Introduction to the evening news 09-02-2012

PM Najib Mikati anticipated his important visit to Paris with an attempt to close all the loopholes that can let in criticism, trouble and accusations.       

According to LBCI information, Mikati prepared specific answers on the protection of Syrian activists and members of the Free Syrian Army. He said that Lebanon has an obligation to help the displaced from a humanitarian perspective; therefore, he allocated 3 billion LBP for the High Relief Commission to take care of everything in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the competent bodies.        

Mikati’s immovable stance on Lebanon that it should keep disassociating itself from the escalating Syrian crisis was not the only focal point of the Parisian visit. In fact, Mikati’s meeting with former PM Saad Hariri is almost certain; Mikati told L’Orient Le Jour newspaper that if the meeting took place it will not tackle political issues. The prime minister leaves Lebanon while the crises of the cabinet sessions’ suspension and the relation between Baabda and Rabiyeh are still on.          

Even on the occasion of St. Maroun Day, President Sleiman did not meet with General Michel Aoun since the latter arrived late at Saint George Cathedral and left before everyone without shaking hands and without attending the luncheon banquet held by Maronite Beirut Bishops Head in honor of the president and the Maronite Patriarch.       

During the said luncheon, the Free Patriotic Movement MPs were dissatisfied with the speech made by the Patriarch who told the president “any attempt to harm you is an attempt to harm all the Lebanese; we thank God for your big heart”.          

In Syria, the regime’s troops are still attempting to control Homs, Rastan, Rif Dimashq and Zabadani amid continuing international and Arab confusion and Russian overlooking; today, Russia doubted the American suggestion calling to create a “Friends of Syria” group to support the opposition, considering that such groups are illegitimate and remind us of very bad experiences especially the Libyan one. On the Arab scene, there is an attempt to bring the observers back, but this time in collaboration with the U.N.