BEIRUT // The Arab League may be toughening its stance against Syria, but Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati is certain of one thing: his country will not be dragged into the escalating crisis across the border.
While other members of the Arab League have become increasingly vocal, even going so far last week as to call for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to step down, Lebanon has remained on the periphery.
The country voted against suspending Syria from the Arab League in November and was the only member state not to endorse last week's calls for Mr Al Assad to transfer power to his deputy.
The country does, however, say it will abide by any international sanctions against Syria.
Mr Mikati is adamant that this policy is the only way of maintaining stability in Lebanon.
"Definitely I am concerned about what is going on in Syria, as I am concerned if there is any kind of fight or war in any Arab countries," Mr Mikati said yesterday in an interview with The National at his office overlooking downtown Beirut.
"But...I am more concerned about what's going on in Syria because it has a direct reflection on Lebanon. What I'm trying to do and my policy is to disassociate, to shy away from what's going on in Syria."
Some critics have called the government's stance tacit support for the Syrian regime.
Although Syrian troops left in 2005 after a 29-year military presence in Lebanon, the country still wields significant influence on its smaller neighbour. With Lebanon's tempestuous political scene split between groups still supporting the Al Assad regime, including Hizbollah, there is concern with the possibility of violence spilling across the border.
Already, thousands of Syrian refugees have crossed into Lebanon in the 10 months since the uprising began and Syrian forces have made incursions into Lebanese territory. Last week, local media quoted the Syrian ambassador saying that Lebanon needed to do more to prevent weapons being shuttled to opposition fighters across the porous border between the two countries.
The opposition March 14-bloc has voiced support for the uprising and last week welcomed a statement issued by the main political opposition group, the Syrian National Council, that called for a "new page" in Lebanon-Syria relations.
Mr Mikati would not be drawn on the comments, but said that this policy of "disassociation" is the only way to preserve the period of relative stability that Lebanon is witnessing.
"What concerns me in Syria today, the most important [thing] is stopping this kind of bloodshed," he said. "That is the most important for me. Every day we are hearing killing from both parties. This should stop."
The 56-year-old premier said the countries' "historical and geographical" ties have also been a factor in forming the policy that is in the "interest of Lebanon".
"Historically we were always complaining about others interfering in our domestic and national issues," he said.
"The Syrians, they know how to solve it. I'm not the one who will give lessons to the Syrians or others, [on] a condition nobody will give me lessons. I am Lebanese and I know the interests of my country."
Mr Mikati previously held the post of prime-minister in 2005, briefly leading a caretaker government in the aftermath of the assassination of the late Rafiq Hariri.
His second premiership came several years later when the government of Hariri's son Saad, collapsed at the beginning of 2011, following disputes revolving around the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) - the court investigating the Hariri-murder.
After Mr Hariri was ousted as prime minister, Mr Mikati was nominated by the Hizbollah-led March 8 bloc.
Critics were quick to describe him as the Hizbollah-candidate and predicted that even if he was able to form a government, it would be short-lived.
But, just over a year after he was nominated for the post and six months after he formed a cabinet and officially took the position of prime-minister, Mr Mikati has proved more resilient than his naysayers predicted.
Despite the staunch opposition of Hizbollah and its allies to the STL, he managed to avoid political crisis by finding a way to pay Lebanon's financial obligations to the tribunal late last year.
The Hague-based court has indicted four men identified as Hizbollah supporters and differences over the STL have developed into one of the most divisive issues within Lebanese politics.
While the suspects have yet to be apprehended by Lebanese authorities, Mr Mikati says that since the indictment was released last June "all the necessary procedures" are being taken.
While the looming questions of Syria and the STL remain, Mr Mikati's government faces a raft of pressing domestic issues. The country is struggling with massive public debt, daily power cuts and a turbulent political environment.
But, the premier says that maintaining stability and pushing for a "permanent peace", for the time being, is his priority.
Mr Mikati - a father of three from Lebanon's northern Sunni heartland, Tripoli - is man of vast wealth, not unlike other Lebanese political figures. But, in a country of wealthy politicians, his fortune, estimated at US$2.8 billion (Dh10.2bn), outranks the others.
Named by Forbes as the richest man in Lebanon - alongside his brother Taha - the self-made billionaire has business interests in fields including telecoms. So, why was he drawn to politics?
"I am not keen just for the position, I'm keen to help and to serve, if I can really avoid any bad things on my country I will not hesitate one second," he said.
zconstantine@thenational.ae
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FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
Bob%20Marley%3A%20One%20Love
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Reinaldo%20Marcus%20Green%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20James%20Norton%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A02%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Fast%20X
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Louis%20Leterrier%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Michelle%20Rodriguez%2C%20Jason%20Statham%2C%20Tyrese%20Gibson%2C%20Ludacris%2C%20Jason%20Momoa%2C%20John%20Cena%2C%20Jordana%20Brewster%2C%20Nathalie%20Emmanuel%2C%20Sung%20Kang%2C%20Brie%20Larson%2C%20Helen%20Mirren%20and%20Charlize%20Theron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
