Introduction to the evening news 04-05-2012

A “verbal” weekend kicked off today, in an attempt by each speaker to explain his stances to the public opinion.      

President Michel Sleiman addressed the accredited journalists in Baabda Palace on Friday for 90 minutes and confirmed a series of stances; he said that the 8.9 trillion LBP exceptional spending project has loopholes, the overseas voting must take place so elections are not appealed, and stressed that he will not accept the renewal or extension of his mandate even if he is begged to.      
They asked me: Do you think that another military will be president again? I said: I don’t think so.      

The answer might show up soon; in fact, General Michel Aoun will make a speech tomorrow at the anniversary of his return from Paris.     

On the list of speakers during the weekend, former PM Saad Hariri who will hold an address on Sunday at the May 7 anniversary, MP Walid Jumblatt who will also address the Lebanese on Sunday. Jumblatt told a website today that he will not return to the ranks of March 14; he attacked Aoun, describing his movement as “absurd”. Jumblatt added that the soonest President Assad falls, the more Syria will be able to avoid a civil war.     

All statements, said or expected, reflect the political tension prevailing in the country in the absence of solutions to the political and financial crises.     

In other Middle Eastern news, clashes outside Egypt’s Defense Ministry expanded at a time when the Saudi King called for the reopening of the Saudi Embassy in Cairo.        

In Syria, developments oscillated between the ongoing field escalation and the stance of the spokesperson for Kofi Annan who said that there are small signs of Syria’s compliance with the international plan.