources said the talks were "very good" although the two sides have not reached an agreement on all points. They will continue working until they solve the pending issues, they added. President Emile Lahoud received Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Hussein Darrar at the Baabda Presidential palace where the latter delivered to Lahoud an invitation from Egyptian President Husni Mubarak to attend a the International Economic Forum that would take place in Sharm El-Sheikh on May 10th. Lahoud also met with Cuban ambassador Dario De Urra Torriente who also submitted an invitation to Lahoud to participate in the 14th summit of the non-aligned states taking place in Havana in September. In Paris French President Jacques Chirac has urged Syria to fully cooperate with the U.N. commission investigating ex-Premier Rafiq Hariri's assassination, the Lebanese media reported. Chirac, in a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, also called for the full implementation of Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1595. "France is asking Syria and all parties in Lebanon to fully cooperate with the international investigating commission and all international resolutions," Chirac was quoted by Elysee spokesman Jerome Bonafont as saying. President Chirac lauded the efforts of the Secretary General's special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen who is in charge of overseeing the implementation of 1559. Chirac's talks with Annan came days before the French leader's scheduled visit to the region including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Egypt, Syria Lebanon and Qatar. The talks are expected to include the political situation in Lebanon. On the other hand Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirmed the United States' support for Lebanon's efforts to re-establish full sovereignty and democracy and said she believes the Lebanese leadership will embrace full implementation of a U.N. Security Council resolution dealing with the country's political transition. Speaking to reporters in Beirut, Lebanon, February 23, Rice expressed confidence "that within the context of the transition that is going on the Lebanese leadership truly understands the responsibilities to the full implementation of Resolution 1559." Reacting to questions about the demands in Lebanon for Lahoud's resignation, Rice said, "Lebanon will resolve the situation in ways that are consistent with Lebanon's desire to be a democracy in which all can participate and a democracy that is looking to its future." Rice also said Syria must comply with the U.N. inquiry into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Rice also said in the en route briefing that Lebanon has made "enormous strides" since the death of Hariri, including mobilizing the international community to get Syrian forces out of Lebanon, beginning to build their own security forces, having an election and moving towards economic reform. In Beirut Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice held a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, following is the transcript of their remarks to the press at the end of the meeting PRIME MINISTER SINIORA: Friends, I am very happy to receive today Secretary Rice. This is her second visit to Lebanon within a matter of five months. And this trip is another affirmation Secretary Rice and the United States support the independence and the sovereignty of Lebanon. And as well, the support of the United States to the reform program of Lebanon and the clear determination and intention to give Lebanon the support through the participation in the forthcoming conference that will be held support to Lebanon. We've had very fruitful discussions with Secretary Rice together with her team and my team. And we went through on a few important issues and all were glad to hear from Secretary Rice that the United States and Her Excellency are so keen to save Lebanon of the risks of the region and so that Lebanon will not become (inaudible) for others or becoming involved on the on the battlefields as well. So that's something very encouraging and I'd like to thank Secretary Rice for all that she's doing (inaudible) for her (inaudible) support she's extending to Lebanon in various forms and on a regular basis and the support that has been given to us on the international arena through the issuance of the various resolutions that were issued. So really I appreciate as well the show of patience that the Secretary has been showing to Lebanon and the observation that she is really giving in order to see how things are developing positively in Lebanon despite all the risks that we are facing. So if I may introduce Secretary Rice, I'm very glad to have you in Beirut. SECRETARY RICE: Well, thank you very much, Prime Minister Siniora. I want to, first of all, thank you for your tremendous leadership of the Lebanese people and the leadership that you're truly providing in reform. Thank you, Foreign Minister, for being here and for meeting me earlier at the airport, and we've also had discussions. I'm delighted to be here in Beirut for the second time as the Prime Minister said, in a very few months. This is part of my regional tour. I've been in Saudi Arabia and in Egypt and I will soon be in the UAE. And I think it's important to come and discuss the issues of the region in this very crucial and circumstantial time. It is also a time to reiterate and to affirm the firm support of the United States of America for the Lebanon people as they work to have a fully sovereign and democratic Lebanon that can be a prosperous Lebanon for all of Lebanon's people without regard to background or ethnicity or religion, and I know that that the dream of the Prime Minister and the dream of the Lebanese people. I think that the demonstrations last Tuesday in Martyrs' Square were a reminder to us all of the great passion of the Lebanese people for justice, for peace, the great passion of the Lebanese people for their country, for their sovereignty, for their democracy. We were all inspired again as we have been inspired by the Cedar Revolution. And while we know that the course ahead is a difficult one and we recognize that there are hard things to do, we recognize that the resolutions of the United Nations, like Resolution 1559, will need to be fully implemented. We recognize that economics reforms are going to be difficult, but not (inaudible) implemented. But the spirit of the Lebanese people is so obvious and so clear and so inspirational to the world, I wanted you to know, Prime Minister and your team and your leadership, but also the Lebanese people to know that they will have a friend in the United States and in the international community as they go forward in this very important work. Thank you. QUESTION: What do you think about the agreement that has been signed between General Aoun and Hezbollah? Is this -- do you think that this is against the full implementation of 1559? And could it be a reason that you will not support General Aoun to be the next president of Lebanon? SECRETARY RICE: Well, it is up to the Lebanese to decide who will lead Lebanon. I know that the Lebanese people want a democracy. They want a sovereign state. They want a state that is in full conformity with international laws and international responsibilities. And they want a state that looks forward, that can look to Lebanon's future. While I have confidence in the Lebanese people and what they will -- what they will do in this regard, and I also have confidence that within the context of the transition that is going on here that the Lebanese leadership truly understands the responsibilities to the full implementation of Resolution 1559 and that includes the disbandment of militias. I'll pick one American. QUESTION: Mr. Prime Minister, there is a new Iraq initiative promoted by Egypt and Saudi Arabia to continue to tell the Syrian regime to cooperate with the UN inquiry on Mr. Hariri's assassination. What are the (inaudible)? Do you support it? And to you as the Secretary, of course, Madame Secretary, would U.S. support (inaudible) in which President Assad will testify in a less than open way? PRIME MINISTER SINIORA: Let me tell you something. First of all we are part of the Arab world. We are always welcoming any initiative that can be made by Arab country and we welcome all the initiatives that are being taken by Saudi Arabia and Egypt. So far, there hasn't been a real initiative, but Lebanon is definitely -- when it comes to Arab initiative, is looking forward that the initiative that was taken by the Arabs in the Arab Summit (inaudible) regarding the peace initiative, we are committed to that. As far as between Lebanon and Syria, Lebanon has expressed its point of view very clearly that we want to have very good relations with Syria, but on the basis of mutual respect and to have a full respect to the sovereignty, the independence and the freedom of the country. So this is the thing that we would like -- we would welcome the initiatives that can be made in this regard. SECRETARY RICE: As to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as I understand it, are doing what the international community is doing, which is to encourage and try to mediate the Syrians that they must be in -- must have full cooperation with the UN in its investigation of the tragic murder of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and that it must be a truly full cooperation as was envisioned in the Security Council resolution. And full cooperation means that the Syrians should cooperate in whatever way the investigator, Mr. Brammertz, deems necessary. QUESTION: Mrs. Secretary, what is your position on the campaign calling for the resignation of President Lahoud and do you have any candidates to propose to Lebanon? SECRETARY RICE: As I said, it's up to the Lebanese to decide. QUESTION: You will have to (inaudible). SECRETARY RICE: It is up to the Lebanese to decide who is going to govern this country. The Lebanese will decide how to deal with the various situations which it has inherited, this Lebanese Government has inherited. And the one thing that I want to underscore about what has happened in Lebanon thus far is that the Lebanese have made changes and there have been significant changes in this country over the last several months. They have been peaceful, they have been constitutional and they have been within the legal framework, as is befitting a democracy. And so I think Lebanon will resolve the situation in ways that are consistent with Lebanon's desire to be a democracy in which all can participate and a democracy that is looking to its future. Lebanon had, at one time, a great democracy that was prosperous and that the world knew for that prosperity. And that was interrupted by almost 30 years of foreign occupation. That occupation is now being -- is now gone and is now being reversed, the effects of it being reversed. And I know that the Lebanese people want to look forward to their future of sovereignty, of complete respect in the international community who supports them in those aspirations. QUESTION: Do you support the complaint against President Lahoud? SECRETARY RICE: As I said, the Lebanese will decide these issues. QUESTION: Thank you. Madame Secretary, you're going to Abu Dhabi later today and all the foreign ministers (inaudible) to meet with you (inaudible) there's very good reason for that. What exactly are you going to ask them to do about Iran? So that's my very brief question, but I'm really wondering about what it was like meeting with a foreign minister who was (inaudible) on the existence of Hezbollah. Thank you. SECRETARY RICE: On the matter of what I will talk about with the GCC, this is a regional forum to talk with the states of the region about all of the complications that are here in the current environment. Iran's situation is one of those complexities and I will simply urge the GCC members to support the international consensus, since I believe that they fully do, that Iran must live up to its obligations to the international community under the NPT, that Iran must not seek a nuclear weapon that Iran's behavior has gotten it into a situation in which people do not trust it with a fuel cycle. And so it's not an issue of can Iran have civil nuclear power. Yes, there have been several ways that Iran has been given that it could have civil nuclear power. And so we look forward to those discussions and we'll also discuss Iraq, we'll discuss other issues in the region. And as I said, I'm here to meet with Prime Minister Siniora and with his team. The Lebanese Government is in a period of transition and I'm quite certain that this period is going to produce a more democratic Lebanon, a Lebanon that is fully in compliance with Resolution 1559 in all of its aspects, and one that is determined that there should not be foreign influences nor influences of violence, because after all, you really can't have one foot in politics and one foot in the camp of terror. Thank you very much. QUESTION: One more question, please. Madame Secretary, (inaudible) in Palestine, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Egypt. Do you expect any change in Syria and how is the American policy towards this area affecting the people of Syria? SECRETARY RICE: Yes. Well, thank you. There have been remarkable changes throughout the Middle East. In place after place, people are doing what they must do, which is taking the choices before them and having a chance to select those who are going to govern them. That's the firmest and most important principle of democracy. Every population, every person in the Middle East, deserves that chance, and Syria is no different and I hope that one day Syrians will have that opportunity. The United States is supportive of those who are looking to try and build that kind of Syria. Thank you.