In Lebanon Henry Guaino who arrived yesterday will be staying for 3 days and will be meeting with key Lebanese leaders to stresses Paris' support for Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom and independence. According to media reports he is expected to meet with :Lebanese president Michel Suleiman , Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora, PM-designate Saad Hariri, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and other key political and religious officials
According to An Nahar newspaper Guaino will inform Suleiman about Sarkozy's keenness for cabinet formation "without delay" and will express French concerns about any new obstacles facing Hariri.
Elysee Secretary-General Claude Gueant's is expected visit to Damascus on Sunday on a mission linked to Lebanese cabinet formation and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem's visit to Paris.
The diplomatic sources said Gueant will be urging Damascus to facilitate cabinet formation in not more than 10 days.
According to An Nahar newspaper sources French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will also travel to Beirut and will hold talks with Lebanese officials on the political situation.
The sources reported that Sarkozy is making every attempt to help end the cabinet crisis and will not give up until an agreement is reached among rival political parties on a government lineup.
The other front in facilitating the formation of the government is being spearheaded by Saudi king Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz. He is expected to be in Damascus at any moment according to Syrian information minister Muhsen Bilal . Jumblatt was quoted as saying today :” The Saudi Syrian rapprochement spells out ‘hope’ for security in Lebanon”
As during his first round PM designate Saad Hariri’s challenge is satisfying General Michel Aoun who continues to set preconditions for joining the cabinet . He is now insisting on the ministry of Finance which is the key ministry for funding all the projects of the other ministries in Lebanon. The March 14 majority alliance which is headed by Hariri is expected to reject Aoun’s demand for such a key ministry . Hariri is expected to meet Aoun for lunch today to work out a deal
Saturday
8:25pm Henry Guaino told MTV: The problem is not just Lebanon’s current situation but that of the Middle East as a whole.
8:10pm OTV: Hariri’s 'lunch' with Aoun to take place next week.
7:45pm President Suleiman met Industry French Minister Christian Estrosi and discussed bilateral and mutual industrial relations between both countries.
5:45pm Henry Guaino after meeting with Patriarch Sfeir: I bring a friendship and support message to Lebanon from France. Sarkozy offered an open invitation to Sfeir to visit France.
4:40pm Sarkozy’s top advisor Guaino meets with Patriarch Sfeir in Bkirki.
3 :32pm A Syrian was arrested for possession of counterfeit currency
3:12pm Higher Islamic Council: We call all to cooperate with Hariri’s stretched hand.
1 :45pm Geagea : Iran needs to use the Lebanese card in its negotiations and forming a cabinet does not help it in its dealings
1:15pm Lebanon was reelected president of the Arab tourism ministers’ council for a term of 2 years.
12:00pm President Michel Suleiman is meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s top advisor Henry Guaino.
11:38 MP Antoine Zahra during an LF dinner in Tabarja: We hold onto the Taef Accord. We won’t accept a country without a cabinet if the unity government hits obstacles.
11:21 PSP leader Walid Jumblatt received a phone call from Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah thanking him for the Kamal Jumblatt medal and his book collection that he had presented to him and for his nationalist stance
11:15 MP Hagop Pakradounian told LBC: Cabinet formation is within a week or 10 days. A technocrat government means escaping from responsibilities.
10:56 Minister Tareq Mitri told Future News: The process of thrust-building among Lebanese kicked off
because the issue is no longer about division of shares. Cabinet formation has most probably neared.
10:00 Bishop Beshara al-Rahi told VOL: "We are in an unusual situation and need unusual politicians. We reject a Christian state but some don’t reject the establishment of an Islamic state. We call for trust-building among Lebanese. The Sunnis and Shiites are competing to replace the political position of the Christian Maronites"
09:29 Okaz: The government will be formed within days
09:25 a Key MP: the time has come to get into the details of ministries and names and this will look like entering Ali Baba cave
08:46 Berri sources: since the president is sticking with the ministries of interior and defense and since al Mustaqbal is sticking with the ministry of finance , I am sticking with the ministry of foreign affairs
08:21 security source told al Liwaa: the news about an invasion of Lebanon by the Islamic fundamentalists is untrue
08:17 The issue of the deported Lebanese from UAE is now in the hands of Hariri and the UAE ambassador
07:55 Jumblatt : the Saudi Syrian rapprochement spells out “hope” for security in Lebanon
07:49 Salloukh : we hope that the reasons behind the deportation of Lebanese from UAE are not sectarian in nature
Friday
8;25 pm In a televised video, Israeli Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit appeals to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate his release. Official response doesn't suggest a swift resolution.
8:20pm Kanaan told Future TV: Aoun will finalize discussions with the PM designate and “the devil this time will not be in the details” but elsewhere
8:38pm OTV: 12 members of the Lebanese Forces were arrested in Zahle during training but later released after 2 Zahle MPs intervened
8:22pm Syrian Information minister Muhsen Bilal : The Saudi monarch will be visiting Damascus within the next 48 hours