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Calm in Lebanon as Arab Delegation Due in Beirut to Try to Broker Solution

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Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Calm prevailed over Lebanon as an Arab delegation was due in Beirut on Wednesday to try to broker a settlement to the ongoing political crisis that led to the country's worst sectarian fighting since the 1975-90 civil war. The army stepped up patrols as part of a drive to restore order after a week of gunbattles left at least 62 people killed and 200 wounded. Press reports said several Beirut roads, blocked with earth mounds and cement blocks since violence erupted May 7, were open to traffic on Wednesday. Head of Beirut's southern suburbs municipalities Mohammed al-Khansa told the Voice of Lebanon radio station that "most roads leading to Dahiyeh have been re-opened." "Almost all key roads are now open to traffic," Khansa said. VOL said among the re-opened roads was the old highway to Beirut airport. Unrest erupted last Thursday after Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government said it would investigate a Hizbullah telecommunications network and remove airport security chief Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shoqeir over his alleged links to Hizbullah. Hizbullah considered the cabinet's move as declaration of war and swiftly took over much of west Beirut, defeating pro-government gunmen. Hizbullah then handed over security to the Lebanese army, which stayed neutral in the conflict for fear of fragmenting its ranks. The army on Tuesday took over more positions held by Druze leader Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party in the mountains east of Beirut after they were attacked by Hizbullah on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lebanon braced for the arrival of an Arab delegation that is expected to discuss ways to end the political stalemate. Airport sources said told VOL th delegation is due to arrive around 12:30 pm. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government will convene on Wednesday after talks with the commission, press reports said. Saniora's office issued a statement late Tuesday announcing that the cabinet will meet on Wednesday at the Grand Serail. The Arab delegation, headed by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, was to assemble in Doha before flying in to Beirut on Wednesday. It will also include the foreign ministers of Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Neither Egypt nor Syria, which back the Lebanese government and opposition respectively, will take part in the mission, a League official said. The delegation is expected to hold talks with Saniora, Speaker Nabih Berri, army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, Druze leader Walid Jumblat and parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri. An Nahar said the delegation will start talks by meeting with Berri at his Beirut mansion in Ain el-Tineh. It said Berri will stress to the committee the need for the government to revoke its decisions against Hizbullah before discussing details about implementation of the Arab League initiative. An Nahar quoted Berri as saying that he would be heading dialogue in the event talks resumed, adding that he does not mind holding roundtable discussions outside Lebanon. An official from the Arab League said Monday the League had insisted that the flight land at Beirut's airport, blocked by protesters since Wednesday.

 

 

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