Saad Hariri
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WikiLeaks: Geagea Wanted to Arm LF and PSP

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has reportedly declared that he was trying to provide his party and the Progressive Socialist Party, led by Walid Jumblat, with arms and ammunition.

In a WikiLeaks cable dated May 12, 2008 published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday, Geagea said that he was “working with Internal Security Forces chief Maj-Gen. Ashraf Rifi to buy ammunition for his militia and PSP fighters.”

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WikiLeaks: Jumblat Said Suleiman is ‘Weak,” while Berri is a ‘Liar’

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has reportedly described President Michel Suleiman as a “weak personality surrounded by supporters of the Syrian regime.”

In a WikiLeaks cable dated September 17, 2008 and published by al-Joumhouria newspaper, the Druze leader also described Speaker Nabih Berri as a “big liar.”

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WikiLeaks: Miqati Says Hizbullah is 'Cancerous' ... PM-designate's Office Responds

Premier-designate Najib Miqati has reportedly described Hizbullah as "cancerous" calling for ending the statelet that the party has built to allegedly safeguard Lebanon.

In a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Joumhouria daily on Tuesday, Miqati told former U.S. ambassador Michele Sison that Hizbullah is a "cancerous tumor" and called for removing its statelet whether it was "malignant or benign."

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Hariri Says bin Laden 'Black Mark' on Islam

Caretaker premier Saad Hariri on Monday said Osama bin Laden was "a black mark" on Islam's history, putting the religion "in hostile situations" with other faiths and cultures.

"The damage he has done to Islam's image and Arab causes is not less than the damage done by enemies of Muslims and Arabs worldwide," he said in a statement.

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Shami Did Not Contact Hariri Regarding Lebanon’s Position at Security Council

A Foreign Ministry source told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency that caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Shami will continue on coordinating his positions with Speaker Nabih Berri, while protocol requires him to consult with the prime minister and president.

This position came in light of Shami’s request on Tuesday from Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.N. Nawwaf Salam not to approve a Security Council statement condemning the use of violence against protestors in Syria.

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Jumblat Fears Sunni-Shiite Division May Escalate into a Conflict

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed the need for renewing contacts between caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and between Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

The severance of contacts will only lead to more problems, he said.

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Shami’s Instructions to Salam Draw March 14 Ire; Berri Rejects Any Statement that Harms Syria

Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami’s latest instructions to Lebanon’s ambassador to the U.N. drew the ire of the March 14 forces that accused him of overstepping President Michel Suleiman and Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri.

Al-Shami instructed Ambassador Nawaf Salam on Tuesday not to approve a draft Security Council statement criticizing Syria for its crackdown on anti-regime protesters.

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WikiLeaks: Miqati Describes Hariri as Naïve; Says July 2006 War Would Weaken Hizbullah Politically and Militarily

Hizbullah doesn’t mind cooperating with Saad Hariri because he views him as “naïve and easily deceived” said Najib Miqati at the end of the July 2006 war, revealed a leaked U.S. Embassy cable published exclusively in al-Rai News on Tuesday.

Miqati, who was then a former prime minister, stated that the absence of a real leader among Lebanon’s Sunnis will empower the “unified and armed Shiite sect,” said the WikiLeaks cable dated August 8, 2006, a few days before the ceasefire in the war was put into effect.

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Illegal Bldg on al-Ouzai Sunni Waqf Land Removed after AMAL Efforts

Following demands by Dar al-Fatwa, Lebanon's highest Sunni authority, for the removal of an illegal building built on Sunni Waqf (endowment) property in the Beirut southern suburb of al-Ouzai, AMAL Movement said it managed to convince the residents of removing the violation.

"Following reports about a construction violation in the al-Ouzai area, AMAL Movement made contacts and efforts with the residents, which led to removing the violation," the movement said in a statement.

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Suleiman Says Cabinet Deadlock Over ‘Demands’ Not ‘Obstacles’

President Michel Suleiman denied on Sunday that there were foreign obstacles to the cabinet formation process, saying the deadlock was over local “demands.”

“There are no foreign pitfalls,” Suleiman told reporters in Bkirki after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi. The impasse lies on the “demands of parliamentary blocs” and “not obstacles,” he said.

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