Syria’s envoy slams UN chief over 1701 report

Syria’s ambassador to UN has again protested against the inclusion of Damascus in U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s reports on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 without taking into consideration the Syrian point of view.

“It has become unacceptable to continue to mention Syria in those reports,” Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja’afari wrote in identical letters to Ban and the council president, Gabon.
Ban accused Syria of smuggling arms to its Hezbollah ally in Lebanon, (more…)

US envoy to Syria: Senate hearing set for next Tuesday

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing next Tuesday on the appointment of Robert Ford as Washington’s ambassador to Damascus, according to Lebanon’s As Safir newspaper.
As Safir pointed out that the move would come amid a third visit to the Syrian capital by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and senior White House official Daniel Shapiro end of March.
The committee’s communications director, Frederick Jones, told As Safir that the Senate Foreign Relations committee chairman, John Kerry, “believes that it is important to have diplomatic representation in Syria.” (more…)

HRW: West should press Syria on human rights

Western nations must press Syria on its human rights record as the country emerges from international isolation, a rights group said Thursday.

The United States, France and other nations recently have boosted engagement with Syria, a country seen as key to peace in the region. Washington is hoping to draw Syria away from Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza .

“While Syrian officials are chatting up Western diplomats in their gilded front parlors, they’re jailing anyone who dares to utter a critical word in their basement prison cells,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director at New York-based Human Rights Watch. (more…)

Lebanese man files lawsuit against his Syrian jailers

A Lebanese man has filed an unprecedented lawsuit against five Syrians, including four officers, that he said kidnapped, tortured and jailed him in Syria, his lawyer Suleiman Labbous said Thursday. (more…)

Mitri: Hariri heads to Syria in April

Lebanon’s Information Minister Tarek Mitri told reporters following Wednesday’s cabinet session the following : (more…)

Hariri’s media office denies Al Akhbar report

The media office of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri issued a statement in response to al Akhbar newspaper’s report: (more…)

Israel calls off exercises near Lebanon, Syria after pressure from Obama

Israel’s military has been forced to significantly reduce its exercises amid pressure by the United States.
Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama has warned Israel that its exercises along the borders with Lebanon and Syria were escalating regional tension. (more…)

Lebanon dismisses Syrian warrants

Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza has returned warrants that were issued by the Syrian judiciary three months ago over a lawsuit filed against a number of Lebanese political and security officials by former head of Lebanon’s General Security Jamil Sayyed accusing them of slander and depriving him of his freedom.

Al-Hayat newspaper quoted judicial sources as saying that the warrants were dismissed “because they were improperly issued and not in accordance with legal norms.” (more…)

Gemayel: keep Lebanon out of the ‘game of axes’

A meeting was held Monday on the eve of the national Dialogue talks between Prime Minister Saad Hariri, former PM Fouad Saniora, Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea . (more…)

Jumblatt: Proportional representation may cause demographic destabilization

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt warned during an interview with An-Nahar newspaper against applying proportional representation system during June’s municipal elections, saying it could cause demographic destabilization.
“In the end, the spirit of the Taif Accord forbids any demographic destabilization in municipal councils,” he added. (more…)