On my way....

Lebanon's summer season officially begins
'Foreigners, if you wish to come, we are at your service' - tourism minister
By Sebastien Malo
Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, June 16, 2009

BEIRUT: Lebanon's summer season has officially begun. Tourism Minister Elie Marouni announced the start of the summer tourism season jointly with three other ministers at a press conference held yesterday at his ministry. Marouni addressed the media alongside Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud, Information Minister Tarek Mitri, and Communication Minister Jebran Basil.

"Foreigners, if you wish to come, we are at your service," said Marouni.

Mitri explained that the four ministers had decided to announce the beginning of the summer tourist season a few days before the official beginning of the summer on June 21 because they expected the new government to be formed shortly after that date. "On June 21 we will start the summer. It will be the ideal tourism season, with a new house of representatives," he said.

The four ministers pledged to work together to manage the projected massive inflow of visitors expected to enter the country in the next few months. Each announced what measures his ministry would take to that effect.

Marouni said that 5 million tourists were expected to enter the country this year; a million more than last year.

He indicated that many of these tourists were Lebanese living abroad who had initially traveled to Lebanon to participate in the election, but had extended their stay to visit tourist attractions over the summer.

Many of these tourists would need to access everyday services since a number of them own properties in the country, said Marouni.

He urged all Lebanese to assist vacationers as "tourist guides" would do, "because Lebanon must be their second native country."

After the successful election, Marouni presented the image of a country having regained its stability. "Come see the Lebanon that has overcome its misfortunes and its wounds," he said.

Mitri said that his ministry would reinforce its services to the population to accommodate the inflow of visitors. "We have to fortify the touristic police, the police forces, and the army," he said after announcing that 3,000 persons had volunteered to support the touristic police.

For his part, Basil spoke of the efforts his ministry had undertaken in the field of telecommunications. He said that phone services would be discounted and advertised over the season, and that 300,000 mobile phones lines had been readied in preparation for the heightened demand for that utility.

Regarding the provision of Internet services, Basil acknowledged that Lebanon was already struggling to meet the needs of its population, but he said that his ministry would work to expand the size of the current network so as to meet the combined demand of Lebanese and tourists for the Internet.

Baroud predicted that there would be more traffic jams, especially in Beirut, as a result of the presence of the tourists. "But this is normal in Beirut," he said with irony.

Marouni had a cautionary word for those concerned that the arrival of scores of foreigners risked contributing to spreading swine flu in the country. "I have been in contact with the health minister. We agreed that we would visit the airport [of Beirut] together to examine the situation," he said.

US Relieved at Lebanon Election Result

U.S. relieved at Lebanon election result
08 Jun 2009 22:43:21 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Obama signals continued U.S. support for Lebanon
* Tough bargaining ahead on Lebanese government
* Violence possible if Hezbollah does not get veto (Adds comments by U.S. official, paragraph 7, analyst, paragraphs 16-17, Nasrallah, paragraph 18)
By Arshad Mohammed
WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - The victory of pro-Western forces in Lebanon's elections is a relief for U.S. officials, sparing them a nettlesome decision on how to deal with a coalition led by Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah.
In a surprise, Saad al-Hariri's anti-Syrian bloc won 71 of parliament's 128 seats, against 57 for an opposition alliance that groups Shi'ite factions Hezbollah and Amal with Christian leader Michel Aoun, according to Lebanon's interior minister. [ID:nL8701647]
In advance of Sunday's elections, U.S. officials from Vice President Joe Biden on down made clear they would reassess U.S. aid, notably to the Lebanese armed forces, if Hezbollah and its allies prevailed over the "March 14" anti-Syrian political alliance.
The United States has formally designated Hezbollah as a "foreign terrorist organization," a status that bars U.S. assistance to the group or its members.
"The good news for Washington is that there is no need to adjust policy (in) style or substance," said Bilal Saab, a Lebanon expert with the Brookings Institution think tank who advises the U.S. government on Lebanon.
"There won't be champagne ... but there sure will be sighs of relief," Saab added.
"There are a lot of things to be pleased about," a senior State Department official, speaking on condition that he not be named, told reporters. "Of course, we do welcome the fact that the March 14 majority was able to prevail."
U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States "will continue to support a sovereign and independent Lebanon" -- a statement that U.S. officials said signaled U.S. aid to Lebanon was likely to keep flowing.
U.S. officials, however, said they would not make such decisions until a new government is formed and its policies -- and aid priorities -- are decided.
The United States has given the Lebanese armed forces more than $500 million since the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, seeking to build up an institution eroded by decades of sectarian strife and foreign influence.
TOUGH BARGAINING
The assassination triggered an international outcry that led neighboring Syria to end its 29-year military presence in Lebanon and gave rise to the March 14 alliance led by Saad Hariri, the son of Rafiq Hariri. [ID:nL8629164]
The alliance is named after the date of a huge rally against Syria's military presence in 2005.
The victory by the March 14 bloc sets the stage for tough bargaining among all the parties over forming a consensus national government and whether Hezbollah would receive a blocking veto, as it has demanded.
Analysts said Hezbollah was likely to get what it wanted, saying that if it did not it could portend protracted gridlock and possible violence.
"It will be very difficult to move forward without having some kind of consensus government formed, which by extension ... implies that Hezbollah will want a blocking veto. It's my sense that that would be necessary in order to attract them into the government," said Middle East and North Africa analyst Mona Yacoubian of the government-funded United States Institute of Peace think tank.
"If not, I think we are back to (a) sort of dangerous paralysis," Yacoubian added.
"I think that we are in a moment of danger," said Elliott Abrams, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank who served on the White House National Security Council under former President George W. Bush.
"Having lost the elections, Hezbollah now has to rely on its strength as a terrorist group to remind Lebanese of its power, and the danger is that it will do something to remind them that it is still ... the single most powerful entity in Lebanon," Abrams added.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said he accepted the election results "with sportsmanship and in a democratic way."
Several analysts warned against casting the victory by the March 14 bloc as a massive setback for Iran and Syria.
"You have to be careful not to read too much into this. Iran is not a superman and the United States is not without its own interests and capabilities," said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.
"I don't think this is anything more than the end of a round, it's not a decisive defeat for anybody," he added. (Editing by Will Dunham)

• 22:49 @Alienbea Yeah, that's what we saw...so cute!!! I enjoyed it as much as they did! Thanks! #
• 22:50 Counting down till Lebanon...hope the election proves to be good for the country.. #
• 22:51 #lebanonelections...yay for March 14 #

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Hariri : Democracy won and the biggest winner is Lebanon

Hariri : Democracy won and the biggest winner is Lebanon
Published: Monday, 8 June, 2009 @ 3:04 AM in Beirut
Beirut - An anti-Syrian coalition, known as "March 14," defeated the "March 8" alliance composed of Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon's parliamentary election on Sunday, politicians on both sides said.

Following is reaction from Lebanese politicians:

SAAD AL-HARIRI, LEADER OF ANTI-SYRIAN COALITION

Congratulations to Lebanon, congratulations to democracy, congratulations to freedom. The Lebanese have proved today their commitment to freedom and democracy. There are no winners and losers in this election, the only winner is democracy and the biggest winner is Lebanon.

LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER FOUAD SINIORA, MARCH 14

On his Sidon victory: "I dedicate this victory, God willing, to Lebanon and the Lebanese and the soul of the martyr Rafik al-Hariri."

I was leaning toward thinking that there is a majority that will be preserved and may achieve more gains. I believe that we have made steps forward and the most important thing to consider is ... to act humbly and this is what should judge the future performance, embrace all of the nation's people to take our country to the future.

HEZBOLLAH MP, HASSAN FADLALLAH, MARCH 8

We consider that Lebanon is ruled by partnership and whatever the results of the elections are, we cannot change the standing delicate balances or repeat the experiences of the past which led to catastrophes on Lebanon and showed the inability of one party monopolizing power. Whoever wants political stability, the preservation of national unity and the resurrection of Lebanon will find no choice but to accept the principle of consensus.

LEBANESE DRUZE LEADER, WALID JUMBLATT, MARCH 14

We should not forget that the elections should be a boost to the dialogue and we should not try to isolate the other parties.

INFORMATION MINISTER TAREQ MITRI, MARCH 14

For March 14, an electoral victory no matter how small the majority or large, means that the basic fundamental principles that have created this movement are still valued by the Lebanese and that this is a vote in favor of Lebanon's independence and that people don't want to see Lebanon continue being a battleground for wars and tensions in the region and the world.

It shows that there was a democratic process, the democratic system in spite of all difficulties we have seen in last few years, the democratic system of Lebanon, is viable and that a large number of Lebanese are committed to democracy.

• 13:54 Any of my tweeps have any recs for a good kid-friendly movie?? #

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• 22:51 thinking and wondering.... #

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Hhmmmmmmm.......

• 18:22 @Alienbea You will LOVE scouts, heheheh...fun for boys, trust me..too loud for moms though :) #
• 23:51 Hmmmm.....what to do? #

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