LILIT HARUTYUNYAN
As “ the real voice of King Fahd ” 16 and through the use of chequebook diplomacy , Hariri was able to participate in civil war diplomacy - the negotiations to end the Shouf war in 1983 , the Geneva and Lausanne meetings in 1983 and 1984 , the militia agreement in 1985 and the Taif Agreement in 1989 . 17 In the early 1980s , Hariri acquired Banque Mediterranée , established a second bank and started three major urban development projects that only came to fruition in the post-war period . These development projects included the seeds of Solidere , the reconstruction project for central Beirut . 18 A student loan program supported almost 32,000 students between 1983 and 1996 but , importantly , Hariri had not yet used it to build up a consistent grassroots following .
The rise of Najib Mikati was due to the Arabian Construction company , founded by his brother Taha Mikati in Abu Dhabi in 1967 . It had great success in the Gulf . At one point Taha Mikati also took some subcontracts from Rafik Hariri . 19 In 1982 , Najib and Taha Mikati founded the telecommunications company Investcom , which penetrated markets such as Sudan , Liberia and Yemen 20 . It also ran an analogue mobile phone network in civil war Lebanon . In 1983 , the Mikatis bought the license for the British Bank of Lebanon from the British Bank of the Middle East . 21 The Mikatis are understood to have maintained good relations with the Syrian regime . In 1988 , Taha and Najib Mikati founded the Azm wa Saade foundation , which provides health and social services . 22
Issam Fares is from a Greek Orthodox family from Akkar in North Lebanon . He began his experience as a merchant in Abela Group , one of Beirut ’ s traditional trading houses owned by a prominent Greek Orthodox family . 23 He then became a hugely successful businessman by owning a controlling interest in Dutch-based construction and engineering company Ballast Nedam . Through good contacts in Saudi Arabia , he secured highly
16
Nicholas Blanford , Killing Mr Lebanon : the Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its impact on the Middle East ( London : LB Tauris , 2006 ), 25-26 .
17
On Hariri ’ s involvement see Kett Michael , Imposing Power Sharing Conflict and coexistence in Northern Ireland and Lebanon ( Dublin : Irish Academic Press , 2006 ), Elie Salem , Violence and Diplomacy in Lebanon : The Troubled Years , 1982-1988 ( London : IB Tauris , 1995 ).
18
Makarem , “ Actually Existing Neoliberalism ,” 216-269 ; Eric Verdeil , “ Reconstruction manqué a Beyrouth , la poursuite de la guerre par le projet urbain ”, Annales de la Recherche Urban , no . 91 ( 2001 ): 65-73 .
19
See the personal website of Najib Mikati . www . najib-mikati . net / EN / Outlenterests / 110 / Philanthropy ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
20
Middle East Economic Digest , November 21 , 2008 , 74 .
21
Al-Nahar Arab Report and Memo , June 4 , 1984 , 6 .
22
Fawwaz Traboulsi , Social Classes and Political Power in Lebanon , Heinrich Böll Stiftung - Middle East , 34-35 . https :// lb . boell . org / sites / default / files / fawaz _ english _ draft . pdf ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
23
The information on Issam Fares is from Middle East Intelligence Bulletin , November 2003 , 12-17 .
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