Emergency Unit in Elysée Palace to Follow Up on Situation in Lebanon After Indictment Issuance

A French parliamentary source told Al Intiqad.net in an interview in Paris that the Elysée is busy currently in two emergency units to follow on the situation in two Arab countries, Tunisia and Lebanon.
As soon as the content of the assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's indictment was issued, French President Nicolas Sarkouzy started an emergency unit to follow up on the situation in Lebanon, sources said.

It added that the emergency unit was made up of the Foreign Affairs Minister, the Defense Minister, the Interior Minister as well as the Elysée -French intelligence bureau liaison officer. A similar unit was formed to trail the situation in Tunisia during the Jasmine revolution that toppled the Tunisian president Zein Al Aabideen Bin Ali.

The French parliamentary sources, well-informed on the Lebanese and Syrian affairs said that the emergency unit designed for Lebanon has direct contact with the French embassies in both, Beirut and Damascus. Meanwhile, there is a hot-line between the French President Nicolas Sarkouzy and the US President Barack Obama enabling them to communicate in case of any security incidents or popular protests post the issuance of the indictment.
Also, one of the missions of this unit is to evacuate the French citizens from Beirut to Cyprus on French military ships through the Mediterranean Sea. The process might include US citizens as well, who will be evacuated also on these ships because of the hostile atmosphere against the US in Lebanon. Sources further added the evacuation process might also include European citizens.

Moreover, the parliamentary sources noted that the emergency unit drew the worst scenario possible, including the issue that some Lebanese political figures might leave to France in case Hizbullah decides to respond violently to the indictment. France has decided to receive all those who will flee from Lebanon in case the situation flies into a rage, reported the sources.

On another note, the French Interior Ministry sent sort of a warning to the 14 march and anti-Syrian supporters residing in France, in which it warned them from holding protests upon the issuance of the indictment.

According to information obtained by Al intiqad.net, Syrian opposition sources said that the counsel constitutes of a French warning and rejection to any movement or protests in case Hizbullah or Syria were accused in the indictment, similar to those that were held in 2005.