March 13, 2009 - Daily Star - Cabinet approves plan to protect judges for Hariri tribunal

By Nafez Qawas

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Cabinet approved on Thursday a plan to protect Lebanese judges who take part in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Another top item on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting, which was held at the Grand Serail, was the national health insurance plan. Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh submitted a proposal to reform the hospitalization sector by taking some new measures, including the issuance of two insurance cards, one for public hospitals and another for public and private hospitals. The measures also include agreeing on a list of standard costs for surgical intervention.

The session was held in the absence of ministers Issam Abu Jamra, Talal Arslan, Mohammad Safadi and Ibrahim Najjar.

In an indication of the urgency of the issue of health care, Lebanese teachers staged a strike Thursday over insufficient medical benefits.

The Cabinet was still in session by the time The Daily Star went to press.

At the beginning of the session, Siniora briefed ministers on Wednesday's Baabda reconciliation meeting and the outcome of his trip to Yemen.

The tripartite meeting at Baabda Palace between the country's top three leaders could be the key to resolving major disputes, including approving the 2009 state budget.

President Michel Sleiman had brought together Siniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in a bid to mend the relationship that has deteriorated over the Council for the South budget - still the key obstacle in the path of approving the 2009 state budget.

While the meeting was shrouded in secrecy, local media described as "positive" the Wednesday reunion between Siniora and Berri under Sleiman.

The tripartite meeting included a working dinner, Beirut media reported.

Sources told The Daily Star that during Thursday's Cabinet session Siniora described the meeting as "a good one."

The sources added that Siniora told ministers that controversial issues such as the state budget were "almost solved."

Also in Thursday's session, March 8 ministers expressed reservations on the recent judicial appointments.

In other developments, Berri on Thursday stressed the need to promote dialogue among Lebanese, "who all seem to agree on the fundamentals."

"All the Lebanese call for coexistence and want to provide job opportunities for the youth and give workers their rights," he said during a reception in honor of late lawyer Abdullah Lahoud, adding that he "cannot grasp why Lebanese are still at odds."

Berri hoped the Lebanese could soon "fulfill their dream in building a state of the law."

The speaker said the June 7 parliamentary polls were not decisive, adding that "it shouldn't be considered a catastrophe if one party or the other wins."

"The winning group cannot face or solve alone the problems and threats that face our country," he added.

Meanwhile, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir met with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt and Minister of State Wael Abu Faour for half an hour in Bkirki on Thursday and discussed the recent political and security developments in Lebanon.

Jumblatt refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, but said it was "good as usual," adding that he was pleased with the country's general atmosphere.

Media reports said Sfeir and Jumblatt discussed Lebanese domestic issues, such as the upcoming parliamentary elections, the expected administrative appointments and the issued judicial appointments.

Sfeir and Jumblatt stressed the need for the elections to take place within a calm, democratic and secure environment.

Reports also said the talks addressed the security situation in Lebanon and the repercussions of Arab reconciliation on the country.

In a separate development, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in an interview with Nahar Ash-Shabab on Thursday that nobody could obstruct the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and confirmed that his country refused any politicization of the court.

Sarkozy said the launching of the Special Tribunal on the first of March was a decisive step toward trying those who assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, as well as other political murders. "It is a huge advancement for justice in Lebanon and a big victory for Lebanese democracy," he said.


Sarkozy also said he hoped the truth behind all the assassinations would be revealed and those responsible would be tried. "It is a matter of principle: The principle of refusing impunity," he said.

He said France had fully supported the UN International Independent Investigation Commission that probed the Hariri assassination, adding France would maintain such support for the Special Tribunal.

He said his country had fully pledged itself to help Lebanon restore peace, because it considered Lebanese national reconciliation a priority. However, "reconciliation in Lebanon remains primarily a Lebanese responsibility," he said, noting that he was happy to see Lebanese factions choose dialogue and democracy over violence.

Sarkozy said France, the US and the international community supported the Lebanese people. He said France and the US shared the same goal, which was to safeguard Lebanon's unity, stability, independence and sovereignty.

Sarkozy said US President Barack Obama's commitment to the Middle East was good, and Paris was in favor of discussions with its American "friends."

He said that since Sleiman had been elected president in May 2008, there had been progress toward reconciliation in Lebanon. The upcoming parliamentary polls were a new and decisive step toward building Lebanese democracy, he added.

He said it was crucial to have transparent Lebanese polls amid the current talks and expressed his confidence in the ability of Lebanese to attain them.

Sarkozy said France would always support Lebanese freedom, sovereignty and independence. "Our rapprochement with Syria does not hinder this commitment," he said.

Sarkozy said serious progress had been made in Syrian-French relations because he had risked committing to dialogue with Syrian President Bashar Assad. "However, it is a demanding commitment," he said.

He said Sleiman would be the first Arab president to be welcomed at the Champs ElysŽe next week. Sarkozy said the visit would be an opportunity to celebrate their friendship, Lebanese-French ties and to remind Lebanon of France's support.

On a different level, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told Lebanese expatriates in Kuwait that Lebanon faces a choice between a "destructive course" and an "effective state."

"The crisis in Lebanon has reached a point at which it must choose between a destructive course and ... building an effective state and establishing law and order," he said Thursday.

Regarding the June 7 elections, Geagea said of March 8 forces that "it seems that they are beginning to fear the upcoming electoral results."

Were "some people" to win, the elections "would be excellent and peaceful, but when they lose there is always fraud," the LF leader said.

On the subject of Lebanese expatriates, he criticized "some" as being prone to "attack" this community when in their interest to do so. He added that expats are "subject to buying and selling" in Lebanese politics.

During his trip, Geagea has met with Kuwaiti officials, as well as prominent Lebanese residents of that country.

Meanwhile, the head of the Change and Reform bloc Michel Aoun vowed to "strongly resist" the recent judiciary reshuffling, saying it was an example of political "marginalization" against his Free Patriotic Movement.

"We reject and will strongly resist ... our marginalization," Aoun told As-Safir newspaper.

He added that the judiciary appointments had been political and carried out with "vengeful and marginalizing conduct."

Aoun reiterated that the Higher Judicial Council should be an independent body characterized by competence and impartiality. He also added that any future judiciary appointments should be conducted through an internal voting process, outside of the political realm.

Aoun had previously accused Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar of making the new appointments with political interests in mind.