NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Taif Agreement

The Taif Agreement was negotiated in Taif, Saudi Arabia by the surviving members of Lebanon's 1972 parliament; fathered by Parliament Speaker President Hussein El-Husseini. The agreement covered political reform, the ending of the Lebanese Civil War, the establishment of special relations between Lebanon and Syria, and a framework for the beginning of complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. It was signed on October 22, 1989. Taif in 1970 Taif (Arabic: â€Ž translit: ) is a city in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1700 metres on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Hussein el-Husseini Hussein el-Husseini (Arabic: ØØ³ÙŠÙ† Ø§Ù„ØØ³ÙŠÙ†ÙŠ) is a prominent Lebanese politician from Beqaa, who brought the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990, the reform of the Lebanese government and the disarmement of sectarian militias. ... Combatants Lebanese Front Syria LNM PLO Commanders Bachir Gemayel Dany Chamoun Kamal Jumblatt Yasser Arafat The multi-sided Lebanese Civil War (1975â€“1990) had its origin in the conflicts and political compromises after the end of Lebanons administration by the Ottoman Empire and was exacerbated by the nations... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The agreement restructured the National Pact political system in Lebanon by transferring some of the power away from the Maronite Christian community, which had been given a privileged status in Lebanon under French colonial rule. Prior to Taif, the Sunni Muslim Prime Minister was appointed by and responsible to the Maronite President. After Taif the Prime Minister was responsible to the legislature, as in a traditional parliamentary system. At the time of the Taif negotiations, a Maronite Christian Prime Minister, General Michel Aoun, had controversially been appointed by President Amine Gemayel, contrary to the National Pact. The National Pact is an unwritten agreement that laid the foundation of Lebanon and has shaped the country to this day. ... Maronites (Marunoye Ü¡ÜªÜ˜Ü¢ÜÜÜ¶; in Syriac, MÃ¢runiyya Ù…Ø§Ø±ÙˆÙ†ÙŠØ© in Arabic) are members of an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Michel Aoun in Ehden visiting Frangieh June 2005 Michel Aoun (born in 1935 in Beirut) (Arabic:Ù…ÙŠØ´ÙŠÙ„ Ø¹ÙˆÙ†) is a Lebanese military commander and politician. ... Amine Gemayel Amine Gemayel (Arabic: Ø£Ù…ÙŠÙ† Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ù…ÙŠÙ„) (born 1942) was President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988. ...

Although the Taif Agreement identified the abolition of political sectarianism as a national priority, it provided no timeframe for doing so. The Chamber of Deputies was increased in size to 128 members, shared equally between Christians and Muslims, rather than elected by universal suffrage that would have provided a muslim majority (excluding the expat community of which a majority are Christian). A cabinet was established similarly divided equally between Christians and Muslims. Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, or economic or social status. ...

The agreement was ratified on November 4, 1989. Parliament met on the following day at Qoleiat air base in North Lebanon and elected President Rene Mouawad 409 days after Amine Gemayel vacated this position upon the expiration of his term in 1988. Mouawad was unable occupy the Presidential Palace which was still in use by General Michel Aoun. Mouawad was assassinated 17 days later in a car bombing in Beirut on November 22 as his motorcade returned from Lebanese independence day ceremonies. He was succeeded by Elias Hrawi, who remained in office until 1998. November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rene Mouawad Air Base (Ù…Ø·Ø§Ø± Ø§Ù„Ø±Ø¦ÙŠØ³ Ø§Ù„Ø´Ù‡ÙŠØ¯ Ø±ÙŠÙ†ÙŠÙ‡ Ù…Ø¹ÙˆØ¶, Matar ar-Rais ash-Shahid Rinih Mu`awwad) (IATA: KYE, ICAO: OLKA), formerly and still sometimes known as Kleyate Airport (Ù…Ø·Ø§Ø± Ø§Ù„Ù‚Ù„ÙŠØ¹Ø§Øª, Matar al-Qulay`at), is a military-civil joint use airport [1] in northern Lebanon, located near the town of El QlaÃ¯aat (also spelled... René Moawad René Moawad (1925 - November 22, 1989) was President of Lebanon for 17 days in 1989, from the 5th to the 22nd of November, when he was assassinated. ... Amine Gemayel Amine Gemayel (Arabic: Ø£Ù…ÙŠÙ† Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ù…ÙŠÙ„) (born 1942) was President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Car bomb in Iraq, made from a number of concealed artillery shells in the back of a pickup truck. ... Elias Hrawi (born 1930) is a Lebanese politician. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ...

On May 11, 2004, President of the United States George W. Bush signed an Executive Order implementing sanctions on Syria pursuant to the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003. US sanctions against Syria were threatened, since (in part) "Syria maintains a military presence in Lebanon inconsistent with the spirit of the 1989 Taif Accords".^[1] May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 was adopted by the United Nations Security Council on September 2, 2004, echoing many elements of the Taif Agreement. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 was a resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on September 2, 2004. ... â€œUNSCâ€ redirects here. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After the Cedar Revolution's mass demonstrations calling for Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon in February, 2005, the Syrian deputy foreign minister Waleed Al-Mualem said "the important withdrawals that have been carried out so far and will be carried out later will be done in agreement with Lebanon against the backdrop of the Taif Agreement and the mechanisms it entails." A White House spokesman emphasised UN Security Council Resolution 1559 in a February 25, press briefing.^[2] Cedar Revolution has become the most commonly used name for the chain of demonstrations and popular civic action in Lebanon (mainly Beirut) triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005. ... United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 calls on Syria to cease intervening in Lebanese internal politics, withdraw from Lebanon, and for the disbanding of all Lebanese militias (See: Hezbollah). ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The agreement also provided for the disarmament of all national and non national militias. All have disarmed apart from the Shiite Hezballah and the non-Lebanese Fatah and Hamas, PFLP-GC.

During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict the Lebanese Cabinet agreed in an extraordinary session to adhere to the Taif Accord when dealing with international negotiators. However, Energy Minister Mohammad Fneish, a member of Hezbollah argued that the ongoing military crisis had surpassed the Taif Accord and UN Security Council Resolution 1559, so the accord is no longer a document of national agreement. Iran's significant role in the region should not be ignored, he added.^[3] Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing)[5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[12] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC)[13... Muhammad Fneish is one of Hezbollahs two representatives in the of Prime Minister of Lebanon Fouad Sinioras cabinet. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ... United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 calls on Syria to cease intervening in Lebanese internal politics, withdraw from Lebanon, and for the disbanding of all Lebanese militias (See: Hezbollah). ...

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict came to an end with a ceasefire under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Paragraph 3 of this resolution specifies that the Security Council Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing)[5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[12] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC)[13... United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution intended to resolve the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. ...

"Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) and resolution 1680 (2006), and of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty, so that there will be no weapons without the consent of the Government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon"

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Taif Agreement

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Notes

^ Office of the Press Secretary, The White House Fact Sheet: Implementing the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 Accessed July 28, 2006
^ Beirut Daily Star, as quoted in March 21, 2005 6,000 Syrian troops retreat to Lebanon-Syria border
^ Lebanon Daily Star, July 27, 2006 Spotlight on Taif as key ingredient for cease-fire Accessed July 26, 2006

See also