Qortbarwi Requests Immunity Lifting over Al-Merehbi, Hostages Issue on Right Track
Tripoli is afraid and fear prevails as no real calm is restored despite all political attempts.
Amid the shaky ceasefire, more deaths are recorded in the capital of the North and Lebanon lives on the edge of regional fire. In the harsh battle, foreign voices send their letters:
"There are groups in Syria and Lebanon working to transfer the Syrian contagion to Lebanon and we should prevent that," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.
This comes as the Lebanese Army continues its efforts to spread stability and security parallel to the urgent Northern political meetings that suggested the situation reached a red line.
Political, Security Efforts to End Tripoli's Crisis
Within the framework of the efforts to end the Tripoli clashes, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati headed an extended meeting in his Northern residence.
According to the conferees, a decision was taken to stress support for the LA and security leaders in their efforts "to reinstate security by all means and arrest shooters."
Mikati confirmed after the meeting that "the army is carrying out its role with all devotion," and noted that " the political cover is lifted on all those who tamper with security."
"The state is carrying out its full duties," he said.
In this context, a military source confirmed to "as-Safir" Lebanese newspaper that "no one wishes and seeks to take the role of the political leaders."
On the meetings with the field leaders in Tripoli, the source highlighted that " the military responsibilities oblige the LA to take certain initiatives among which are starting dialogue with the leaders of feuding parties."
According to the source, the Lebanese Army command "has the priority to seek a permanent ceasefire before seeking to provide the appropriate circumstances for breaking the psychological barriers between Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen prior to holding joint meetings."
On the political level, "an-Nahar" daily learned that the government scheduled two meetings to be held on the 29th of August and another in September.
"Meanwhile, President Michel Suleiman postponed a vacation with his family to Italy to resolve the outstanding issues in the country," an-Nahar" reported.
Al-Merehbi's Immunity under Question
In parallel, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi handed Thursday a request to lift immunity off MP Moeen al-Merehbi.
The request was made to parliament's general secretariat and at the behest of the Army Command after it accused him of incitement against the army.
In an interview with "as-Safir", Qortbawi clarified that " the taken procedure moves in harmony with the article 91 of the Parliamentary Rules."
The minister also noted that " he had received, in this regard, a book from the Public Prosecutor that shows acts attributed to al-Merehbi in addition to the legal material that fall under its provisions."
"I am obliged to refer the request and I have no right to interfere in it," Qortbawi said.
For his part, House Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that he "will personally consider the request to lift the parliamentary immunity of MP al-Merehbi and to make the case take its legal track to the Bureau of the Parliament and the Committee of Administration and Justice."
"The parliament will discuss the issue to take the right decision according to norms," Berri stated.
Berri-Mikati: No Personal Problem
On his comments on the government's performance, the speaker mentioned that he has no "personal problem with Mikati."
"Our relation is good," Berri told "as-Safir" and noted that he had remarks regarding the government's pace in following certain files. "For example, the government delayed the discussion of the exclusive economic zone on its agenda while Cyprus has completed all the preparations that permit it to start oil production from the year 2017."
Similarly, the PM confirmed to the same daily that his relation with the speaker is based on "respect and amicability."
"We agree on organizing political differences if there are any and on separating political cases from personal issues," Mikati said and asserted that "no matter how big the difference in views reach with Berri, this would not spoil the friendship between us."
In remarks to "al-Akhbar", Mikati stressed that he doesn't to resign as his "responsibility obliges him to stay."
"On whom shall I throw the fiery ball?" he wondered.
Hostages' Issue on Right Path
On another level, "an-Nahar" learned that during his meeting with the families of the 11 hostages in Syria, Interior minister Marwan Charbel assured that all the Lebanese are in good health conditions.
" The issue is on the right path and heading to a solution since my visit to Turkey along with Director General of General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim five days ago," "an-Nahar" quoted the minister as saying.
"We are waiting the Turks to contact us to travel again to Turkey," he added.
The daily further revealed that "Ibrahim's meeting with al-Moqdad clan suggested that all news about their kidnapped son Hassan are positive."
Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
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