MP Fayyad says Hezbollah will not be dragged into sectarian tension

Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said that his party will not be dragged into a policy of inciting sectarian tension, National News Agency (NNA)quoted him as saying on Saturday.

“If the other party is betting on security developments in Syria, we reassure them that Syria is overcoming its crisis,” (more…)

Mansour: Lebanon will oppose UN resolution condemning Syria

Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour told Sawt al-Mada on Saturday that Lebanon will not approve a UN Security Council resolution that condemns Syrian .

“Even Russia will not accept a resolution, the way the West wants it, against Syria” Mansour said (more…)

Lebanon has no ministry of Foreign affairs, says MP Fatfat

March 14 MP Ahmad Fatfat said on Saturday that Lebanon does not have a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that the latter “is a kind of farce” and “belongs” to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also said that if the Syrian regime falls, the Lebanese cabinet “will be shocked.” (more…)

Russia, US discuss Palestinian bid for recognition

Top Russian and US diplomats have discussed their differing positions surrounding a Palestinian bid for recognition as a state at the United Nations, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday phoned her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss (more…)

Defiant ambassador says change is under way in Syria, CNN

While the United Nations says more than 2,500 people have died in Syria at the hands of the regime, President Bashar al-Assad’s point man in the United States says the figure is false and the result of a conspiracy aimed at Damascus. (more…)

Mikati warns against involving Lebanon in regional axes of conflict

Following his meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai on Friday, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Lebanon does not benefit from taking part in regional axes of conflict

“There is no benefit for Lebanon to take part in regional axes of conflict (more…)

Turkey’s PM says Syria regime will fall as deaths mount

Turkey’s prime minister said Friday that his once-close allies in Syria’s authoritarian regime will fall in a reckoning for the bloody crackdown on their own people, as activists there reported at least 17 more dead in new raids on anti-government protesters. One protest group put the death toll as high as 32. (more…)

Activists: Syrian security open fire at protesters

Activists say Syrian security forces have opened fire at protesters who streamed into the streets after Friday prayers.

The activists say there is no immediate word on casualties. (more…)

Libyan fighters move on Gadhafi area

Libyan revolutionary forces faced fierce resistance as they streamed into one of the remaining bastions of support for Moammar Gadhafi on Friday, while the Turkish prime minister met with the country’s new rulers in the capital Tripoli. (more…)

Chomsky says U.S. to Veto Palestinian Statehood Bid, interview

President Obama publicly confirmed Monday that the United States will oppose any attempt by the Palestinians to achieve statehood at the United Nations, but Palestinians leaders are still vowing to move ahead with their bid for statehood this week. (more…)