Special Tribunal for Lebanon registrar Hermen von Hebel told the Lebanese officials that the funding of the tribunal isn’t limited to the current cabinet but goes back to the unpaid funds of the previous government and is worth $32 million, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday.
A ministerial source told the daily that the cabinet will fund the STL probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri during the given timeframe.
Full StoryU.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams praised on Tuesday the government’s commitment to Security Council Resolution 1701and confirmed that Premier Najib Miqati will travel to New York end of September.
“I emphasized the need to safeguard Lebanon’s stability and security, particularly at a time of dramatic changes throughout the Arab world and part of that stability is guaranteed by Security Council Resolution 1701,” Williams said following talks with Miqati at the Grand Serail.
Full StoryPrime Minister Najib Miqati has appeased fears over a cabinet paralysis on the electricity crisis saying “we have reached some sort of a solution.”
“God willing we could reach positive ends,” Miqati told As Safir daily in remarks published Tuesday. He did not give further details.
Full StoryPresident Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat have reached an agreement over the dispute over the electricity file, revealed the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.
The solution calls for allowing the government to control the funding of the draft law that was proposed by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.
Full StoryPresident Michel Suleiman said Saturday that the improvement of the country’s democratic performance should start by the adoption of a modern electoral law.
Suleiman told delegations visiting him at his summer residence in Beiteddine palace that the electoral law should provide the right representation to all Lebanese and their right role in decision making.
Full StoryPremier Najib Miqati will visit New York end of the month and will likely head the monthly U.N. Security Council meeting on the Middle East on Sept. 27, a diplomatic source said.
The source told An Nahar daily published Saturday that Miqati will not travel on the same plane of President Michel Suleiman who is expected to go to New York on Sept. 18 at the head of the Lebanese delegation that will participate in the 66th General Assembly meeting.
Full StoryPresident Michel Suleiman stressed on Friday the importance of Lebanon’s implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701.
He said after holding talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “Lebanon is keen on the safety of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.”
Full StoryLebanon took over the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council for this month, the second time since its council membership in January 2010.
Ambassador Nawwaf Salam told An Nahar daily published Friday that he was seeking to introduce “preventive diplomacy” to the agenda of the council. “This concept includes means and diplomatic measures taken in advance to prevent the eruption of conflicts or stop them from spreading.”
Full StoryPremier Najib Miqati has reiterated his “strong willingness that France keeps its forces” as part of the UNIFIL mission and vowed to work on preventing further attacks on peacekeepers.
In a letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Miqati said that Lebanon is keen on implementing U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and consolidating the ties between the Lebanese army and foreign troops.
Full StoryPresident Michel Suleiman on Tuesday held a long phone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on the latest developments in the Lebanese and Syrian arenas, Voice of Lebanon Radio (100.3-100.5) reported.
The two leaders also discussed the repercussions of the recent Arab and international stances on the situations in Syria and Lebanon, VOL said.
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