An-Nahar newspaper on Tuesday quoted an unnamed ministerial source as saying that a meeting between Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has become less feasible due to the rising tension in Lebanon over the weekend.
Last week, armed Hezbollah bodyguards received former General Security chief Jamil as-Sayyed at the VIP lounge upon his arrival at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport without the needed permission from any of the relevant bodies. The move stirred controversy and escalated tension, especially between the Future Movement and Hezbollah.
Sayyed, who had just returned from France, was summoned by Attorney General Judge Said Mirza for questioning following the former’s September 12 statement, in which he attacked Hariri.
The source told the daily that relations between Hezbollah and the Future Movement had deteriorated following the airport incident.
Any meeting between Hariri and Nasrallah might impose difficult conditions, such as writing a draft lining out how to deal with controversial issues like the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), the source added.
-NOW Lebanon
Now Lebanon - An-Nahar: Hariri-Nasrallah meeting becoming less feasible - September 21, 2010
Now Lebanon - As-Safir: Jumblatt upbeat about Nasrallah-Hariri meeting - September 21, 2010
As-Safir newspaper quoted on Tuesday Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt as saying that his attempts to bring Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Premier Saad Hariri together were fruitful.
Jumblatt said the he sent Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi to meet with the Hezbollah chief, after which Nasrallah sent a positive message to Hariri.
However, Jumblatt did not reveal the content of the message, the daily added.
Tensions between the Future Movement and Hezbollah ran high after armed Hezbollah bodyguards received former General Security chief Jamil as-Sayyed at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport without the needed permission from any of the relevant bodies.
Sayyed, who had just returned from France, was summoned by Attorney General Judge Said Mirza for questioning following the former’s September 12 statement, in which he attacked Hariri. Hezbollah on Friday called for the judiciary to revoke the summons.
Jumblatt also told the daily that Hariri’s September 6 interview with As-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper—in which the PM said some people misled the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and ruined Lebanese-Syrian relations—was a huge step toward safekeeping peace.
“However, [Sayyed’s] attacks are unjustified,” the PSP leader added.
-NOW Lebanon
Now Lebanon - Syria concerned that airport incident hurt Hezbollah, Al-Hayat reports - September 21, 2010
Al-Hayat newspaper on Tuesday quoted a source as saying that Damascus is very worried about Saturday’s airport incident, adding that it has greatly damaged Hezbollah’s image as well as that of its allies.
Tension between the Future Movement and Hezbollah ran high after armed Hezbollah bodyguards received former General Security chief Jamil as-Sayyed at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Saturday without the needed permission from any of the relevant bodies.
Sayyed, who had just returned from France, was summoned by Attorney General Judge Said Mirza for questioning following the former’s September 12 statement, in which he attacked Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
The source also told the daily that “such external concern will put pressure [on Lebanese parties] to foster calm and to adhere to the [Saudi-Syrian] rapprochement.”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz and President Michel Sleiman held a meeting in Baabda on July 30 in a bid to defuse political tension following Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s speech calling the STL an Israeli project designed to target Hezbollah by stirring up sectarian strife in the country.
-NOW Lebanon
