Baghdad Declaration Supports Syria Dialogue, March to al-Quds Passed by Lebanon
"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding." Albert Einstein
Einstein's "logical" definition of peace seems to slip away from the reason of the Arab and international leaders, who claim that they "seek" peace in the Middle East. It is actually a matter of "understanding" what the people demand and not killing their desires instead.
Whether it's an alleged peace between the "Israeli" enemy and the Palestinians, or in the violence-worn Syria, peace would never be met while military and terrorist attacks are everywhere to be seen.
The major Lebanese dailies tackled in their Friday edition the Arab conference into reaching peace, in addition to other local and regional affairs.
Baghdad Summit Supports Inter-Syrian Dialogue
The 23rd Baghdad Arab Summit Conference was peacefully concluded, as-Safir daily indicated. At the conference, the Arab leader stressed on finding a peaceful solution for the Syrian crisis, and urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to accelerate his regime's steps into sealing the agreement signed with UN-Arab League (AL) envoy to Syria Kofi Annan.
As usual, Lebanon, represented by President Michel Suleiman at the summit, kept a distance from any anti-Syria stances as it has vowed, especially after the convened "leaders" supported a suspicious AL plan that calls on al-Assad to abdicate his powers to his deputy, claiming it would be a "first step" towards solving the crisis.
Also on the same level, al-Akhbar daily indicated that Arab leaders and representatives present at the Arab Summit, called on the Syrian opposition to "unite" and prepare itself to take part in a national dialogue, which "would achieve the democratic life demanded by the Syrian people."
While all observers, including Annan's mission, asserted that the Syrian regime is cooperating with all efforts to find a peaceful solution, an-Nahar daily indicated that Arab leaders and countries demanded the al-Assad government to "halt all kinds of military attacks, and immediately implement [Kofi] Annan's plan."
Moreover, after the Arab Summit wrapped up its agenda, which excluded the Bahraini file and noted the Palestinians file, in which the leaders "verbally" condemned the constant "Israeli" human rights violations against the Palestinians and the occupied territories, the summit issued a declaration concluding its final stances; the major Lebanese dailies reported.
On this level, recognizing an "internationalized" solution, the "Baghdad Declaration" supported a "political solution, national dialogue, and rebuffed foreign interference [in the Syrian crisis]..." It also supported [Kofi] Annan's mission, reiterating the importance of his plan's immediate implementation, an-Nahar daily added.
Lebanon's Oil Rights in Beirut, Baghdad
The Lebanese file was also included in Baghdad's Arab Summit agenda, especially regarding the latest "top-notch" concern; the oil and gas sector.
On this level, the Arab leaders stressed in their final statement, Lebanon's right to its "oil and gas resources in its maritime borders, and pure economic zone demarcated in accordance with the maps submitted by the Lebanese government to the UN."
Furthermore, the Arab Summit supported Lebanon's refusal to the geodetic coordinates submitted by the "Israeli" mission to the UN, as it indicates a "total" breach of Lebanon's economic zone, which "Israel" claims property of, as-Safir daily further reported.
In Beirut, this file remains the main concern of the cabinet and the parliament. Hereupon, while Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri expressed content regarding steps to solve the electricity file; he scolded in an interview with as-Safir daily, the extreme slow pace in appointing the administrative board to oversee the petroleum sector. Berri said that there is no "convincing reason not to accept any candidates to the body", and confirmed that relating these appointments to the issuance of the decree is illogical. Moreover, Lebanon's speaker further rebuked how the [oil] sector is tackled so slowly, while "Israel" has augmented progress in the same issue.
Tripartite Meeting to Tackle Electricity
In addition to the oil sector, Lebanon is blundering in the electricity file, which is the main concern of the Lebanese people.
In this context, next Monday is expecting to embrace the first steps into implementing the plan to "rent" electricity-generating ships, which will "hopefully" solve the domestic electricity crisis.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Energy and Water Minister Gibran Bassil, and Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi will convene on Monday in good faith to sign the agreements and assign the conditions, as-Safir newspaper stated.
On its part, an-Nahar daily noted that although Monday is set for the Ministerial committee to oversee the "electricity-generating ships" file, pre-meeting negotiations were brought to light on Thursday between PM Mikati and representatives from the US and Turkish companies, which are engaged in the adjudications.
So far, the daily added, a discount of around $470 million has been agreed on, and indicated that negotiations are still ongoing, hoping to reach an agreement to decrease the rental to 2 years, with a 1 year possible extension, and reduce the rented power to 270 megawatts.
Jewish Rabbis in Lebanon for Global March to al-Quds
On "Land Day", some 5 thousand pro-Palestinian supporters flew to Lebanon to take part in the Global March to al-Quds (Jerusalem). Among the figures taking part are six Jewish Rabbis, who are members of the International anti-Zionist Jewish-Orthodox movement, Neturei Karta.
In an interview with as-Safir newspaper, the six Rabbis stressed on the importance of differentiating between "Israel" and "Judaism", clarifying that "Israel" is Zionist and not Jewish, and it contradicts with all Torah principles regarding violence, control, occupation, and suppression it practices against both Palestinians and Jews.
They went on to say that their participation in the "Global March to al-Quds (Jerusalem)" is a message to the Islamic world and the Palestinians telling them that they "feel with their suffering, and call for their total freedom, liberation of their lands, and release of their detainees."
Source: Lebanese Newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
