Oxford Analytica: "...political momentum in Lebanon, still lies with the policy of rapprochement with Syria..."

(Also see below,here)

Oxford Analytica summarizes:

"President Michel Suleiman and Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, figures considered independent of the pro-Syrian March 8 and pro-Western March 14 groupings, emphasised the importance of security cooperation with Syria during a press conference yesterday. They maintained that the recent Syrian troop deployments along the Lebanese border should be viewed in this light. Earlier this week, March 14 leader Saad al-Hariri charged that the deployments were intended to intimidate Lebanon and restore Syrian influence, while other March 14 figures have accused Syria of involvement in Monday's bomb attack on a Lebanese Armed Forces vehicle in Tripoli. Also this week, parliament approved changes to the electoral law ahead of next year's polls, which increase the weight of the Christian vote. The statements by key independent Christian figures such as Suleiman and Baroud indicate that political momentum still lies with the policy of rapprochement with Syria, and, more broadly, with the March 8 coalition."