Excerpts: Israel/Saudi handshake at international security
conference.Hizbullah wants state role February 07, 2010

+++SOURCE:JORDAN TIMES 7 Feb.'10:"Israeli, Saudi handshake settles seating
spa", Reuters
SUBJECT: Israel/Saudi handshake at international security conference

FULL TEXT:;MUNICH (Reuters) - A handshake between an Israeli politician and
a Saudi prince settled an unusual public diplomatic spat on Saturday(6 Feb)
about the seating arrangements at an international security conference.
To applause from the audience at the Munich Security Conference, a global
gathering of defence, security and diplomatic chiefs, Israeli Deputy Foreign
Minister Danny Ayalon and Saudi Arabia's Prince Turki Al Faisal smiled and
shook hands in a display of diplomatic good manners.
"There is a chance," Ayalon said, apparently referring to prospects for a
more peaceful region. "I am very glad". Ayalon had accused Turki, a former
Saudi intelligence chief and envoy to Washington and London, of
orchestrating a decision to keep him off a panel involving other regional
powers meant to discuss the security of the Middle East.
The panel had been due to feature speakers from Saudi Arabia, Israel,
Turkey, Egypt, Russia and the United States.
In the event, it was split into two sessions, the first featuring Turki,
Egyptian diplomat Hossam Zaki and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
and a second with Ayalon, Russian academic Igor Yurgens and US Senator
Joseph Lieberman.
Ayalon began his talk saying it appeared "a representative of a country with
a lot of oil" had pressed the organisers to separate the panel because he
"did not want to sit with us".
This showed a lack of mutual respect and tolerance, a failing at the heart
of the region's problems, he said.
In the subsequent question and answer session, Turki stood up in the
audience and said it was not he who had objected and the splitting of the
panel was probably due to Ayalon's "boorish behaviour" with Turkey's envoy
to Israel.
This was a reference to a public dressing down Ayalon gave Ambassador Oguz
Celikkol in January. Ayalon later conceded his behaviour towards the envoy
had been inappropriate. Israel has apologised for the incident.
Ayalon responded to Turki saying Turki had called into question his
integrity. He added: "If indeed it was not him who objected to my being here
with him, I would welcome him to shake my outstetched hand." Turki
approached the podium, Ayalon descended from it and the men grasped hands.
Davutoglu could not immediately be reached for comment.
Turkey, as a Muslim country, is an important ally of Israel and in the past
has helped forge contacts between Israel and the Arab world. But relations
have deteriorated following criticism by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of
Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip last year.

+++SOURCE: NAHARNET (Lebanon) 7 Feb.'10:"Sfeir: Possibilities of War Exist
as
Long as Hizbullah Wants to Play State Role"
QUOTE:"Maronite Patriarch Sier lamented ...continued Syrian influence in
Lebanon"
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir lamented what he called continued Syrian
influence in Lebanon and said that the possibilities of war exist as long as
Hizbullah wants to play the role of the state.
"The side that has arms is forcing itself on others," Sfeir told al-Massira
magazine in an interview. "The possibilities of war exist as long as
Hizbullah wants to play the role of the state."
The patriarch also rejected the presence of two armies in the country,
calling "for the continuation of the struggle until the rise of the state."
On relations with Damascus, Sfeir said: "The Syrians kept their influence
despite their withdrawal from Lebanon as a result of the compliance of some
(Lebanese) with their tutelage."
He said he visited Damascus when he was still a bishop. "What has changed so
that I visit Damascus today?" he wondered.
"We won't visit Damascus unless we have the support of our sect," the head
of the Maronite church stressed.
He told al-Massira that the situation of the country's Christians wasn't
better in previous decades. "Lebanon's Christians weren't better during
Turkish rule. The Turkish state was against us but we preserved our
presence."
"At a later stage, they (Christians) weren't in a better situation than
today," the patriarch added.
Asked about ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and the Feb. 14 mass rally to mark his
5th assassination anniversary, Sfeir said Hariri's death was a big loss for
Lebanon.
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat should "demonstrate his
presence during the Feb. 14 occasion to the March 14 team and not me," he
said.
=============
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA