Ain-Al-Yaqeen - March 24, 2006

		March 24, 2006

COMPREHENSIVE TALKS BETWEEN CROWN PRINCE SULTAN AND LARSEN.
LARSEN: LEBANON'S TAIF ACCORD IS THE NORTH STAR "POLARIS," WHICH WILL HELP THE COUNTRY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE CURRENT HARD TIMES, AND THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1559 IS A REFLECTION OF THE TAIF ACCORD.
THE SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON: THE LEBANESE ARE "THE ONLY PEOPLE CAPABLE" OF SOLVING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS.
THE LEBANESE DIALOGUE FOCUSES ON THE PRESIDENTS' POSITION.
HANIYEH CALLS ON THE PLC TO CONVENE ON SATURDAY, MARCH 25, FOR A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON HIS LINE-UP FOR THE NEW GOVERNEMENT.

Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received the United National secretary general's personal envoy charged with the implementation of UN Security Council resolution number 1559 ambassador Terry Rod Larsen and the accompanying delegation.

During the audience, cordial talks were exchanged and issues of common interest were discussed. The audience was attended by a number of officials.

United Nations chief Kofi Annan's envoy Terje Roed-Larsen had began a round of consultations with key Arab leaders on the issue of Lebanon's sovereignty, the world body announced.

"Meeting Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh ..., Roed-Larsen lauded the important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the efforts to resolve the multiple conflicts in the Middle East," the UN said in a statement.

Roed-Larsen was dispatched by UN Secretary General Annan to the region on a tour of several Arab capitals on his behalf, it said.

Talks with Saudi leaders were "constructive and forward-looking," the special envoy said, with a "strong convergence of views."

"We are working hand in hand, and the secretary general and I are looking forward to continuing this partnership," he was quoted as saying.

The two sides discussed the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559, which calls for the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and political independence, the withdrawal of foreign forces, and the disarming and disbanding of militias in the country, the statement said.

"Discussions focused in particular on the ongoing national dialogue amongst all factions in Lebanon, which to date has yielded a consensus on the need to establish formal diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon and to delineate in full the international border between the two countries," it said.

President Mubarak Monday March 20th received United Nations ME envoy Terje Larsen and his accompanying delegation.

Following the meeting, Larsen told reporters that he listened to the president's views regarding issues on the agenda of his current tour of the region, which takes him to a number of states including Lebanon. Larsen said he will hold talks with Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora with the purpose of developing UN chief's report on the implementation of Resolution 1559 of 2004.

Talks with Mubarak covered the latest developments in the region in general and their impact on the situation in Lebanon, he said, referring to the formation of a Hamas-led Palestinian government and the upcoming legislative elections in Israel.

Larsen referred to the difficult situation in Iraq, especially with regard to the new government, which he said would not only affect the situation in the war-torn country, but also in the whole region.

The United Nations ME envoy also spoke about the Iranian nuclear standoff, along with the issue of nuclear non-proliferation and the Lebanese-Syrian file.

Larsen stressed that the international community should not meddle into Lebanese national dialogue which the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called for in his recent report to the UNSC.

Larsen added that all Lebanese political powers are taking part in the dialogue pointing out that all parties concerned agreed on the necessity of tackling such important issues as border demarcation between Syria and Lebanon, the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring states and the disarmament of militias, in accordance with the Taif Accord.

UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen lauded Lebanon as the only country in the region offering a "glimpse of hope" for establishing democracy in a currently "dangerous situation." Speaking from Beirut's airport upon his arrival in Lebanon, Larsen said, "For many years, the center of gravity in the region's politics was the Israeli-Arab conflict. It is still an issue now, but other conflicts have emerged ... we have the situation in Iraq; we have the dispute related to nuclear issues in Iran, where an arms race is emerging.

"We have the difficult situation in Lebanon now and the situation between Lebanon and Syria ... but the only place I see a glimpse of hope is here in Beirut."

Larsen praised Lebanon's Taif Accord, describing it as the North Star "Polaris," which will help the country "navigate through the current hard times."

UN Security Council "Resolution 1559 is a reflection of the Taif Accord," he added.

Larsen also praised the country's national dialogue, and said he admired the fact that it is a "purely Lebanese dialogue" with no foreign interference.

The UN envoy added: "The Lebanese should continue with the same spirit we witnessed during the country's national dialogue in the last couple of weeks, and we have high hopes they will succeed."

Larsen had arrived a few hours after chief investigator into the murder of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri, Serge Brammertz, arrived in Beirut from Paris.

Brammertz, who presented his report to the UN last week in which he cited "cautious" cooperation by Syria in the probe, is believed to have met with one of the witnesses into Hariri's murder, Mohammad Zuheir Siddiq, in France.

Larsen visited the grave of Hariri Downtown to pay his respects following his arrival.

Meanwhile Lebanese faction leaders did not agree on the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, highlighting the wide gaps among Syria's allies and foes trying to end Lebanon's worst political crisis in 16 years. Political sources close to the "national dialogue" meeting in Beirut had said the talks' third round were not likely to yield breakthroughs on Lahoud's fate and disarming the anti-Israeli Hezbollah resistance fighters.

"We all know that there is a crisis in the country and we are all determined to end it," anti-Syrian Parliament majority leader Saad Al-Hariri told reporters. "I am optimistic about the issue of the presidency and, God willing, we will find a new president for our beloved country Lebanon."

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the talks will resume on March 27, a day before an Arab summit in Sudan where politicians say Lebanon is expected to feature prominently through efforts by heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt to ease tensions between Beirut and Damascus. Syria, the dominant force in Lebanon until the withdrawal of its troops last year, backs both Lahoud and Hezbollah.

The consent of Damascus, therefore, is seen essential for the removal of Lahoud, who many Lebanese see as the last vestige of Syrian tutelage over their country. He has vowed not to quit. Berri said discussions "were more frank than at any other time before ... We found that the issue needs more discussion and consultations."

"All of our decisions must end in consensus, no one can force his opinion on the others," he said. One senior politician told Reuters before the session that gaps among the participants were widening. "There are no quick fixes and the dialogue looks set to linger on without results."

Lebanese politicians, Muslim and Christian, pro- and anti-Syrian, first met at the "national dialogue" talks in early March to find a way out of the country's worst crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. The talks resumed a day after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he would begin talks with Beirut on creating a special court to try suspects in the 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Hariri's death sparked mass protests in Beirut that forced Syria to end its 29-military presence in Lebanon and ushered an anti-Syrian majority into Parliament.

Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has been tasked with holding talks with Syria, centered on the disputed Shebaa Farms sector where the Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli borders meet. Lebanon wants an official demarcation of its border with Syria, which pulled troops out of its smaller neighbour last April after a 29-year military presence. But it has decided to await the results of an Arab summit being held next week in Khartoum that could advance the healing process between Beirut and Damascus.

The Lebanese political forces had resumed their national dialogue tours amid increased differences on the priority of the parliamentary majority which stand against Syria in clinging to the need of starting with consideration of impeaching President Emile Lahoud and Hezbollah which opposes the idea of dismantling its weapons.

Certain sides taking part in the dialogue expressed pessimism over the possibility of reaching an agreement in the third round of the dialogue.

The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah party Hassan Nasrullah said that the parliamentary majority is unable to shorten the "term of presidency" unless having an agreement with Hezbollah or Amal Movement or the Free National Trend led by Michel Aoun.

Nasrullah stressed persistence to continue the dialogue. He welcomed adding two more items: the economy, and the elections law, ignoring the question of impeaching President Lahoud and confined to saying that there is no "bargaining" between the two issue of the weapons of the resistance for the issue of the presidency.

A source in the parliamentary majority considered Nasrullah's position as an attempt "to removing the issue of impeaching Lahoud through expanding the agenda."

Worthy mentioning that participants in the dialogue reached in the first round of talks a consensus on forming a court of an international nature to investigate the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri and to expand the international investigation so as to include the other assassinations which followed the assassination of al-Hariri on February 14, 2005.

From his side Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Mohieddine Khowja expressed his satisfaction with the reconvening of the national dialogue. Lebanon "will be a prosperous and stable country in our Arab world," he said.

Speaking to the media following a meeting with Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel, Khowja said the Lebanese are "the only people capable" of solving their own problems.

"The Lebanese have the experience, the civilization, the culture and the clear view to solve all these problems," he said, stressing that all "Arab brothers and friends" will help Lebanon on the road to prosperity in whatever way possible.

Gemayel said communications between the two countries were "constant," and praised the kingdom for its "positive role" here. However, he warned against "jumping to conclusions" about the dialogue's results regarding the presidency and Hezbollah's weapons.

"If we did not sense the dangerousness of the situation and understand our national responsibilities, we would not have sat around the table to discuss all issues seriously and with transparency and openness," he said. "We must reach a solution. It is our country, and our concern is to recover peace in Lebanon."

But Gemayel said the talks would not determine the name of the next president. "We must vacate the presidential post before starting to propose names."

Asked if the economy was on the agenda of topics to be discussed during the dialogue, Gemayel said the matter was one of "concern" and that government officials were looking for a solution to the financial crisis.

On the other hand Secretary-General Annan called Syria's President Al-Assad, expressing concerns about possible confrontation between Israel and the terrorist group Hezbollah. Earlier, Mr. Annan also spoke to Lebanon's Premier Siniora and Israel's acting Prime Minister Olmert.

Mr. Annan's call to Damascus was meant to thank Mr. Assad for his reported cooperation with the investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafiq Hariri, and to urge him to continue to cooperate.

In New York In contrast to earlier problems with Syrian cooperation, 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 today in presenting the report to the 15-member body in open session.

In it, he 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."

"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."

UNIIIC, set up after an earlier UN mission deemed Lebanon's own investigation seriously flawed and Syria primarily responsible for the political tension preceding Mr. Hariri's murder, has already reported finding evidence pointing to both Lebanese and Syrian involvement in the bomb attack, which killed the ex-premier and 22 others.

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."

Mr. Hariri's assassination in February 2005 led to renewed calls for the withdrawal of all Syrian troops and intelligence agents, who had been in Lebanon since the early stages of the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Syria withdrew its troops from its smaller neighbour last April.

Meantime the secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan has recommended the formation of a special mixed court including UN and Lebanese judges with its headquarters outside Lebanon in order to try those who will be accused in the future by the as yet uncompleted UN investigation into the assassinating the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

This recommendation came in a report he had submitted to the UN Security Council on Tuesday and concentrated on a report by the UN consultant Nicola Michael who was dispatched by Annan to Beirut in January this year for this purpose.

Annan said in his report that the "formation of a mixed court will give better balancing between the need for a Lebanese participation and a foreign participation, on the other hand, for the work of the court."

Annan talked about an assessment on the Lebanese authorities based on security considerations to that the court might not be able to work effectively in Lebanon. He indicated that this point should be taken into consideration.

On the Palestinian arena President Mahmoud Abbas said nobody has the right to accept or refuse the PLO, because the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was emerged from it.

Abbas remarks came following a PLO Executive Committee meeting in Ramallah city to discuss the formation of the new government and its proposed political agenda.

He told journalists that the that there would be no constitutional crisis, adding that he will meet with PLC Speaker, Aziz Dweik, to assign date for the PLC session to discuss the government's programme and to vote on it.

The President said that PLO executive committee has important notices regarding Hamas platform.

The 18-member Executive Committee (EC) of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected on Wednesday Hamas' political platform to form the new Palestinian cabinet, a move that was immediately rejected by the Islamic Resistance Movement as "unacceptable and illegal," thus setting the stage for a Palestinian political and constitutional crisis.

PLO chief negotiator and Fatah legislator, Saeb Erakat, said President Mahmoud Abbas planned to send Prime Minister-designate Ismael Haniyeh a letter expressing the PLO's reservations but authorizing the Hamas leader to present his Cabinet to the Palestinian Legislature Council (PLC) this weekend.

"He (Abbas) will tell them that he will not obstruct their ability to go to the council with the Cabinet," Erakat said.

In his first response to the PLO's rejection, Haniyeh called on the PLC to convene on Saturday, March 25, for a vote of confidence on his line-up.

Following a meeting of the PLO Executive Committee chaired by Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah, EC member Yaser Abed Rabbo said:

"We decided that we can't deal with the platform of this government or accept it, because the platform neglects the main achievement of the Palestinian people, which is the PLO."

The PLO executives had three objections to Hamas' program and called on the Islamic Resistance Movement to amend its government program accordingly, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported:

1. The program does not "acknowledge the PLO, the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people, as the reference authority," the EC said, noting that the formation of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was decided by the leading institutions of the PLO and that the PNA "represents an arm of the PLO inside the homeland."

The EC described the absence of this acknowledgement from Hamas' program as dangerous and compromises the "Palestinian sole representation," which is a 30-year old national achievement.

Abed Rabbo said that it is an "ironic contradiction" that around 150 nations worldwide recognize the PLO while the Palestinian government of Hamas doesn't.

2. The EC noted also that, "the political practice of any Palestinian government must be based on the program of the PLO, the Declaration of Independence in 1988, and the PLO's decisions as well as its Arab and international commitments."

Any violation of this policy will "jeopardize our national achievements" and challenge the PNA's "legitimacy," the PLO Executive Committee said.

3. Hamas government's program also ignored reference to "the major danger that threatens our national program, namely the so-called unilateral solution dictated by the government of Israel as the antithesis of the negotiated and agreed-upon solution under international sponsorship."

Confronting this Israeli plan is "the most important issue during the next stage," because in essence the Israeli plan aims at preventing the Palestinian people from practicing self-determination, the PLO noted.

The PLO warned that any Palestinian policy which "considers the unilateral solution as a withdrawal that could be dealt with or benefited from in any form, and allegedly accepting it as long as it takes place without negotiations is an explicit and dangerous fall into the trap of the Israeli plan and its long-term targets."

The program of the new Palestinian government should "basically focus on this threat and define the methods of rejecting and resisting it and not to refer to it casually or implicitly," in order to develop a unified national policy against this "imminent strategic threat," the PLO added.

Executive Committee member Tayseer Khaled told AFP after the PLO's rejection of Hamas program:

"President Abbas will send the Hamas government a letter explaining his situation over its unacceptable platform. The Hamas government should review it and present a new platform taking into account the interests of the Palestinian people."

President "Abbas will ask Hamas to change its program in keeping with PLO policy," added another EC member, Zakaria Al-Agha.

Outgoing Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmad Qurei, branded the Hamas platform "unacceptable" for not recognizing the supremacy of the PLO.

"We cannot have a government that does not recognize the PLO," he said.

The leader of Fatah's bloc in PLC, Azzam Al-Ahmad, issued a stark warning of a future "crisis between the government and the Palestinian Authority presidency" unless Hamas changes its program.

But Abbas said the PLO decision would not lead to a constitutional crisis, but it was important to submit the new government and program to the PLO, which served as "the term of reference for the PNA."

Abbas entrusted Haniyeh with the formation of the next Palestinian government after Hamas swept the January 25 Palestinian elections, winning 74 of the 132 seats in the PLC.

On 19 March 2006, Ismail Haniyeh submitted the list of a 24-member Cabinet to President Abbas. The Cabinet, comprised of Hamas members, supporters and technocrats.

Haniyeh said he would present his new government and its political economic and social program to the PLC on Saturday.

Political differences among Palestinians should be resolved only though dialogue and cooperation, Haniyeh said in a written statement faxed to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa, after the PLO decision.

The deputy PLC Speaker Hasan Khrueisheh said MPs would gather on Monday to rubber-stamp the cabinet of 24 ministers stitched together by Hamas.

"We received an application from Ismail Haniyeh for the session to be on Saturday but we found it difficult to hold it on Saturday, so we decided the session will be on Monday," Khrueisheh said.

However Tayseer Khaled said that any confidence granted the new government by the PLC would be "incomplete" and the government "will then have to live in isolation because it has chosen to close all doors in front of it."

Abbas met with the PLC Speaker, Aziz Dweik, to set a date for the confidence vote, reportedly next Thursday after Abbas returns from the Arab League summit in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Hamas rejected PLO's demand to change its program.

"This decision is unacceptable and illegal... The PLC is the only authority," which can decide on the program of government, Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesman for Hamas, said on Wednesday.

"According to the Palestinian constitution (the Basic Law), the Palestinian Legislative Council is the only body entitled to decide on the government's political program," he added.

Zuhri said Hamas holds the PLO in due respect, but criticized it for failing to be representative of all Palestinian factions and powers.

"We do endorse the PLO as a reference body for all factions, but we beg to differ that it failed to bring under its umbrella major powers and factions, which made it highly unrepresentative."

Adnan Asfour, a senior Hamas official from Nablus, said the PLO decision was "unconstitutional" as under Palestinian Basic Law the newly-formed government did not require the approval of the PLO