Posted Thursday, January 13, 2022 10:46 pm
Al-Madina News: The Lebanese presidency confirmed, on Thursday, that the country’s President Michel Aoun’s call for a national dialogue “will remain open”, calling on those who reject dialogue to “stop stubbornness.”
This came in a statement by the presidency, following Aoun’s consultations with the heads of parliament, the government and heads of parliamentary blocs regarding the call for a national dialogue.
In late December, Aoun called for a “national dialogue for understanding on three issues: expanded administrative and financial decentralization, a defense strategy to protect Lebanon, and a plan for financial and economic recovery.”
And parties that are among the main components in the country have previously announced their boycott of the dialogue, namely the Future Movement, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party, considering that the priority at this stage is the parliamentary elections scheduled for next May, while the dialogue supported the components Aoun’s ally, including Hezbollah.
The statement of the Presidency of the Republic stated that “the positions of some ranged from refusing to consult and rejecting dialogue, and they bear responsibility for the consequences of the continued comprehensive obstruction of the authorities.”
Caesar’s Law
In addition, the Lebanese Foreign Minister, Abdullah Bou Habib, announced that US officials informed him that his country is exempted from the sanctions for importing energy through Syria, through Egyptian officials.
Bou Habib said, “American officials reiterated their support for importing gas and electricity to Lebanon from Egypt and Jordan, via Syria, to enhance the production of electric power.”
Lebanon has been suffering for years, a severe crisis in the provision of electricity, which escalated in recent months due to the lack of fuel following the financial collapse in the country.
According to the Lebanese minister, “the Americans informed him that Lebanon is exempted from the restrictions imposed by Caesar’s Law, as this was done through Egyptian officials.”
In 2020, Washington approved the “Protection of Civilians in Syria” law, or what is known as “Caesar’s Law”, which imposes sanctions on the Syrian regime and any countries cooperating with it in most sectors, including energy.
The pursuit of Riad Salameh
On the other hand, the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh, demanded, on Thursday, the removal of Judge Ghada Aoun, from a lawsuit filed against him before the judiciary, accusing her of bias and leading a campaign to tarnish his image.
On Wednesday, Aoun, in her capacity as the Appeal Public Prosecutor in Mount Lebanon, issued a decision banning Salameh from traveling, against the background of investigations into a case against him pending before the Lebanese judiciary on corruption charges.
Salameh considered, according to the statement, that the lawsuits filed against him “have one goal, which is to exploit them in the media as part of a systematic process to tarnish my image in front of public opinion in Lebanon and abroad.”
He added: “With regard to Judge Ghada Aoun, she tweeted repeatedly, in a hostile manner, on her personal account on Twitter, addressing myself with a negative expression, and anticipating judicial rulings.”
He added that “Judge Aoun belongs to a political line,” which he did not name, in reference to the Free Patriotic Movement founded by President Michel Aoun.
Salameh said, “According to the simplest legal rules, a judge cannot be an adversary and an arbiter at the same time.” The Governor of the Banque du Liban revealed that he had submitted a request to the Court of Appeal to “Judge Aoun’s response to the case.”
Aoun investigated Salameh in lawsuits filed against him by Lebanese lawyers, related to “violation of job duties, negligence, illicit enrichment, money laundering and fraud,” according to the lawsuit.
Source: Arabic 21