Naharnet Exclusive Report – Leidschendam:

It remains unclear whether Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Daniel Bellemare’s health will permit him to attend Friday’s STL hearing aimed at discussing whether circumstances are suitable to try in absentia the four suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.

Lebanon's premier has come under mounting pressure over the kidnapping of Syrian dissidents in Lebanon, with the opposition accusing his government of kowtowing to the regime in Damascus.

"The government of Najib Miqati is employing all diplomatic, security and political channels to back the Syrian regime," said Fares Soeid, secretary general of the March 14-led opposition.

Naharnet Exclusive Report – Leidschendam:

Deep disputes have emerged in the past week between the counsels of the four accused in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Hizbullah of refusing to contact other Lebanese factions in the country, saying that it opposes holding talks with “imperialists” or whoever it cannot persuade to support its agenda.

He told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published on Thursday: “Hizbullah’s security and military connections with regional powers will incur consequences on Lebanon if it launched a confrontation with the West and Arab world.”

Government is scheduled to convene at the Baabda Palace on Thursday with 57 articles on its agenda, the most prominent of which is the appointment of Fouad Khoury as deputy director of general security, reported the daily al-Liwaa on Thursday.

The appointment was suggested by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel seeing as Khoury is the longest serving officer at the General Security Department and he is among the six officers who joined the department in recent months at an order by the Shura Council.

U.S. Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser held a meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Bank of Lebanon Governor Riyad Salameh, and a number of representatives from the Lebanese banking community.

Glaser emphasized the need for Lebanon to take the necessary steps to ensure a transparent and well-regulated financial sector for Lebanon’s continued prosperity.

Rajaa Sharafeddine, the daughter of a Syrian opposition member who was allegedly kidnapped in the eastern Lebanese region of Aley, has demanded that Hizbullah mediate with its close ally Syria the release of her father, Shebli al-Aysami.

She told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published on Thursday that the Syrian regime “should not turn its mistake into a sin and it should therefore ensure his immediate release.”

The March 14-led opposition wants to debrief the cabinet and Prime Minister Najib Miqati over the “security scandal” in Lebanon, An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday.

The report said that this “scandal” includes the kidnapping of Syrian opposition figures in Lebanon and the “security and media ban the security forces imposed on the northern Lebanese area of Wadi Khaled” near Syria.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is eager to return to Lebanon, but an exact date for his return has not been set yet, revealed sources close to him told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

It reported that security and personal reasons are preventing him from returning to Lebanon.

President Michel Suleiman held separate talks on Wednesday with a number of security officials, urging them to intensify their efforts in maintaining Lebanon’s security given the current situation in the country, reported the daily An Nahar Thursday.

He held talks with General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi, Military Intelligence Director Edmond Fadel, and General Director of State Security George Qaraa.