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http://www.dailystar.com.lb/23_09_02/art4.asp The Daily Star September 23, 2002 Berri claims US targeting Mideast oil Mohammed Zaatari Daily Star correspondent -Berri said that the US campaign has been aimed at gaining control of the oil fields from Kazakhstan in the north to the Gulf in the south. Speaker Nabih Berri has said that America�s �war on terror� following the Sept. 11 attacks is not meant to crush rebellious Islamic movements but is instead a �pretext� to control Middle Eastern oil. Berri said that the US campaign has been aimed at gaining control of the oil fields from Kazakhstan in the north to the Gulf in the south. Berri�s comments came Friday evening in Majdalyoun during a reception attended by more than 1,200 people, including Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Sidon MP Bahiya Hariri, first lady Andree Lahoud (representing President Emile Lahoud) and US Ambassador Vincent Battle. Berri, who was attending a celebration in his honor marking a decade of post-war parliamentary life, said the US was �coercing the whole world� into adopting American �anti-terrorism� and �labeling as terrorist and evil� anyone or any group voicing disagreement. Berri also called for �countering� the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, accusing the Jewish state of seeking to displace Gaza-based Palestinians to Libya and West Bank-based Palestinians to Jordan, where a �substitute Palestinian homeland is to be set up.� The speaker said that Lebanon was meant to be a place where �unwanted Palestinians, included those (displaced in) 1948, would be thrown.� On domestic matters, the speaker said the national debt was �as serious as sectarianism,� but he denied that the state was paralyzed. For his part, Hariri called for a new electoral law, one which would boost political representation for all of the groups that are in Parliament. �We should try and rid parliamentary life of all flaws by learning from the experience of the past decade,� he said. Hariri expressed his readiness to �cooperate with all political forces� in order to forge a new electoral law, he said. Battle�s invitation to the event prompted calls for him not being allowed into Sidon, and the ambassador arrived early for the event, amid a heavy security detail. Battle sat by himself for 20 minutes at his table before being joined by Beirut MP Atef Majdalani and West Bekaa MP Robert Ghanem. The US ambassador and Hizbullah MPs were seated at opposite ends of the reception __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
