Naharnet Newsdesk - President Travels to Doha After Anti-Suleiman Slogans By March 8 Forces

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President Travels to Doha After Anti-Suleiman Slogans By March 8 Forces
President Michel Suleiman traveled to Doha Thursday night after anti-Israeli protesters shouted slogans against him and following pressure from Hizbullah and Amal movement to attend the Arab summit on Gaza.
The pro-Gaza protest near the U.S. embassy in Awkar raised fears that the implications of the Gaza war have moved to Lebanon.

The daily An Nahar on Friday said the protesters, that included opposition and leftist parties spearheaded by Hizbullah, called on Suleiman not to "abandon the (Palestinian) cause."

The pro-March 8 demonstrators also shouted slogans accusing him of being a U.S. agent.

"We want to go back to your days Lahoud," they shouted in reference to former President Emile Lahoud.

The demonstration was held shortly before Suleiman headed to Doha to participate in the emergency summit on Gaza if it was convened.

Information Minister Tareq Mitri said after a cabinet meeting Thursday night that the president traveled to Qatar to attend a consultative session.

"There is no summit because quorum was not achieved," he said.

Arab League chief Amr Moussa has said that a quorum of 15 countries to hold the meeting in Doha had not been achieved as only 13 of the 22 member states had agreed to attend.

Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper said that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's assistant Hajj Hussein Khalil and MP Ali Hassan Khalil from Speaker Nabih Berri's Amal movement kept contacts with Suleiman via his advisors all day Thursday to convince him to attend the Doha meeting.

The daily said at around 6:00 pm the minority was informed of the president's decision to travel to Doha to take part in the emergency summit.

"If there is no quorum, then the president will participate in any presidential or consultative meeting in Qatar," according to a Baabda Palace statement.

As Safir said Hajj Hussein Khalil and MP Ali Hassan Khalil informed Suleiman on Wednesday that they wished he would accept the Qatari invitation for several reasons: Lebanon is not a neutral country in the war on Gaza, there are geographical factors that link Palestine and Lebanon and there is a political, military and demographic Palestinian presence in Lebanon.

Al-Akhbar newspaper also said Friday that Suleiman was clearly informed by minority forces that any nonparticipation in the summit would be explained that he is taking sides with parties that are against the Palestinian people.

Beirut, 16 Jan 09, 09:30


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