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Lebanon Leader Pulls Out of Arab Summit
Saturday March 19, 2005 6:16 PM
By JOSEPH PANOSSIAN
Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian president said Saturday
that he will not attend an Arab summit because of political turmoil in
his country as investigators searched for clues to a car bomb that
rocked a largely Christian neighborhood in Beirut, injuring nine
people.
President Emile Lahoud did not elaborate on his decision not to
participate in Monday's summit in Algeria, but it came as Syria
withdraws troops from Lebanon after facing heavy pressure from the
United States and fellow Arab countries to end a three decade
presence.
The attack devastated an eight-story apartment building in the largely
Christian New Jdeideh neighborhood shortly after midnight on Saturday
and sent panicked residents in their pajamas into the street.
Lahoud, a close Syrian ally, made no mention of the attack, saying
only in a statement that Lebanon was experiencing ``exceptional
circumstances'' that required ``immediate and direct dialogue''
between opposition and pro-government groups.
He also offered to host immediate talks between Lebanon's various
political factions amid negotiations over the formation of a new
government.
Opposition legislator Fares Soeid dismissed the invite, saying: ``It's
too late. This subject is closed.''
The violence raised concerns among some Lebanese that pro-Damascus
elements might resort to violence to show, in their view, the need for
a continued presence by Syrian forces. Hundreds of thousands of
Lebanese have demonstrated for and against Syria since the Feb. 14
slaying of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The anti-Syrian
protests have featured large numbers of Maronite Christians.
Police closed all entrances leading to the blast site and blocked
onlookers from nearing the devastated building. After sunrise,
residents began clearing debris and inspecting their damaged shops and
homes.
The Lebanese military also announced stricter measures against any
security violators. ``The army will not allow that freedom of
expression be abused in order to harm security and stability,'' it
said in a statement.
Security officials said on condition of anonymity the blast was caused
by a time-bomb underneath a car belonging to a Lebanese-Armenian
resident of the damaged building. The whereabouts of the car owner
were not known.
Earlier, witnesses said the car attempted to stop in front of a bingo
hall, but security guards asked its driver to move along. The driver
then parked the car a short way down the road. Minutes later it
exploded.
Opposition leader Walid Jumblatt warned there could be more car bombs
and assassination attempts but urged calm.
``Car bomb messages do not threaten our national unity,'' Jumblatt
said in a speech to supporters at his mountain palace of Mukhtara,
southeast of Beirut.
The leader of the militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria
and Iran, warned the opposition against closing the door to
dialogue. That ``could take the country to an unsafe place and create
an atmosphere that the enemies of Lebanon might use, as happened last
night,'' Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday.
Political demands from factions for and against Syria have bogged down
efforts to form a new government, raising concerns that the deadlock
could threaten upcoming elections and even Syria's final withdrawal.
Pro-Damascus premier-designate Omar Karami, whose previous government
was forced to resign as anti-Syrian sentiment increased, has insisted
on a ``national unity'' government. But the opposition is refusing to
join unless its demands are met. The opposition wants a neutral
Cabinet to arrange for elections, the resignation of security chiefs
and an international investigation into the blast that killed Hariri
and 17 other people.
Many have linked the Lebanese and Syrian governments to the killing;
both governments deny any involvement.
Some opposition members accuse Karami of stalling to destroy chances
of holding an election they believe the pro-Syrian camp will lose.
Jumblatt told Future Television that parliamentary polls should be
held as planned for April and May. ``Let them hold the elections
according to the electoral law they deem suitable, but we will not
participate in the government,'' he said.
Saturday's explosion blew off the fronts of some structures, left a
seven-foot-deep crater, damaged parked cars and shops and shattered
windows for several blocks.
Christian opposition member Pierre Gemayel linked the attack to the
Syrian troop pullout.
``This has been the message to the Lebanese people for a while - to
sow fear and terror among Lebanese citizens,'' he told Al-Jazeera
satellite television. The message is ``if there is a Syrian
withdrawal from Lebanon, look what Lebanon will face.''
The intensity of the political battle over Syria's troops has raised
fears of a return to the sectarian violence of Lebanon's 1975-90 civil
war. So far, however, the political camps do not conform to religious
boundaries, with Christians and Muslims on both sides of the debate.
On Thursday, Syria completed the first phase of its withdrawal in
Lebanon, redeploying all its remaining soldiers and military
intelligence officers to the eastern Bekaa Valley. Of the 14,000
troops that were in Lebanon last month, at least 4,000 soldiers have
returned to Syria.
At the United Nations, Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir said that
Syria had given assurances it would withdraw its troops before the
country's elections, as U.N. and American officials want.
Saturday March 19, 2005 6:16 PM
By JOSEPH PANOSSIAN
Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian president said Saturday
that he will not attend an Arab summit because of political turmoil in
his country as investigators searched for clues to a car bomb that
rocked a largely Christian neighborhood in Beirut, injuring nine
people.
President Emile Lahoud did not elaborate on his decision not to
participate in Monday's summit in Algeria, but it came as Syria
withdraws troops from Lebanon after facing heavy pressure from the
United States and fellow Arab countries to end a three decade
presence.
The attack devastated an eight-story apartment building in the largely
Christian New Jdeideh neighborhood shortly after midnight on Saturday
and sent panicked residents in their pajamas into the street.
Lahoud, a close Syrian ally, made no mention of the attack, saying
only in a statement that Lebanon was experiencing ``exceptional
circumstances'' that required ``immediate and direct dialogue''
between opposition and pro-government groups.
He also offered to host immediate talks between Lebanon's various
political factions amid negotiations over the formation of a new
government.
Opposition legislator Fares Soeid dismissed the invite, saying: ``It's
too late. This subject is closed.''
The violence raised concerns among some Lebanese that pro-Damascus
elements might resort to violence to show, in their view, the need for
a continued presence by Syrian forces. Hundreds of thousands of
Lebanese have demonstrated for and against Syria since the Feb. 14
slaying of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The anti-Syrian
protests have featured large numbers of Maronite Christians.
Police closed all entrances leading to the blast site and blocked
onlookers from nearing the devastated building. After sunrise,
residents began clearing debris and inspecting their damaged shops and
homes.
The Lebanese military also announced stricter measures against any
security violators. ``The army will not allow that freedom of
expression be abused in order to harm security and stability,'' it
said in a statement.
Security officials said on condition of anonymity the blast was caused
by a time-bomb underneath a car belonging to a Lebanese-Armenian
resident of the damaged building. The whereabouts of the car owner
were not known.
Earlier, witnesses said the car attempted to stop in front of a bingo
hall, but security guards asked its driver to move along. The driver
then parked the car a short way down the road. Minutes later it
exploded.
Opposition leader Walid Jumblatt warned there could be more car bombs
and assassination attempts but urged calm.
``Car bomb messages do not threaten our national unity,'' Jumblatt
said in a speech to supporters at his mountain palace of Mukhtara,
southeast of Beirut.
The leader of the militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria
and Iran, warned the opposition against closing the door to
dialogue. That ``could take the country to an unsafe place and create
an atmosphere that the enemies of Lebanon might use, as happened last
night,'' Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday.
Political demands from factions for and against Syria have bogged down
efforts to form a new government, raising concerns that the deadlock
could threaten upcoming elections and even Syria's final withdrawal.
Pro-Damascus premier-designate Omar Karami, whose previous government
was forced to resign as anti-Syrian sentiment increased, has insisted
on a ``national unity'' government. But the opposition is refusing to
join unless its demands are met. The opposition wants a neutral
Cabinet to arrange for elections, the resignation of security chiefs
and an international investigation into the blast that killed Hariri
and 17 other people.
Many have linked the Lebanese and Syrian governments to the killing;
both governments deny any involvement.
Some opposition members accuse Karami of stalling to destroy chances
of holding an election they believe the pro-Syrian camp will lose.
Jumblatt told Future Television that parliamentary polls should be
held as planned for April and May. ``Let them hold the elections
according to the electoral law they deem suitable, but we will not
participate in the government,'' he said.
Saturday's explosion blew off the fronts of some structures, left a
seven-foot-deep crater, damaged parked cars and shops and shattered
windows for several blocks.
Christian opposition member Pierre Gemayel linked the attack to the
Syrian troop pullout.
``This has been the message to the Lebanese people for a while - to
sow fear and terror among Lebanese citizens,'' he told Al-Jazeera
satellite television. The message is ``if there is a Syrian
withdrawal from Lebanon, look what Lebanon will face.''
The intensity of the political battle over Syria's troops has raised
fears of a return to the sectarian violence of Lebanon's 1975-90 civil
war. So far, however, the political camps do not conform to religious
boundaries, with Christians and Muslims on both sides of the debate.
On Thursday, Syria completed the first phase of its withdrawal in
Lebanon, redeploying all its remaining soldiers and military
intelligence officers to the eastern Bekaa Valley. Of the 14,000
troops that were in Lebanon last month, at least 4,000 soldiers have
returned to Syria.
At the United Nations, Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir said that
Syria had given assurances it would withdraw its troops before the
country's elections, as U.N. and American officials want.