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Baidoun: Political Shiism Must Correct Its Mistakes, Lebanon Can't Have Two Armies

Former minister and AMAL Movement defector Mohammed Abdul Hamid Baidoun on Monday called on "political Shiism" in Lebanon to "correct its mistakes."

Speaking at a ceremony organized by the March 14 forces to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, Baidoun said: "We have said more than once that the Resistance (Hizbullah) considers its weapons sacred and that a majority of the Lebanese considers the (Special) Tribunal (for Lebanon) and justice sacred."

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Hariri on Feb 14 Anniversary: We Won't Accept a State Ruled by Arms under Resistance Alibi

Outgoing premier Saad Hariri on Monday stressed that the March 14 coalition would not agree to the rise of a Lebanese political system ruled by the influence of weapons "under the pretext of resistance" against Israel.

"When we had agreed in the (previous) ministerial Policy Statement on the equation of the people, the army and the Resistance, it was because we believe that the State embraces everyone," Hariri said at a ceremony organized by the March 14 forces to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the assassination of his father, ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

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Gemayel: Majority Emerges from People's Freewill, Not Gun Muzzles

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Monday noted that the Cedar Revolution has called for freedom, sovereignty, and independence, "but today it is also striving for justice and truth."

"In the name of the martyrs of freedom and dignity, we refuse to make further concessions," Gemayel stressed during a ceremony organized by the March 14 forces to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri.

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Geagea Says New Hegemony Would Lead to 'Countless Cedar Revolutions'

If the practices of the first tutelage authority had led to the Cedar Revolution, the mere signs of the emergence of another tutelage authority "will lead to countless Cedar Revolutions," Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea vowed Monday.

"They are trying once again to restore hegemony and we will confront them once more, but this time, we have learned from our mistakes and we will not fall into their trap again," Geagea added.

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New Cabinet Faces Obstacles of Distribution of Portfolios: Vetoes on Both Sides and Impossible Demands

The upcoming two days are expected to witness intense efforts to tackle the distribution of portfolios and the appointment of new ministers, even though Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati still faces obstacles through “vetoes” from the March 8 and 14 political camps, as well as impossible demands by the new majority, informed political sources told the daily An Nahar Monday.

No new development has taken place in the ongoing negotiations between Miqati and the Christians in the new majority and the March 14 camp.

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Greek Police Arrest Suspected Fatah al-Islam Militant

Police in Greece have arrested a young Palestinian identified in reports as an alleged member of Fatah al-Islam, a police source said Sunday.

Ghaleb Taleb was arrested in Athens and will be deported for illegal entry into the country following questioning by police, the source told Agence France Presse.

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Miqati Extends his Hand but Refuses to Make Commitments to Any Side

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati reiterated that his hand was extended to the March 14 forces to form a national unity cabinet that serves Lebanon and its citizens.

“If we want our country to be united and stable … we should join hands,” Miqati told As Safir daily in remarks published Monday.

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Nasrallah to Miqati: STL Should Not be Mentioned in Policy Statement

Sources concerned with the government structure on Monday uncovered that the delay in forming a Cabinet is not only related to the issue of names and portfolios, but is due to differences between Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati and Hizbullah.

The sources told pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat that Hizbullah has informed Miqati that the party rejects any mention of the international tribunal in the policy statement.

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U.S. Honors Rafik Hariri’s Memory by Backing International Tribunal

U.S. President Barack Obama marked the sixth anniversary of the assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri by reaffirming his support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

For the past two years, a bitter political battle has revolved around the STL which is expected to implicate Hizbullah members in the Hariri murder.

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Berri Slams March 14: We're with Tribunal that'd Unveil Truth, Not Fabricate It

We are still with a tribunal that leads to unveiling the truth behind the murder of ex-PM Rafik Hariri "instead of fabricating it," Speaker Nabih Berri said Sunday.

At a graduation ceremony for AMAL students, Berri added: "We had reached an agreement on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at the national dialogue table."

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