Introduction to the evening news 28-09-2011

Today, Syria continued showing support to Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai by sending the Mufti of Damascus, on behalf of the Endowment Ministry.

This event sparked a few reactions, one of which is that Syria’s enthusiasm towards the patriarch exceeded by far Rai’s eagerness to receive the Mufti. The Syrian endorsement for the latest stances taken by the Maronite Patriarch was noteworthy, while Rai lent an ear without making any comments.  Amal movement and Hezbollah beat the Syrians, by showing their support to the patriarch who is gearing up to kick off a visit to the U.S., a visit that will snub Washington.

The date of departure prompted the Maronite Council to hold its monthly meeting today. Following the meeting an appeal, instead of a statement, was issued, namely tackling the patriarch’s stances in Paris. The appeal stressed that Rai’s visit to the French capital was an occasion for him to boldly testify in the name of the truth.

On a different note, the return of PM Najib Mikati from New York will trigger domestic activities starting with the cabinet session next Wednesday. On the backdrop of Mikati’s promise to fund the Special tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and given accusations thrown at the PM for his stance, the political debate next week will surely be a heated one.  

On the political front, President Michel Sleiman phoned Mufti Qabbani and extended his warm congratulation for the outcomes of the spiritual summit. Political analysts regarded the phone call as part of the current alignment, saying that it might be considered as a warning sign for former PM Saad Hariri, who should start sounding the alarm. 

On the other hand, Turkey made a noticeable move by declaring that it is currently preparing a sanction list against Syria, which will be revealed by Turkish PM Recep Tayyep Erdogan during his visit to the Syrian refugees’ camp on the borders. Reuters quoted Turkish officials as saying that the sanctions will affect the Syrian army, banking transactions and the energy sector.