The independence ceremony may be over but the final countdown for STL funding --this week’s top deadline-- has already begun. The president reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to the tribunal and PM Mikati has made his decision but is holding out for the right time and to see how things develop. As for Hezbollah and its allies, they announced their stance in advance to the concerned parties in Lebanon and Syria. Therefore, if this schism remains the government shall certainly meet its fate by the end of the month unless some parties go back on their word.
Prime minister Mikati, who procrastinated on several issues, is now cornered by time. He will make an appearance on Kalam Ennas the day after tomorrow and will travel to the Vatican only to return to a Lebanon in limbo. Therefore, everything will be on the backburner, from wages and appointments to budgets and several more files.
In Egypt, the extension of the revolution succeeded in breaking the military council’s silence, reiterating the people’s demands and settling on fixed deadlines. In fact, Field Marshal Tantawi appeared, just minutes ago, in a defensive speech assuring Egyptian’s that elections will take place on time next Monday and that power will be handed over to a president elected by the end of June 2012.
As for Syria, President Assad’s estranged friend, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called on Assad to step down for the first time by saying, “fighting your people is not a symbol of heroism, but cowardice.” He added, mockingly, “you are talking about fighting to the death, so why didn’t you fight to the death for the Golan Heights occupied by Israel?” However, Erdogan said that Turkey’s criticism of Assad is not a call for foreign intervention. Also, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe reiterated that Western nations have no intention to intervene in Syria militarily.