Al-Mustaqbal

Hezbollah accuses Arab League of serving American plans

Government rejects implementation of Arab resolutions

The government of Lebanon – more precisely, its foreign minister [Adnan Mansour] , who was hailed Monday by the foreign minister of the Damascus regime, Walid Moallem – is better labeled the so-called government for the fact that it ignores the issues of the homeland and priorities of the people, and devoted itself to defend or cover up murderers or regimes that commit massacres .

In this context, commenting on the economic sanctions adopted by the Arab League against Syria, Mansour said: "From the beginning we said we cannot go along with sanctions on Syria because of their repercussions on Lebanon."

“Distancing [oneself], in other words not approving economic sanctions on Syria, means that we cannot go along with such sanctions," Mansour added.

He said that no matter what the synonyms for the word “reject,” they all carry the same meaning “and we are significantly linked to Syria …” he added.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah described the sanctions as an “unjust” and "a dangerous precedent by the Arab League.”

It said the measure is “shameful and contradicts the principles of joint Arab action."

"These sanctions come as part of a purely American policy that serves the U.S. project in the region,” Hezbollah said, adding that it “is the right of peoples to be wary of the Arab League turning into a tool in the hands of the U.S. administration.”

As-Safir

Washington warns Lebanon of ‘serious consequences’

Solution to [STL] funding in Berri’s pocket!

After the return of Prime Minister Najib Mikati Monday from the Vatican after wrapping up his visit with a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, who promised to visit Lebanon in the fall, President Michel Sleiman will intensify consultations, whether to find an exit for the issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon or for Gen. Michel Aoun’s demands or try to persuade Mikati to postpone debate on this issue for a few days, but not later than mid-December in an effort to find a solution to ensure the continuity of the government.

A well-informed Lebanese source told As-Safir that Hezbollah gave the full authority to Speaker Nabih Berri, in coordination with Sleiman, to maintain contact with Mikati in the coming hours in a bid to reach a solution to the STL funding that is satisfactory to all parties.

“At this historic moment in Lebanon’s life the government should work and not resign,” Berri told As-Safir.

He revealed that he had recently been informed that plenty of gas and oil were detected in the sea off Beirut to Jounieh, according to scientific studies prepared by the British firm Spectrum, which in Berri’s opinion, should prompt the government to “hasten to invest this wealth and avoid killing precious time.”

Significantly and in conjunction with Mikati’s return from the Vatican and stepped up efforts by Berri, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly issued, as usual in every crisis, a clear threat to Lebanon: "serious consequences in the event Lebanon did not meet its obligations to the international tribunal, including funding.”

Al-Akhbar

Aoun: [STL] funding ransom to save Lebanon

Financing of the STL, if rejecting it would bring sanctions on Lebanon, is tantamount to a ransom paid to rescue a kidnapped child. This, in short, is Gen. Michel Aoun’s perspective amid questions raised about the deadline set by the prime minister to pay Lebanon’s share of the fund when the U.N. itself has not set an ultimatum.

Less than 36 hours ahead of a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, indirect contacts took place between Berri and Mikati – who returned from Rome Tuesday – through an aide to the speaker.

Sources close to Berri told Al-Akhbar that the speaker was surprised by the deadline set by Mikati to fund the tribunal, particularly since Berri’s plan to address the contentious issue calls for referring it to Parliament after debate in Cabinet to coincide with the renewal of STL protocol in March. Only then would all aspects of the STL funding be discussed, the sources added.

Hezbollah and Amal Movement sources said Berri’s current action aims at reaching a solution that would preserve the Mikati government, without meaning that Hezbollah will retract its notorious position: no to putting STL funding to a Cabinet vote.

Al-Balad

Two government positions in handling ‘sanctions’ on Syria

Wednesday is the date set for Cabinet meeting. Will the meeting take place or be delayed? Are other options being considered, including a caretaker government without resignation? It may be too early to analyze the outcome of the meeting. While Mikati stressed his commitment to approve funding the STL during Wednesday’s meeting, ministers from Aoun’s Change and Reform parliamentary bloc threatened to boycott the session.

However, a clear stance should emerge after the bloc’s weekly meeting Tuesday afternoon.

There were contradictions in the interpretation of the words “distancing Lebanon” from the crisis in Syria. While Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour stressed that Lebanon will not enforce sanctions on Syria, Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas said in an interview with MTV television channel that Lebanon “rid itself of international decisions and will abide by Arab League resolutions.”

Nahhas pointed out that economic exchange between the private sectors of Lebanon and Syria is “limited,” adding that taking electricity from Syria was not included in the sanctions.