Beirut- Shaffaf
Sources in Baabda Palace revealed that tension prevailed in the meeting between President Sleiman and his Iranian counterpart at Baabda prior to their joint press conference.
Ahmadinejad surprised President Sleiman with his requests – almost, ‘orders’ – for a change of the Lebanese Governmet. Internal and regional circumstances which prevailed during the formation of the Hariri Government have elapsed, and the time has come to form a government that reflects the victory of the Iranian-Syrian axis and the defeat of the U.S. project in the region, Ahmadinejad said.
In the same context, sources close to the Ahmadinejad’s delegation talked of an ‘initiative’ that Nejad shall propose, tomorrow, to PM Saad Hariri as a way out of the crisis that Hezbollah and the Lebanese Government are wallowing in. It had been rumored that the STL shall indict Hezbollah for its involvement in the assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri and other politicians and activists of the Cedars Revolution.
Sources added that Ahmadinejad apparently informed the Saudi King of the general outlines of his initiative. Ahmadinejad’s proposed intiative was transmitted to president Mubarak throuhgh King Abdullah of Jordan.
Ahmadinejad welcome the participation of Saudi Arabia and Egypt in sponsoring his proposed settlement. If not, Syria and Turkey were ready and willing, which would amount to Lebanon being put under a Turkish, Syrian and Iranian tutelage, sources report.
Even if details of the plan have not been revealed, March 14 sources are worried Ahmadinejad’s plan will be a reflection of his speech at the “al Raya stadium” in Beirut’s Dahyé, yesterday. In the rally organized by Hizbullah, Nejad said “the evil hand of treachery has reached a dear friend of ours who cared a lot for his country (meaning PM Rafic Hariri), and, now, news are being fabricated and charges are being made against other friends in order to sow the seeds of seduction”. He added, “They want sedition among different classes and religions that had always lived together in peace and harmony. They want to harm the brotherly relations between peoples of the region.. between the Syrian and the Lebanese…”.
March 14 sources believe that any initiative proposed by Ahmadinejad will be be a reflection of what Hezbollah has been calling for in the past few months: Hariri has to deny the STL and has to refuse, in advance, any indictment accususing Hezbollah.
Observers in Beirut stated that Hassan Nasrallah’s speech hinted at the Iranian initiative in its appeal “not to hold all Shiites accountable if one Shiite made a mistake”. Observers pointed out that this could be the title of Ahmadinejad’s initiative. Yet, what price could Hezbollah, Ahmadinejad, and Syria require from the Cedars Revolution parties, and from the Lebanese, against holding only “one Shiite responsible for a mistake”- and, thus, avoiding the long promised Hizbullah putsch?