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Suleiman Reportedly Seeking ‘New Style’ in Cabinet’s Work

Environment Minister Nazem al-Khoury, who is loyal to President Michel Suleiman, revealed on Friday that the head of state has launched mediation efforts to resolve the dispute between Premier Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

Al-Khoury told An Nahar daily that Suleiman “is seeking to revive the cabinet sessions and the government’s work by either contacting the prime minister or the rest of the parties.”

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Berri Confident in Miqati, Aoun’s Ability to Resolve Crisis

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to resolve the cabinet crisis and reactivate its work.

“I am confident Miqati and Aoun are keen to safeguard the government and resume its activities,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper on Friday.

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Contacts with Aoun to Resolve Cabinet Crisis Frozen

No contacts have been made yet with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to limit the sharp differences between his ministers and Premier Najib Miqati over the appointments of civil servants that led to the suspension of cabinet sessions, An Nahar daily reported Friday.

The newspaper said that Aoun’s son-in-law, Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, did not discuss the issue with Miqati on Thursday after he attended a ministerial committee meeting to discuss the leasing of power-generating vessels.

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Hariri’s Murder Anniversary in BIEL on Feb. 14 and Martyrs Square on March 14

The March 14 leadership decided following days of consultations to mark the anniversary of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination on Tuesday Feb. 14 at the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center, An Nahar daily reported.

The newspaper said Friday that the coalition’s leaders also agreed to hold a mass rally at the Martyrs Square in downtown Beirut on March 14.

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Jumblat: The Syrian Regime Fall Will Not Result in Hizbullah Handing Over Their Weapons

Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblat said Thursday that the fall of the Syrian regime will not result in Hizbollah handing over their weapons, and insisted on the adoption of a “political solution” in Syria rejecting a military intervention.

“It is crazy to bet that the fall of the Syrian regime will result in Hizbullah handing over its weapons,” he said during a talk show on LBC.

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Suleiman Reiterates Efficiency and Seniority Should be Base of All Appointments

President Michel Suleiman stressed Thursday on the “mechanism which was adopted in the administrative appointments,”

He asserted that “PM Najib Miqati agrees with him and is fully committed to this mechanism.”

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Reports: Attempt to Assassinate MP Sami Gemayel Thwarted

Lebanese Security Forces informed MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday about a plan to assassinate him at a certain time and date.

The Phalange Party's official website posted that the Lebanese Security forces informed MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday about a plan to assassinate him at a certain time and date."

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STL Defense Office Assigns Permanent Counsel to Accused in Hariri Assassination

The Head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Defense Office Francois Roux assigned permanent counsel to the four accused in the case Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., announced the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in a press release on Friday.

The Trial Chamber decided that the accused will be tried in absentia and on Wednesday Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen requested the assignment of counsel, it added.

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Lebanese-Syrian Committee Discuss Latest Reports of Arms Smuggling to Damascus

The joint security and military by-committee for the Bekaa in Lebanon and Reef Damascus in Syria held a meeting on Thursday during which both sides suggested the formation of a joint military and security by-committee to monitor the situation along the border between the Bekaa and Reef Damascus provinces, reported the National News Agency.

The two sides also addressed the alleged arms smuggling from the Lebanese towns of Arsal, al-Tafil, Maarboun. And Deir al-Aashaer.

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Berri: Positive Neutrality on All Issues, Except those on Israel, Has Preserved Lebanese Interests

Speaker Nabih Berri stated on Thursday that Lebanon’s policy of distancing itself from the developments in the Arab world has preserved the Lebanese people’s interests.

He said: “Lebanon’s positive neutrality on all issues, except those related to Israel, has protected the country’s interests.”

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