DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated July 30, 2010

Defense News: DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated July 30, 2010

Source: U.S. DoD issued July 30, 2010
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - July 30, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued July 30, 2010 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Universal Sodexho, Tacoma, Wash. is being awarded a maximum $180,000,000 firm fixed price, prime vendor, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for maintenance, repair and operations for the Korea region. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. The original proposal was Web solicited with four responses. The date of performance completion is July 31, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-05-D-BP07).

Unicor, Federal Prison Industries, Washington, D.C. is being awarded a maximum $35,000,000 firm fixed price, sole source, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for radio system parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is July 29, 2015. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren, Warren, Mich. (SPRBL1-10-D-0011).

Bethel Industries Inc., Jersey City, N.J.** is being awarded a maximum $14,193,225 firm fixed price, sole source contract for coats. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is July 30, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C10-10-D-1068).

Lord Corporation, Erie, Pa. is being awarded a maximum $11,448,064 fixed price with economic price adjustment, sole source contract for helicopter parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is September 12, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Va. (SPM400-02-D-9413).

Missile Defense Agency

John Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory (JPU/APL), Laurel, Md., is being awarded a $147,400,000 ceiling increase to the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HQ0006-07-D-0001. Under this modification JPU/APL will continue work on advanced technology initiatives by providing technical support to systems engineering and integration for assessments, studies and analyses of command and control, battles management and communications, fire control, missile engineering, combat systems, space component and space systems. The work will be performed in Laurel, Maryland. The performance period for this work is from August 2010 through December 2011. Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funding Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 will be used to incrementally fund these efforts. The Missile Defense Agency is the contracting activity (HQ0006).

NAVY

Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Mission Systems Group, Defense Electronics Systems Div., Woodland Hills, Calif., is being awarded a $50,067,115 firm-fixed-price contract for the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) II of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). This contract provides for the conversion of 37 government furnished AGM-88B High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) into AGM-88E AARGM All-Up Round (AUR)/Captive Air Training (CATM) missile systems for the Navy (33) and the government of Italy (4), including related supplies and services. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, Calif. (75 percent); Rocket Center, W.V. (11 percent); Piacenza, La Spezia, Italy (6 percent); Rome, Italy (6 percent); Clearwater, Fla. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($38,173,005; 76 percent) and the Government of Italy ($11,894,110; 24 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0065).

DG21 LLC, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a $47,090,345 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed price plus award fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62742-06-D-4501) to exercise the fourth option period for base operating support services at U.S. Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. The work to be performed provides for all management, labor, administration, supervision, materials, supplies, and equipment to provide integrated Base Operating Services. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $479,042,968. Work will be performed in U.S. Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and work for this option is expected to be completed by July 31, 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $10,229,233 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

Saab Training USA LLC, Orlando, Fla., is being awarded a maximum $39,076,075 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to modernize U.S. Marine Corps range training systems with various types of automated and non-automated target equipment and simulators. The contract includes a mix of systems and logistics engineering, design, development and systems integration as well as training, installation and delivery of the range training systems. Work will be performed on various Marine Corps installations across the continental United States and overseas in Hawaii and Japan. Individual delivery orders will be issued under the basic contract which will identify specific locations. These locations and percentage of work being completed there won’t be available until the delivery orders are issued. Work is expected to be completed August 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $1,579,637 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with four offers received. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-10-D-8045).

BAE Systems Information and Electronics, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $15,257,258 firm-fixed-price contract for the Low Rate Initial Production I (LRIP I) of 325 APKWS II guidance sections for the Navy, including shipping and storage containers. In addition, this contract provides for the APKWS II guided rocket UH-1Y integration, as well as technical and training manual updates and support equipment and support test equipment. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., and is expected to be completed in October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0019).

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $14,734,424 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-free contract (N00019-09-C-0061) for engineering and technical services in support of the AIM-9X system improvement program. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($7,728,158; 52.5 percent); the Navy ($2,506,266; 17 percent); and the governments of Korea ($2,663,322; 18.1 percent), Australia ($1,687,213; 11.4 percent), and the Turkey ($149,465; 1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

CACI, Inc. – Federal, Chantilly, Va. is being awarded a $14,193,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for scientific, technical, and administrative intelligence related services. It is planned to issue the first task order simultaneously with contract award in the amount of $5,003,115. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,772,340. Work will be performed in Louisville, Ky., and work is expected to be completed by July 2011. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities as a two phase solicitation. Six offers were received in response to Phase I. Two proposals were deemed acceptable to proceed to Phase II. Only one offer was received in response to Phase II. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity (N00174-10-D-0018).

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a $12,254,749 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed fee delivery order against a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for the procurement of 30 ECP 6279 retrofit kits to support the F/A-18 radio detection and ranging retrofit program. Work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif. (59 percent), Forest, Miss. (31 percent), and Andover, Mass. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $12,254,749 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

CAV International, Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a firm fixed price contract in the amount of $10,505,433 for air terminal ground handling services at Naval Air Station Rota, Spain. This contract includes four one year option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $57,469,122. Work will be performed in Rota, Spain, and work is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively awarded, with five firms solicited and three offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Signoella, Italy, is the contracting activity (N68171-10-C-0022).

Singh Group Inc., dba Baja Pacific*, Oceanside, Calif., is being awarded an estimated $5,660,650 modification under previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N62473-07-D-5005) to exercise option period three for tree trimming and removal services at various Naval and Marine Corps installations located in the San Diego Metropolitan Areas. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2012. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif. is the contracting activity.

*Small Business

**Small, Disadvantaged, Woman Owned Business

DTN News: Experts See No Big US arms Sales To Taiwan This Year

Defense News: DTN News: Experts See No Big US arms Sales To Taiwan This Year

Source: DTN News - - this article / report compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 30, 2010: U.S. officials will defer any major new arms sales to Taiwan until at least 2011 as Beijing steps up pressure on Washington, where mending Sino-U.S. ties is a priority, defense analysts say.
Sales of anything more than minor parts or low end upgrades will wait until early next year, possibly much longer, letting Taiwan trail further in the balance of power against China but advancing relations between the two superpowers, analysts say.

China has used stronger language and action this year, including the snubbing of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, to deter arms sales to Taiwan, the self ruled and democratic island Beijing claims as its own and has threatened to take by force if necessary.
Taiwan depends on its staunchest informal ally the United States for arms and wants new systems to keep up with China.
The island says military strength is crucial even though the two sides have discussed trade and transit links since 2008 under China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou after decades of hostilities, lifting local financial markets.
A delay in getting new weapons systems would further tip a balance of power that already favors China, putting Beijing in an even stronger position to push any potential political resolution between the two sides.
China is rapidly modernizing its military, putting particular emphasis on boosting its air force and navy. Taiwan says it has seen no sign of China removing missiles aimed at the island and estimates the number may rise from about 1,400 to as high as 2,000 this year.
Yet U.S. President Barack Obama is seen focusing more on domestic issues and ties with China, the world's third-largest economy and holder of billions of dollars in U.S. treasuries.
“It's a combination, the perfect storm,” said Wendell Minnick, Asia bureau chief with Defense News. “You've got Obama dealing with domestic issues, you've got China ramping it up and you've got better Taiwan-China ties.”
Some analysts anticipate a brief resumption of arms sales in early 2011 because Sino-U.S. contact normally dwindles at that time of year when both sides take holidays. But most expect Obama to defer the deals as long as China and Taiwan get along.
“Given improvement in cross-Strait relations, Washington doesn't want to see any escalation of arms, so I don't think anything will come out of 2011,” said Raymond Wu, managing director of Taipei-based political risk consultancy e-telligence.
Stuck in the pipeline are an upgrade to Taiwan's existing U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, six new cargo aircraft and an overhaul to a fleet of Lafayette frigates, Minnick said. Taiwan has also asked for 66 new later-model F-16s.
Any of those deals would outrage China, which reacted angrily when the U.S. government approved a US$6.4-billion arms package earlier this year.
Increasingly confident as its economic might grows, China postponed Sino-U.S. military exchanges and threatened sanctions against U.S. firms that sell arms to Taiwan, although little has come of that threat to date.

“China's words and actions are stronger compared to the past,” said Niu Jun, a Peking University international relations professor. “It's not a new tactic but it's getting stronger.”
U.S. officials are coy about the timing of future arms sales, insisting that they do not consult China. But analysts say Washington listens attentively whenever Beijing makes noise.
“When it all boils down to it, it is Chinese pressure and threats,” said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.

In 1949, the Chinese Civil War ended with the Communists, led by Chairman Mao Zedong, establishing the People's Republic of China and the Nationalists retreating from mainland China to the island of Formosa better known as Taiwan and establishing the Republic of China. The United States recognized Taiwan as the legitimate Chinese state as part of a one China policy.
In 1972, President Richard Nixon, after a period known as Ping Pong diplomacy which included bilateral table tennis exhibitions, the United States recognized the government in Beijing on the mainland as the official Chinese Government. Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of China and they will be reunited in the future. The US has maintained that any reunification will be accomplished by peaceful means and has provided for Taiwan's security. Over the years, the United States has sold arms to Taiwan angering China. China has responded with military exercises and missile launches in Taiwanese territorial waters and airspace. For nearly forty years, the US has been balancing improving relations with China and keeping its commitment to Taiwan.
The Arms Sale
The package of Patriot interceptor missiles, Black Hawk helicopters, Harpoon land and sea missiles, and communications equipment constitutes the largest arms sale to Taiwan in many years. Despite strong pro-Taiwan rhetoric early in the Bush Administration, US companies sold relatively few weapons to Taiwan during the Bush era. The State Department maintains that the latest arms sale is necessary to ensure security in the Taiwan Strait.
China's Response
China is furious with the sale. In its toughest response in three decades to US arms sales to Taiwan, Beijing announced over the weekend that it would curtail military exchanges with Washington, and sanction US companies involved, and warned of severe harm to bilateral ties. Regarding the sanctions against the US companies involved, the US has not sold arms to China since the 1989 crackdown on students in Tiananmen Square. However, Boeing is one of the companies involved in the sale, and there are fears that sanctions could extend to the purchase of commercial airliners.
Cooperation on issues such as Iran, North Korea and economic relations could be problematic. Secretary Clinton is seeking China's support for a new regime of sanctions against Iran and may not find much support in Beijing. The US has been pressing China on opening its markets and climate change but may discover new resistance. It will be interesting to see if President Hu Jintao of China was invited to President Obama's nuclear summit in April. However, it is unlikely that the US Government would back down from this arms sale and risk looking weak both to the international community and the opposition in America.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: China Overtakes Japan As No.2 Economy: FX Chief

Defense News: DTN News: China Overtakes Japan As No.2 Economy: FX Chief

Source: DTN News / Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) BEJING, China - July 30, 2010: China has overtaken Japan to become the world's second-largest economy, the fruit of three decades of rapid growth that has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
Depending on how fast its exchange rate rises, China is on course to overtake the United States and vault into the No.1 spot sometime around 2025, according to projections by the World Bank, Goldman Sachs and others.
China came close to surpassing Japan in 2009 and the disclosure by a senior official that it had now done so comes as no surprise. Indeed, Yi Gang, China's chief currency regulator, mentioned the milestone in passing in remarks published on Friday.
"China, in fact, is now already the world's second-largest economy," he said in an interview with China Reform magazine posted on the website (www.safe.gov.cn) of his agency, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
Cruising past Japan might give China bragging rights, but its per-capita income of about $3,800 a year is a fraction of Japan's or America's.
"China is still a developing country, and we should be wise enough to know ourselves," Yi said, when asked whether the time was ripe for the yuan to become an international currency.
CAN IT BE SUSTAINED?
China's economy expanded 11.1 percent in the first half of 2010, from a year earlier, and is likely to log growth of more than 9 percent for the whole year, according to Yi.
China has averaged more than 9.5 percent growth annually since it embarked on market reforms in 1978. But that pace was bound to slow over time as a matter of arithmetic, Yi said.
If China could chalk up growth this decade of 7-8 percent annually, that would still be a strong performance. The issue was whether the pace could be sustained, Yi said, not least because of the environmental constraints China faces.
In an assessment disputed by Beijing, the International Energy Agency said last week that China had surpassed the United States as the world's largest energy user.
If China can keep up a clip of 5-6 percent a year in the 2020s, it will have maintained rapid growth for 50 years, which Yi said would be unprecedented in human history.
The uninterrupted economic ascent, which saw China overtake Britain and France in 2005 and then Germany in 2007, is gradually translating into clout on the world stage.
China is a leading member of the Group of 20 rich and emerging nations, which since the 2008 financial crisis has become the world's premier economic policy-setting forum.
In one important respect, however, China is still a shrinking violet: anxious to shield itself from the rough-and-tumble of global markets, it does not permit its currency to be freely exchanged except for purposes of trade and foreign direct investment.
And Yi said Beijing had no timetable to make the yuan fully convertible.
"China is very big and its development is unbalanced, which makes this problem much more complicated. It's difficult to reach a consensus on it," he said.
In the same vein, China was in no rush to turn the yuan into a global currency.
"We must be modest and we still have to keep a low profile. If other people choose the yuan as a reserve currency, we won't stop that as it is the demand of the market. However, we will not push hard to promote it," he added.
NO BIG RISE IN YUAN
China has been encouraging the use of the yuan beyond its borders, allowing more trade to be settled in renminbi and taking a series of measures to establish Hong Kong as an offshore center where the currency can circulate freely.
But Yi said: "Don't think that since people are talking about it, the yuan is close to becoming a reserve currency. Actually, it's still far from that."
He said expectations of a stronger yuan, also known as the renminbi, had diminished. There was no basis for a sharp rise in the exchange rate, partly because the price level in China had risen steadily over the past decade.
"This suggests that the value of the renminbi has moved much closer to equilibrium compared with 10 years ago," he said.
Yi's comments are unlikely to go down well in Washington, where lawmakers have scheduled a hearing for September 16 to consider whether U.S. government action is needed to address China's exchange rate policy.
China scrapped the yuan's 23-month-old peg to the dollar on June 19 and resumed a managed float. The yuan has since risen only 0.8 percent against the dollar, and economists calculate that it has fallen in value against a basket of currencies.
China would stick to the principle of holding its $2.45 trillion of official reserves in a mix of currencies and assets.
The stockpile -- the world's largest - was so big that it was impossible to adjust its currency composition in a short space of time: "We won't be particularly bearish on the dollar at a given time or particularly bearish on the euro at another time."
(Additional reporting by Zhou Xin; Editing by Ken Wills)

DTN News: Lockheed Martin To Develop Modeling Tool For U.S. Department Of Homeland Security For Rapid Analysis Of Infrastructure Disruption

Defense News: DTN News: Lockheed Martin To Develop Modeling Tool For U.S. Department Of Homeland Security For Rapid Analysis Of Infrastructure Disruption

Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) PALO ALTO, Calif., , - July 30, 2010: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Space Systems Company’s (LMSSC) Advanced Technology Center (ATC) has won a 5-year $7 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate for the Complex Event Modeling Simulation and Analysis (CEMSA) project. Under the CEMSA contract, SSC will develop a new modeling, simulation and analysis infrastructure that can be integrated with existing DHS systems to provide advanced capabilities to assess, within a short decision window, the interdependencies and cascading effects on Critical Infrastructures and Key Resources (CIKR) when dealing with multiple, concurrent disruptions.
The Lockheed Martin tool, called Rapid Analysis of Infrastructure Disruption (RAID), is a new modeling and simulation environment that will be more adaptive than current systems and will allow DHS and national leaders to analyze the impact of multiple disruptions at local, regional and national levels in a time frame required to make effective decisions. Future system requirements will build upon the work of the CEMSA contract.
Lockheed Martin will specify, and deliver to DHS, a system design with all associated aspects including hardware and software architecture, interface specification, network throughput, operations concept, model identification process and a model maintenance/updating approach. Lockheed Martin’s deliverables also include a working prototype of the CEMSA system within the first 12 months of the project.
“The strength of our RAID tool is the scientific qualifications of the team we have assembled and the specialized modeling and simulation techniques we employ to develop the environment,” said Dr. Steve Hall, principal software engineer at LMSSC, and RAID capture manager. “In addition, we have extensive experience with key technologies including: system of systems engineering, complexity theory, modeling abstraction and adaptive planning; and specific experience in the national infrastructure disturbance impact modeling domain.”
Any single event of infrastructure disruption can have significant consequences as effects ripple outwards. Multiple disruptions – whether human-caused or the result of natural disasters – can spawn further failures as effects intersect and multiply. For example, the possible consequences of a terrorist attack during or following a hurricane are being investigated.
Intelligence or other threat reporting suggests an adversarial organization might attempt to exploit vulnerabilities resulting from the dislocation caused by a severe weather event. Government leadership requires information about the high consequence scenarios that could evolve from such an attack. CEMSA/RAID will provide the capability to model the combined disruption of a hurricane with different attack scenarios to give a complete picture of the possible national impacts associated with different overall threats.
The ATC is the research and development organization of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC). LMSSC, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs and develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of advanced-technology systems for national security and military, civil government and commercial customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; laser radar; ballistic missiles; missile defense systems; and nanotechnology research and development.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.5

Media Contact:

Buddy Nelson,

(510) 797-0349;

e-mail, buddynelson@mac.com

For additional information, visit our website:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

DTN News: Syrian-Saudi Leaders Bid To Defuse Lebanon Tensions

Defense News: DTN News: Syrian-Saudi Leaders Bid To Defuse Lebanon Tensions

Source: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) BEIRUT, Lebanon - July 30, 2010: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Lebanon on Friday for the first time since the 2005 murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri in a joint mission with Saudi King Abdullah to defuse a tense political situation.

The two leaders flew in together from Damascus and were greeted at Beirut airport by Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain Sunni leader, as well as other dignitaries.
They were then headed to the presidential palace for a mini-summit hastily organised to address tensions over reports of an impending indictment against members of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah for Rafiq Hariri's murder.
It is the first visit to the country by Assad since Hariri's assassination soured bilateral ties and forced the pullout of Syrian troops from Lebanon after a 29-year deployment.
Damascus has consistently denied accusations that it had a hand in the killing.
Relations between the two countries have been on the mend since 2008, when diplomatic ties were established for the first time. Prime Minister Hariri has also made four trips to Syria in the past eight months.
Saudi Arabia, a staunch supporter of the Hariri family, has played a key role in the rapprochement between the Arab neighbours.
Saudi and Syrian flags were being flown throughout the Lebanese capital on Friday for the unprecedented joint visit, along with huge portraits of the king together with a welcome message.
Security was also tight, with additional army and police deployed.
The visit by the Saudi and Syrian leaders is scheduled to last only three hours and includes a lunch to be attended by some 250 officials, among them members of the unity government which includes two Hezbollah ministers.
"The whole visit is about containing the situation for the immediate future," said Sahar Atrache, a Beirut-based analyst with the International Crisis Group think-tank.
"They are here to exert influence on their internal allies ... to prevent a real escalation."
The Arabic-language newspaper An-Nahar, which is close to Hariri's Saudi- and Western-backed governing coalition, called the summit "historic."
"This joint visit is historic and decisive because of its timing and the consequences it can have on a mounting crisis in Lebanon related to the tribunal," it said.
Fears of renewed conflict rose last week after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah revealed that he knew the UN tribunal probing Hariri's murder was poised to indict members of his party, which is backed by Syria and Iran.
He made it clear that he would not accept such a scenario, accusing the tribunal of being politicised and part of an Israeli plot.
"The Arab leaders' visit to Lebanon is an opportunity to show Arab unity in the face of this plot which aims to destabilise Lebanon and sow sedition," Hezbollah deputy Hassan Fadlallah told AFP.
"This would not be in the interest of the Lebanese or their Arab brothers."
Analysts say that in addition to threatening civil peace, an indictment of Hezbollah members would deal a blow to the party's reputation and destabilise Hariri's unity government.
The Saudi monarch is expected to press Assad to use his influence over Hezbollah to avoid a political stalemate or a sectarian conflict similar to the one which brought Lebanon close to a new civil war in 2008.
Assad last visited Lebanon in 2002, and King Abdullah is the first Saudi monarch to visit the country since 1957.
Also coming to Beirut later on Friday is the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The emir, who is staying until Sunday, is to meet separately with Lebanese leaders and due to visit the south of the country.

AFP News Headlines

FOREST FIRES KILL 18 IN RUSSIA HEATWAVE

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  SYRIAN-SAUDI LEADERS BID TO DEFUSE LEBANON TENSIONS

  AFP - 1 hour 5 mins ago

  BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Lebanon on Friday for the first time since the 2005 murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri in a joint mission with Saudi King Abdullah to defuse a tense political situation. More »

• 

  SYRIAN, SAUDI LEADERS IN LEBANON TO DEFUSE TENSION

  AFP - 1 hour 25 mins ago

  BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi King Abdullah arrived in Beirut on Friday in an unprecedented joint mission to defuse political tensions in Lebanon. More »

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  SYRIAN-SAUDI BID TO DEFUSE LEBANON TENSIONS

  AFP - 2 hours 23 mins ago

  BEIRUT (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday arrives in Lebanon for the first time since the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, in a joint mission with Saudi King Abdullah to defuse a tense political situation. More »

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  AFP - 2 hours 47 mins ago

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  AMMAN (AFP) - Iraqi Minister of Science and Technology Raed Fahmi was injured on Friday in a road accident in Jordan which killed six people including two British women, police said. More »

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  AFP - 5 hours 31 mins ago

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  LEBANON HOSTS RARE ARAB LEADER SUMMIT

  AFP - 6 hours 51 mins ago

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  ARABS AGREE TO ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN TALKS

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  CAIRO (AFP) - Arab officials agreed in principle on Thursday to the holding of direct Middle East peace negotiations and left it up to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to decide when to start talks with Israel. More »

• Israel's Barak, UN chief to discuss Gaza, settlementsAFP -Yesterday, 06:45 pm
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