Anti-Assad Regime Meeting Postponed

Around 300 Lebanese officials, affiliated with the March 14 camp, were invited Tuesday to a meeting in support of anti-Assad regime demonstrators at 4:00 pm, but the conference was later postponed for unknown reasons and organizers said the location and the timing will be announced at a later date.

The Bristol Hotel was supposed to host on Tuesday two antagonist meetings; the first was in support of the Syrian people, while the other would reportedly be held to announce backing for the Syrian regime.

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported that former MPs Samir Franjieh and Fares Soeid are among the organizers of the first conference. According to An Nahar daily, the committee of “Lebanese for the freedom and dignity of the Syrian people” was behind the invitation.

A statement was issued a couple of weeks ago signed by 130 people urging the Syrian authority to “end the use of violence against its people, and called for holding accountable those responsible for the massacres.”

Meanwhile, other Lebanese parties and national forces, including the Baath, had called for another meeting in support of the Syrian regime at the same location to counter the first conference.

It was not yet clear if the pro-Syrian regime meeting was canceled or postponed.

Security forces were informed of the two meetings, and took the necessary measures to prevent any friction between the two sides.