Hariri Makes Speech on Friday as Nasrallah Makes Similar Appearance Sunday

A speech that al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri will make on Friday is expected to focus on the international tribunal, the cabinet stalemate and a National Charter issued by Bkirki.

A similar speech of high importance will be made by his rival Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday.

Al-Liwaa daily said Wednesday that Hariri, who will appear via video link before a huge crowd in BIEL during the anniversary of his father's assassination, will stress the importance of the start of the trial in his case.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is trying in absentia four Hizbullah suspects accused of plotting former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination on Feb. 14, 2005.

On Tuesday, the STL decided to join the case of a fifth Hizbullah member to the case of the four others.

Sources ruled out that Hariri will make any initiative on the new government. They told al-Liwaa that he will express his viewpoint on the freeze in the cabinet formation process after he made several concessions to resolve the deadlock.

The al-Mustaqbal movement leader will also tackle in his speech the National Charter that was announced last week by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

The charter called for the election of a president on time and for Muslim-Christian partnership.

Hariri was the first politician to welcome the charter, considering it a roadmap to rebuild the state.

Media reports said that al-Mustaqbal has invited Premier-designate Tammam Salam and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat to the event in BIEL that will mark Hariri's assassination anniversary.

But Jumblat is likely not to attend. He has announced that he would travel abroad.

As for Nasrallah, he is scheduled to make a speech next Sunday on the assassination anniversary of Hizbullah officials Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi, Sheikh Ragheb Harb and Imad Mughniyeh.