Introduction to the evening news 25-12-2012

The families of the Lebanese detainees in Azaz did not feel the spirit of the holiday, as they took to the streets threatening to hinder the Turkish interests in Lebanon, including a peaceful movement against the Turkish unit in the UNIFIL. While the families were blocking the road leading to Baabda Presidential Palace, President Michel Sleiman was participating in the holy mass held in Bkerke on the occasion of Christmas, where he called for solidarity with the detainees and warned at the same time against affecting the interests of any country, especially Turkey.          

On the political level, and following the agreement of March 14 to resume the discussions within the parliamentary committee pertaining to the electoral law, Sleiman reiterated his call for a national dialogue session on the seventh of January, calling on all those who intend to boycott to present alternative options.              

On the Syrian scene, the meeting held yesterday between the international envoy Lakhdar Ibrahimi and the Syrian President Bashar Assad did not seem to have brought anything new, according to a United Nations statement. However, while Ibrahimi was meeting with the Syrian opposition coordinating committee, the local coordination committees refused to “blackmail the Syrian people through making them choose between accepting unfair settlements or continued crimes committed by the regime against them.”


These developments and more in our detailed news bulletin


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