Lebanon
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Qassem Optimistic about Success of Syrian-Saudi Initiative before Indictment

Hizbullah deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem expressed optimism that the Syrian-Saudi initiative would solve the Lebanese crisis before the international tribunal issues its indictment in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination case.

“There is still an opportunity to find a solution but the door will not remain open forever,” Qassem told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Saturday.

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Berri: Issue of False Witnesses Should be Solved Through Consensus or Voting

Speaker Nabih Berri has told his visitors that he is keen on solving the issue of false witnesses either through consensus or voting, the National News Agency reported.

Among Berri’s visitors on Friday, was State Minister Adnan Qassar who said he discussed with the speaker false witnesses and the international tribunal.

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National Dialogue to Be Re-launched Soon as Suleiman Awaits Success of Saudi-Syrian Initiative

All-party talks will be re-launched soon following a success in consultations carried out by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace, An Nahar newspaper reported Saturday.

The daily quoted Baabda palace visitors as saying that Suleiman did not ask Lebanese officials with whom he held consultations about their opinion on putting the issue of false witnesses on the agenda of the national dialogue.

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Sfeir Urges Lebanese to Unify Ranks, Stresses Only Justice Guarantees Stability

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir hoped on Friday that Lebanese leaders would unify ranks and consult with President Michel Suleiman on ways to take Lebanon out of its crisis.

"Lebanon is going through a critical situation," Sfeir told a delegation from Voice of Lebanon radio station that moved to Dbayeh.

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Experts: Hizbullah Image at Stake in Hariri Assassination Case

An indictment of Hizbullah members in connection with the murder of ex-premier Rafik Hariri could forever tarnish the party's image as a resistance movement and threaten its raison d'etre, analysts say.

"Whether one single member or 100 are implicated makes absolutely no difference, Hizbullah won't accept it" said Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a political analyst at the Doha-based Arab Institute for Research and Policy Studies.

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Assiri: There Are Only Suggestions and Not a Saudi-Syrian Initiative

Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad Assiri has denied there was a Saudi-Syrian initiative aimed at stirring Lebanon out of its crisis, saying Riyadh and the international community were keen on seeing an inter-Lebanese agreement over the deadlock.

“There is no Saudi-Syrian initiative for a solution. There are suggestions,” Assiri told As Safir daily in an interview published Friday.

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Report: Hariri Informed Damascus he was Committed to Saudi Demands on Crisis Settlement

Arab diplomatic sources in Beirut said that Premier Saad Hariri sent a letter to the Syrian leadership stressing his commitment to agreements reached between Damascus and Riyadh.

The letter came in response to accusations that Hariri was not committed to Riyadh’s demands on a settlement of the Lebanese crisis, the sources told As Safir newspaper.

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Nasrallah, Berri Aides Return from Damascus with 'No New Developments', Report

The political aides to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reportedly returned from Damascus with no new developments.

Al-Liwaa daily on Friday said Hizbullah's Hussein Khalil and Berri's Ali Hasan Khalil headed back home late Thursday after meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in an effort to help find a settlement to the ongoing Lebanon crisis.

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Abadi: Breakthrough Likely to Be Reached Soon, No Need to Fear

Iran's ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Rokn Abadi announced that a breakthrough in the Lebanon crisis is likely to be reached soon, stressing that there is no need to fear.

"Efforts to reach a compromise deal will achieve a breakthrough," he said in remarks published Friday by AL-Liwaa newspaper, adding that Prime Minister Hariri Saad Hariri's Tehran visit was "very successful" at all levels -- political, economic and social development.

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Murr Worked with US against Hizbullah: WikiLeaks

Defense Minister Elias Murr was reportedly giving U.S. diplomats advice to pass on to Israel for any Israeli attack on Hizbullah, the Los Angeles Times quoted a leaked WikiLeaks cable as saying.

Murr has dismissed the cables as "incomplete and inaccurate."

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