March 17, 2006

THE SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON CONGRATULATES SANIORA ON THE SUCCESS OF THE DIALOGUE. THE LEBANESE NATIONAL DIALOGUE AGREES OF A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING SHEBAA FARMS AND THE LEBANESE-SYRIAN BORDERS. SANIORA VISITS DAMASCUS TO DISCUSS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATOR INTO THE ASSASSINATION OF AL-HARIRI PRESENTS HIS REPORT TO THE UNSC AND WILL HOLD MEETINGS WITH AL-ASSAD AND AL-SHARAA NEXT MONTH. Lebanese Premier Fouad Saniora received the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Dr. Abdul Aziz Khojah. During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest and Saniora expressed the appreciation of the Lebanese government and people for the Saudi care for Lebanon. The premier underlined the importance of the Saudi role at the regional and interventional arenas. Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja said his country "is very pleased by the developments of the Lebanese national dialogue and we believe that the Lebanese are able to resolve their problems by themselves." Khoja said: "We encourage the Lebanese national dialogue, particularly because it was made in Lebanon." Asked if there was any Saudi initiative to support the dialogue, the Saudi ambassador rejected such claims, saying: "We believe that if the Lebanese agree on the pending issues they will be able to resolve their problems with Syria." Prime Minister Fouad Saniora has informed Saudi and Egyptian top officials on the agreements reached among Lebanon's top rival leaders at a national dialogue meeting aimed to resolve the country's most contentious issues. The Premier conferred with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal about the latest developments and told them that politicians have agreed to establish diplomatic relations with Syria. Saniora also informed Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa about the developments. Saniora also explained to the Arab leaders about other agreements among pro- and anti-Syrian politicians, such as the assertion that the disputed Shabaa Farms are Lebanese and the decision to ban Palestinians from deploying weapons outside refugee camps within six months. The Lebanese leaders will resume their talks on March 22. President Emile Lahoud said he would remain adamant about the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms, stressing that official maps corroborating this fact are in the possession of the UN. He reiterated that when the UN drew the Blue Line in 2000, Lebanon did not approve of this border "as a permanent and definite one." He said that "at the time the international delegation had asked who determined this border," to which Lahoud had replied: "Lebanon and Syria"; an answer that was welcomed by Syria. Speaking during the Cabinet session, Lahoud proposed to prepare a draft law that adds to Article one of the Constitution a paragraph specifying that the Shebaa Farms are located inside the internationally recognized border in South Lebanon. Commenting on the report released by the head of the international committee investigating former Premier Rafiq Hariri's assassination, Serge Brammertz, Lahoud said "it took into consideration all possibilities." Lebanese political leaders meeting to quell bitter internal disputes reached an accord on normalizing fraught relations with Syria, parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri said. But Berri said two key issues remained unresolved the political future of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud and disarmament of Hezbollah resistance fighters and that negotiations would resume on March 22. Besides agreement on Syria, Berri said all 14 participants agreed on "not allowing any armed Palestinian presence outside (refugee) camps and on the "Lebanese" character of the Shebaa Farms, a hotly contested border area currently occupied by Israel. The anti-Syrian majority in Parliament has repeatedly called for the embattled Lahoud to step down since the killing in February 2005 of his political rival and former Premier Rafiq Hariri in a bomb blast blamed on Damascus. On Hezbollah, Berri said: "The resistance will keep its weapons until the liberation of every inch of Lebanese territory." Pro- and anti-Syrian politicians at the talks agreed on the necessity of developing relations with Syria and of "correcting the errors of the past," Berri said, without elaborating. "Participants don't want Syria to be a threat to Lebanon's security and vice-versa. They... demand the application of the principle of mutual non-interference in internal affairs," he said. A participant who requested anonymity said the agreement was based on the 1989 Taif Accords that ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war "which stipulates the establishment of normal and healthy relations" between the two neighbours. "Participants want relations between Lebanon and Syria to be as equals, based on the establishment of diplomatic relations and embassies and demarcating Lebanese-Syrian frontiers," Berri said. The forging of diplomatic ties with long time power broker Syria, which withdrew its troops from Lebanon in April 2005, would mark a significant turning point. The pullout, after a 29-year presence, was also based on the Taif Accords and followed international outcry over alleged Syrian involvement in the assassination of Hariri. On the Shebaa Farms, occupied by Israel in 1967, Berri said participants wanted "a government action toward the United Nations" to finalize the territory's status. He said participants also supported "the government's decision to disarm Palestinians outside the camps in six months" time in accordance "with the State re-establishing its authority on all Lebanese territory." A September 2004 Security Council Resolution calls on Lebanon to assert sovereignty on all its territories and disarm all militias, including armed Palestinian factions and the armed wing of Hezbollah. Hezbollah, which joined government for the first time last year, has refused to take part in Cabinet meetings since December amid disagreement over its armed future. The closed-door conference resumed Monday after breaking off last week when Druze leader and anti-Syrian MP Walid Jumblatt travelled to Washington where he renewed his call for Lahoud's resignation and the disarmament of Hezbollah, whose fighters exclusively patrol the former Israeli-occupied south. But Syria's official Tishrin newspaper called for the talks to exclude "suspect subjects" which serve US interests, such as Hezbollah's disarmament and the finalizing of borders. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who called the 'national dialogue' conference, said the talks would continue next Wednesday. Head of the Future bloc in Parliament said 'There was agreement on a lot of issues that were divisive for' the participants who at times did not believe a mutual agreement was possible. Lebanese politicians had warned that any failure in the talks could sharpen divisions. The gathering came close to collapse last week but top politicians, pro- and anti-Syrian, Muslim and Christian, assembled again this week to thrash out some of the less complex issues, including sorting out ties with Damascus. Commemorating the one-year anniversary of the March 14th so-called Cedar Revolution, Head of the Future Bloc in Parliament MP Saad Hariri reiterated that the March 14th alliance was based on the vast popular demand and the Lebanese's wish to pursue the political reform that would not be over until the president is changed. Hariri was speaking in an interview to the Lebanese daily An-Nahar regarding his views on the changes Lebanon has witnessed in the past year. Hariri further added that the alliance was pursuing its efforts and would not back up until all the demands are implemented through a democratic process. Hariri added that the new president must be loyal to his country and not to any foreign side. He said the head of state should be wise, honest and would favor his country's benefit over any other benefit. Premier Fouad Saniora will be visiting Damascus soon to discuss with officials there the establishment of diplomatic relations with Syria in addition to proving the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms. Saniora told As-Safir newspaper the date for his visit is not yet final and the matter needs thorough discussions and preparations. He added his visit to Syria was unanimously decided during the second round of the dialogue, which will resume its sessions next Wednesday. Saniora added that the results of the national talks are "a historical achievement and come in accordance with the ministerial statement." Before meeting with Syrian officials in Damascus, Siniora will visit Brussels Monday where he will meet with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and deliver a speech before the EU's Foreign Ministers Council. Saniora will highlight in his speech the situation in the country, the outcome of the national talks in addition to the governments' economic plan that will be discussed during the Beirut 1 donors conference. EU ambassador to Lebanon Patrick Renault who met with Saniora said the premier will also discuss the European Neighbourhood Policy with the EU's Foreign Ministers and means to enhance Lebanese-European relations. Sources close to Saniora said the premier might visit London next Tuesday to meet with British Premier Tony Blair. The sources said the official will be back the same day to attend the third round of the national talks. On the other hand The Future bloc in Parliament led by MP Saad Rafic Hariri reaffirmed its commitment to Lebanon's unity, independence, sovereignty, democracy, and free will, on the first anniversary of the March 14 unity rallies in downtown Beirut, and hailed the Lebanese for their struggle to uphold the country's interests. At a meeting of the bloc, which was held in Koreitem, MPs also welcomed the results of the second round of national dialogue talks in Parliament, making it clear that only an accord among the Lebanese over divisive issues, without foreign intervention, will resolve Lebanon's problems. The bloc praised calls by political leaders, who are engaged in national dialogue talks, for establishing ambassadorial diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, and for both countries to respect each other's sovereignty. They also supported an agreement among Lebanese leaders stipulating the Lebanese identity of the occupied Shebaa Farms and urged all parties to cooperate to deliver the required documents and maps to the United Nations. Regarding a clause that called for disarming Palestinians outside refugee camps and to resolve the issue of weapons inside the camps, the Future bloc hoped the Palestinians will cooperate, and said humanitarian and social support, as well as protection, should be extended to the Palestinians inside Lebanon. They expressed commitment to assassinated Prime Minister Rafic Hariri's support of the Palestinian cause, and strongly condemned Israel's recent kidnapping of a Palestinian activist in Jericho and aggressions committed against the Palestinians in the occupied territories. Addressing concerns over President Emile Lahoud's continued tenure, the bloc again called on the head of state to resign, and allow the restoration of state institutions, according to the constitution. MPs also welcomed the latest United Nations-commissioned report on the international investigation of Premier Hariri's assassination, pointing out that the report addressed all the terrorist attacks that have targeted Lebanese figures since February 14 last year. They voiced backing for the probe. Meantime Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz cited progress in his UN probe of the murder of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri but stressed that Syrian cooperation would be crucial to make further headway. Briefing the Security Council on his work since he took over as head of the UN enquiry commission from German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis on Jan. 23, he said that with a more systematic approach "we have made further progress in the investigation." "We have advanced our understanding of the crime, its circumstances and modus operandi. We have developed new lines of enquiry, pursued and further evaluated existing leads and discarded others," he added. But he made it clear that in the interest of maintaining the integrity of the investigation and the security of witnesses he had agreed with Lebanese judicial authorities not to discuss details publicly. Brammertz also said "improved and timely cooperation from Syria will be a critical factor in continuing successfully the work of the Commission." "Our expectations vis-à-vis the Syrian authorities are high in this respect. The Commission has already prepared several new requests for cooperation to the Syrian Foreign Ministry," he noted. "The coming weeks will prove whether our requirements will be fulfilled and our cautious optimism was justified." Brammertz said he would report to the Council on progress made in his next report. Last Tuesday, the Belgian prosecutor turned over his first report on the enquiry to the Security Council. The main area of progress, the report said, was in establishing precisely how the massive bomb blast on the Beirut seafront in February 2005, that killed Hariri and 22 others, was carried out. Crucial progress was also reported in overcoming Syria's initial reluctance to cooperate with the investigation. "The Syrian government has, in particular in the last three months, formally complied with nearly all of the Commission's previous requests for assistance," the report said. The report also said Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Vice President Farouk Al-Shara had agreed for the first time to interviews, which were to take place within a month's time. The United Nations panel looking into last year's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri reported progress in this "critical area," with a common understanding reached regarding access to individuals, sites and information. Noting that Damascus has signalled its intention to fully comply with Security Council resolutions on the issue, the UN International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) says in its latest report that it intends to request "full, unhindered and direct access" to documents, facilities and sites, as well as interviews with Syrian citizens, after earlier reports pointed to Syrian involvement. "Despite these encouraging steps, it is important to note that the Commission will ultimately judge cooperation of the Syrian authorities on the merits of the information provided and promptness with which its requests are being accommodated," UNIIIC Commissioner Serge Brammertz cautions in his report to the Council. "The coming weeks will prove whether our requirements will be fulfilled, and our cautious optimism was justified," he said in presenting the report to the 15-member body in open session. "This understanding will be tested in the upcoming months," he observes, stressing that the Commission "looks forward to receiving timely and relevant responses to its requests, as agreed by the Syrian Government." Mr. Brammertz writes that a significant number of new lines of inquiry identified since the start of the year have enabled faster-than-expected progress and the Commission "is confident that its support to the Lebanese authorities will result in a successful outcome to the investigation within a realistic time-frame." In the latest report, Mr. Brammertz discusses the possibility of a tribunal "of an international character" to judge any suspects charged in the murder, notes a high level of professionalism and experience in terrorism on the part of the perpetrators, and reports that he has been promised a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the upcoming month. He also details UNIIIC's expanded mandate to assist Lebanon in the investigation of 14 other terrorist attacks committed in Lebanon since October 2004, noting certain common characteristics in these crimes. "With the expansion of its mandate and the prospect of a tribunal of international character on the horizon, the work of the Commission has entered into a new phase," notes Mr. Brammertz, who took over as head of UNIIIC from Detlev Mehlis. Talking to reporters after the Council session, he said the Commission now had a much better understanding of the crime and modus operandi. But "it is quite impossible for me to predict if it takes three months or eight months," he replied when asked whether he would be able to complete the probe within the current three-month mandate. In a press statement after the open session, the Council President for March, Ambassador César Mayoral of Argentina, said members "took positive note of the common understanding between the Commission and the Syrian authorities regarding Syria's required full and unconditional cooperation with the investigation on legal and operational matters." Praising UNIIIC for its work so far, Ambassador Boutros Assaker of Lebanon told the open session of the Council that punishing "those involved in this enormous terrorist crime, whomever and wherever they are will reinforce stability in Lebanon and throughout the region." Meantime wrapping up a series of visits to the capitals of permanent members of the Security Council, the senior United Nations Lebanon envoy said in China that there is agreement on major issues in the country's further political progress. "I had exceedingly good talks here in Beijing and I'm glad to say we see eye-to-eye on all the issues," said Terje Roed-Larsen, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for the implementation of resolution 1559, which among other steps calls for an end to foreign influence in Lebanon. "Based on what I have heard here in Beijing, as well as before in Moscow, London, Paris and Washington, I think we have the unanimous support of the permanent five members of the Council," he added. Mr. Roed-Larsen, who heads next to the Middle East, met today with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and other senior officials in Beijing. Resolution 1559 also calls for the disarming and disbanding of militias in Lebanon and the holding of free and fair presidential elections. Last year, Syria complied with the text's provision calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon. On the other hand Foreign Minister Walid al-Muaallem said his talks in Moscow have dealt with means of reviving the just and comprehensive Mideast Peace Process and energizing the Russian role in it. In a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Muaallem said there is an agreement in the Syrian and Russian viewpoints on the situation in the Palestinian territories and Iraq, noting the need to respect the Palestinian people's will and the need to cooperate with the upcoming Palestinian government as to serve peace interests in the region. For his part, Lavrov said Syria's ties with Russia are depending on traditions of consolidated friendship, pointing out that he has reviewed with Muaallem the total bilateral relations, voicing at the same time satisfaction that all accords inked during the visit of President Bashar al-Assad with Moscow are successfully under implementation. He said the main interest when discussing international issues has dealt with adopting additional steps as to fulfill stability in the Middle East. Both ministers said their talks were constructive and positive that revealed identical viewpoints over most of the issues raised. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin has received a message from President Bashar al-Assad over bilateral issues between the two countries and means of boosting them as well situations development in the region. A session of Syrian-Russian talks was held and underlined Syria's interest in developing the standing ties with Russia saying these ties are characterized by distinguished cooperation. The current political dialogue comes to boost standing discussions between the two leaderships and aim at consolidating bilateral ties and activating Federal Russia's role to revive the comprehensive Middle East peace process as to guarantee security and stability in the region, Muaallem said.