Blair, in Beirut, pledges support for Lebanon reconstruction - Haaretz

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Thu., September 06, 2007 Elul 23, 5767

Israel Time: 09:14 (EST+7)

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		Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora welcoming British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Beirut on Monday. (AP)

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Last update - 01:25 12/09/2006

Blair, in Beirut, pledges support for Lebanon reconstruction

By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters

British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday pledged to assist with the reconstruction of Lebanon's infrastructure in a Beirut press conference with Lebanese counterpart Fouad Siniora.

Blair said the U.K. would donate some 50 million pounds to repair some of the damage caused to the local economy during the war between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

He also reiterated his determination to negotiate a long-lasting regional peace between Israel and its neighbors.

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The press conference was briefly interrupted by Lebanese protesters carrying a banner. It was not immediately clear what the banner said.

"It's OK, this is democracy," a calm Siniora said as the protesters were escorted away.

Thousands of protesters had staged a demonstration earlier, accusing Blair of complicity in Israel's bombardment of Lebanon.

Earlier Monday, Blair arrived in Beirut as troops and riot police deployed to handle planned protests against his stance during the war.

Siniora and Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh greeted Blair at the airport, which reopened fully last week after Israel lifted an eight-week blockade on Lebanon's airport and ports.

Blair had been expected to meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, but an aide to the Shi'ite politician said he left on a private trip abroad on Saturday.

The aide declined to say whether Berri had deliberately snubbed Blair, but said his trip had been previously planned.

An aide to Blair said two Hezbollah ministers in the cabinet would not attend a planned meeting of the British premier with the Lebanese government.

Security forces sealed off Beirut's central district to traffic for Blair's visit, his first to Lebanon. Pro-Syrian political parties and students have said they will stage demonstrations against the British prime minister.

Top Shi'ite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah said on Sunday that Blair was not welcome because of his support for Israel and Washington. He also criticized Blair for allowing U.S. arms to be shipped via Britain to Israel for use against Lebanon.

Fadlallah said Blair should have been told to stay away so he would "know we are not so naive as to welcome him when he has contributed to killing us and slaughtering our children."

Prior to his arrival in Lebanon, Blair met Sunday in Jerusalem with families of the three Israel Defense Forces soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah, telling them he wanted to help bring about their sons' release.

Miki Goldwasser, the mother of Ehud Goldwasser, held by Hezbollah along with Eldad Regev, said after the meeting that she had asked him to take her to Beirut.

"I said I was ready to go to Beirut and speak with Mr. Siniora. My goal is to get to every possible channel. I am ready to talk to anyone, and as a mother to ask for the release of my son."

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1.	Blair in Beirut	11:37	\|	Athena Murphy	11/09/06

2.	Blair go to hell	11:43	\|	gus	11/09/06

3.	Has been and war on terror	12:05	\|	vdH	11/09/06

4.	to gus	12:14	\|	craig	11/09/06

5.	No`s #1 & #2: No mention of blood on Hezbolla`s hands?	12:18	\|	Dan	11/09/06

6.	Athena Murphy #1	12:19	\|	Kiki Bardot	11/09/06

7.	to craig	12:26	\|	John Baker	11/09/06

8.	Olmert, Blair Seniora. Resign Now !	12:32	\|	Adel	11/09/06

9.	gus # 2	12:41	\|	ChanahS	11/09/06

10.	To Athena Murphy and John Baker	12:50	\|	Maral	11/09/06

11.	Mr Blair is Not Welcome in Lebanon	13:04	\|	Karim	11/09/06

12.	Blair in Beirut	13:09	\|	Reuven	11/09/06

13.	John Baker - you are ignorant	13:27	\|	ChanahS	11/09/06

14.	to #4 craig	13:36	\|	alanM	11/09/06

15.	#Gus	13:46	\|	Blackhand	11/09/06

16.	British posters	13:50	\|	George	11/09/06

17.	#1, I think a few people would dispute that	13:59	\|	Danny - Israeli one	11/09/06

18.	Athena`s axis of evil	13:59	\|	Ronald McDonald	11/09/06

19.	#15 To Haaretz	14:05	\|	Fairplay	11/09/06

20.	George	14:10	\|	John Baker	11/09/06

21.	Caliphate, Shmaliphate	14:28	\|	Rowan Berkeley	11/09/06

22.	Blair in Beirut	14:29	\|	Samir	11/09/06

23.	Siniora meets Blair?	14:37	\|	Big Ben	11/09/06

24.	Brits on this site	14:42	\|	Mordechai	11/09/06

25.	Not in our name	14:46	\|	Mireille, a Lebanese	11/09/06

26.	Bliar	15:02	\|	AA	11/09/06

27.	to Bohn Baker	15:27	\|	michael	11/09/06

28.	to Bohn Baker	15:27	\|	michael	11/09/06

29.	Blair the warmonger	15:27	\|	Mary Allen	11/09/06

30.	to Mireille you mean to tell me ...	15:31	\|	Gabriel.	11/09/06

31.	Re: Olmert, Blair Seniora. Resign Now !	15:36	\|	www.truemarch14.com	11/09/06

32.	Mordechai aka McCarthey	15:47	\|	Freddy	11/09/06

33.	Brits on this site - Mordechai	15:59	\|	Jack	11/09/06

34.	To #26 and 27 Michael	16:04	\|	Fred	11/09/06

35.	with left like Blair, who needs right	16:26	\|	omolll	11/09/06

36.	a message to British People	16:41	\|	Lebanese	11/09/06

37.	Blair is a sponsor of terrorism - he needs to be arrested	16:54	\|	Stephen Murray	11/09/06

38.	To Mireille #25 and Samir #22	16:58	\|	Patrick	11/09/06

39.	Dear Gabriel	17:00	\|	Mireille, a Lebanese	11/09/06

40.	Why do you lie?	17:01	\|	From the Moon	11/09/06

41.	Thank you Mr Blair	17:15	\|	Christian Lebanese	11/09/06

42.	to patrick & christian lebanese	18:17	\|	bad leb	11/09/06

43.	A disgrace to British Jews	18:17	\|	Jaffa	11/09/06

44.	Patrick about Siniora	18:21	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	11/09/06

45.	to christian Lebanese	18:21	\|	Anthony	11/09/06

46.	What the banner said:	18:23	\|	Anthony	11/09/06

47.	to Patrick #31	18:27	\|	Mireille, a Lebanese	11/09/06

48.	Blair the Heir	18:28	\|	bad leb	11/09/06

49.	ohhh GUS let`s all go to hell	18:32	\|	Sophie	11/09/06

50.	to Anthony	18:56	\|	Gus	11/09/06

51.	At least get your facts straight	19:08	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	11/09/06

52.	Dear Anthony Plzzzzz	19:15	\|	Sophie	11/09/06

53.	To MaRgIe	19:17	\|	Sophie	11/09/06

54.	Blair in Beirut from a Brit	19:29	\|	David	11/09/06

55.	I SAY REVOLUTION	19:31	\|	Sophie	11/09/06

56.	This criminal should leave ur capital and our country	19:32	\|	Lebanese in Canada	11/09/06

57.	This criminal should leave ur capital and our country	19:32	\|	Lebanese in Canada	11/09/06

58.	Petition to the United Nations (partal)	20:04	\|	rick	11/09/06

59.	THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY	20:34	\|	Loyal Lebanese	11/09/06

60.	#2 GUS "WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE"	21:06	\|	Loyal Lebanese	11/09/06

61.	#31 Patrick`s WISDOM	22:03	\|	Loyal Lebanese	11/09/06

62.	Danny and his Stalin	22:15	\|	Thomas	11/09/06

63.	Blair is just glad he`s in a warzone	22:50	\|	Clickfool	11/09/06

64.	KICK THE POODL OUT	23:49	\|	CHEEWAWA	11/09/06

65.	okayed the SLAUGHTER of the people	00:06	\|	jose zeda	12/09/06

66.	Why do you Arabs insist on addressing Blair or Seniora here?	01:25	\|	McQueen	12/09/06

67.	Black is White, Up Is Down	01:27	\|	Typical Arab Poster	12/09/06

68.	Fools, don`t believe "identities" these clowns make up	01:31	\|	McQueen	12/09/06

69.	Yes, "Sophie," it`s you who are crazy	02:47	\|	McQueen	12/09/06

70.	#5 Dan is right	03:07	\|	Loyal Lebanese	12/09/06

71.	hey jose zeda	01:46	\|	neeca	06/09/07

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