[Satnews]  Arabsat released the following statement in order to  clarify the operational and the legal issues concerned its policies and regulations  in regards to  broadcasting via its satellite, that might be unknown to the public. Arabsat is taking this opportunity to address all mass media to ensure accuracy and credibility in dealing with any broadcast issues related to Arabsat satellites.

Arabsat, as a leading satellite operator in the region, works under the umbrella of Arab League and  is owned by all Arab countries and the company wishes to stress that it doesn't interfere in the content  of the broadcasted material via its satellites.

Arabsat  is an Arabic satellite operator seeking  always to achieve its main goal, which is to connect  the Arab world with its unique cultural and religious diversity and to deliver its message accurately and swiftly to the world through state of the art satellite broadcasting and telecommunications  technology. Hereby, Arabsat issues the following:

1. The Commercial contract signed  between  Arabsat  and any customer is considered as the legal reference and the basis that governs the relationship between the two parties and to rely on its terms in case of  any legal dispute, according to what is stated in its terms  and already approved by both parties. 
2. Both of Al-Mayadeen and Al-Manar channels have breached the terms of their contracts and violated the spirit of the Honor Charter of the Arab Media, which clearly and explicitly forbids the broadcast of  any programs that contravene viewers’ rights and privacies, instigate sectarian conflicts, violence, differences, social disorder that  disturb tranquility, disunite viewers,  or degrade and demean any of  the political and religious figures in countries of  the footprint of the satellite.
3. As a result of such a serious breach of  the legal contact terms by Al-Mayadeen & Al-Manar, Arabsat has legally notified the two channels with their contracts termination separately and in different dates based on the provisions of the contract.
4. Fourth: As for  moving the  Lebanese bouquet  outside  Lebanon, this was a purely commercial decision that had been taken long before and has nothing to do with the Al-Mayadeen and Al-Manar case. This decision is based on an economic feasibility study carried out by Arabsat to assess whether or not to continue  with the broadcast of the Lebanese Bouquet from inside Lebanon, due to the limited number of channels currently broadcasted from there.

The Arabsat infosite is located at http://www.arabsat.com