DAILY SCOPE: Europe, UN Mentality on Refugees Crisis Changing?
Local Editor
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
Will Lebanon Take Greece's Path?
London Conference: "Promises" of 11 Billion Dollars...Until 2020!
AL-AKHBAR:
Lebanon's Gas for Settlement of Palestinians
AL-JOMHOURIA:
Berri: "Constitutionality" Does Not Apply to Election Session.. Lebanon to Translate Pledges
AN-NAHAR:
Qahwaji to An-Nahar: US Support to Army will Increase
Lebanese newspapers on Friday focused on several domestic issues, topped by the tenth anniversary of signing the memorandum between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement which took place in Mar Mekhayel Church, as well as the 14th of February; the memory of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
Lebanese papers also touched on the Syria Donor Conference and its outcome, pointing out there seems to be a change in the European countries' and the United Nations' attitude towards the refugees crisis.
AL-JOMHOURIA-National Pact Not Tackled in Electoral Session
Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri said that "The issue of the National Pact does not apply to the session on the election of a president because ‘the more than two-thirds' of quorum [86 MPs] in itself is constitutional," reported al-Joumhouria daily on Friday.
Berri added that "It will include lawmakers from all confessions and parties."
Meanwhile, parliamentary sources told the newspaper that a session scheduled for February 8, aimed at electing a new president will likely have the same fate of its predecessors for lack of quorum.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.
AN-NAHAR:Qahwaji Asked US to Accelerate Delivering of Arms to LA
An-Nahar newspaper on Friday reported that the Lebanese army Chief General Jean Qahwaji finished his official visit to Washington on Thursday, during which he held meetings with different US military officials as well as politicians in the Obama administration, including both, Democratic and Republican Congressmen.
In a statement to An-Nahar newspaper, Qahwaji said "We told US officials to accelerate the process of delivering the equipment we had bought from them, including six war A-20 Super Tocano jets as well as Hellfire missiles and other equipment."
He also told the newspaper "I felt there is a big understanding and deep sympathy with our military and logistic needs."
The Army Chief added "More important than this, US officials have shown deep sympathy with Lebanon's military needs over the challenges it is confronting on its eastern border."
"US officials have shown an understanding to the many dangerous challenges to Lebanon's national security, and appreciation to the efforts of the Lebanese army in protecting its borders and preserving calm at its southern borders," he said.
AL-LIWAA: Syria Donor Conference Serious, Praises Lebanon's Performance
Sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that the international officials taking part in the Syria Donor Conference consider that Lebanon is actually making a great achievement in the "Syrian displaced" issue despite its humble capabilities. The officials praised Lebanon's performance in this file on the academic level, stressing that Lebanon should continue its efforts in dealing with the crisis.
Also, al-Liwaa's correspondent, who attended the conference, expressed her satisfaction over the results of the conference, noting that the conference, unlike previous conferences and summits seems to be more serious in handling the crisis and resolving it.
Nevertheless, Lebanese Prime Minster Tammam Salam urged the donor countries present at the conference to help Lebanon carry the woes and burdens of Syrian refugees, assuring that Lebanon cannot fulfill the humanitarian needs of the refugees.
"We can only approve that the Syrian refugees stay temporarily in Lebanon, the true solution to the Syrian crisis is a political agreement," Salam said.
The vast majority of Syrian refugees are sheltering in neighboring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Lebanon alone hosts 1.2 million registered refugees. Their vast number has placed enormous strain on Lebanon's already struggling infrastructure, and exacerbated social tensions.
AS-SAFIR: European Countries, United Nations Changing Mentality on Refugee Crisis?
Sources from the Lebanese delegation at the Syria Donor Conference told As-Safir newspaper that the international community has become convinced of the threat imposed by "the Syrian displacement crisis and its repercussions on the entire region."
The sources said that the "mentality of the Europeans and the United Nations has started to seriously change in terms of dealing with the Syrian refugees crisis."
It also added that they are approaching the matter differently; "they have become convinced the crisis requires technical, logistical and financial support and that the crisis requires much more than sending some humanitarian aid including blankets and food," the source said.
Earlier, ministerial sources had expressed their worries on the "attitude of the international community from the refugees and displaced crisis, especially Western countries who want to resolve the crisis in Europe through presenting money to Lebanon so that the refugees would stay there."
Source: al-Ahed news
