From: elie@hdtv.njit.edu (Elie I. Mourad)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: CLAO Aug. 18 1992
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:04:39 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.



CLAO Aug. 18, 1992
------------------

President George Bush lifted yesterday a ban on US air cargo flights to
Lebanon. The ban was imposed in 1985.

In a statement issued yesterday, the European Community said: "The Community
and its memeber states believe that only through fair and free elections,
resulting in fully representative institutions, can national confidence
in Lebanon be fully restored." It added the 12 EC member states "call
for the elections to be conducted according to democratic principles."

A German journalist was killed in Lebanon today by a 400 gram bomb
placed under her car in the town of Ghazir. The journalist married to 
a Lebanese, worked for the German magazine Der Spiegel and the Spiegel TV
and ZDF television networks.

"Informed Syrian sources" cautioned against linking the elections to
the date of the redeployment of Syrian troops, saying the redeployment
"is a security issue to be decided on by the Syrian and Lebanese regimes...
and is in no way connected to the date of the elections. That is to say
that the call for elections to be held after the redeployment 
in September has no realistic basis." 
The Syrian sources hinted that Washington was encouraging opponents 
of the poll. The sources said "internal (Lebanese) stands on the elections
have regional and international dimensions" (al-Hayat, Aug. 18)

Beirut's daily al-nahar quoted a "former official" as saying that the
Hrawi regime should have "understood the United States' position on
elections when Ambassador Crocker said that internal unity was more important
than the poll."

The pro-Syrian as-Safir said that any retreat on the elections would
result in the fall of the state and the Taef accord. It quoted 
political sources as saying the authorities were relying among 
other things, on the fact that some Maronite candidates in Keserwan were still
running. These include Henry Sfair, Rashid Khazen and Sami Khouary.

As-Safir wrote that Elias Hrawi is upset and trying to find a way out
of the impasse, especially since more candidates are pulling out and there 
are growing fears that few, unrepresentative figures would be left.

After a visit to Damascus, Rashid al-Solh was told by Syrian authorities
that they do not favor a postponement or cancellation of the elections.

After spending 16 days in Lebanon, former president Amine Gemayel 
returned back to Europe.

The security personnel at Beirut International Airport prevented Mr. Elie
Joseph Skaff from leaving the airport.

Mr. Dory Chamoun visited Michel Aoun in Marseille. Their meeting lasted 
about four hours. In a recent interview, General Michel Aon said: "We are
fighting a battle to prevent the annihilation of Lebanon, and its is not
true that the Lebanese opposition consists of only one section
of the Lebanese population. He added: Our opposition is democratic, and
there is no room for violence in it.

Finally, Tamman Saeb Salam pulled out of the race. He issued a statement
saying that he was "suspending" his candidacy and urged the Hrawi regime
to put off the ballot and strive for national unity, "which is the 
guarantee of Lebanon;s unity and future."