DAILY SCOPE: Government Back to Work, Aid Sent to Terrorist-Controlled Areas in Syria

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Presidency is a New Christian ‘War of Elimination', "Partners" Embarrassed!

AL-AKHBAR:

Government Back to Life if Appointments Crisis Solved

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Dialogue Eases Tension, Presidential Discussions Resumes

AL-BINAA:

Aid Sent to Madaya and Kefraya... De Mistura in Tehran...Kerry and Lavrov Optimistic

AD-DIYAR:

Geagea Determined on Nominating Aoun for Presidency within 24 Coming Hours

Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday followed up on the national dialogue, which seemed to be calm in nature, as the different parties keep in mind the importance of maintaining stability in Lebanon. The dailies also discussed the different regional issues, with a close follow up to the events in Syria and Yemen.

AL-JOMHOURIA-Serious Need to Energize Government, Cooperate in All Directions

The two major parties in Lebanon, the Future party and Hizbullah resumed their dialogue on Monday, stressing "it is important to remain keen on preserving dialogue among the local parties, in order to avoid likely reverberations on Lebanon's internal stability."

Sources told al-Jomhouria newspaper on Tuesday that "the dialogue atmosphere on Monday was very calm," highlighting that it was "a tension-free meeting despite the Saudi-Iranian strain in relations and its repercussions."

The sources said that the two sides underscored the importance of preserving the continuity of dialogue, the serious need to energize the work of the government and the need to cooperate in all directions.

The meeting parties did not tackle the presidential void, noted the sources. This is the 13th round of national dialogue held under Speaker Nabih Berri's sponsorship in Ein el-Tineh on Monday.

Dialogue between the Future Part and Hizbullah had kicked off on December 23, 2014. Following the third session on January 16, the conferees declared that they had made "clear progress" that might lead to results that can help "consolidate national stability."

Both sides have repeatedly voiced their support for dialogue between rival factions in an attempt to cope with Lebanon's political and security challenges.

On the governmental level, the newspaper said that a cabinet session will be held on Thursday and is likely to be productive after the Free Patriotic Movement received information that officials will work to resolve the security and military appointments crisis.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam, who vowed that the coming session will be productive, was quoted by his visitors as saying that "all factions represented in the government will attend the session."

Salam's visitors told al-Jomhouria he stressed that "All the articles on its agenda will also be approved."

AN-NAHAR-Dialogue Session Calm, Cabinet to Resume Activities Soon

An-Nahar newspaper quoted ministerial sources on Tuesday as saying that the 13th round of talks cemented the way for the cabinet's activities to resume.

Sources further pointed out that discussions are being held among high-ranking officials on the controversial issue of appointments in the military council to meet the demands of the Free Patriotic Movement.

According to An-Nahar, the FPM hinted during the national dialogue session that it is willing to attend the cabinet meeting, in case the ‘obstacles' related to the governmental appointments would be resolved.

According to sources, many of the 140 clauses and 104 draft-laws on the cabinet agenda will be approved during the coming session.

Moreover, the newspaper quoted sources involved in the Hizbullah-Future dialogue that the session was calm, and that there was a deep discussion to the situation in the country as the two sides focused on the performance of the government and the need to enhance its work.

The cabinet has failed to hold regular sessions since September because of the dispute on the decision-making mechanism and the dispute on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials in absence of a president.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

The latest presidential initiative, proposed by Saad Hariri, leader of the Future Movement, contemplated the selection of Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh.

AL-AKHBAR-Major Advances in Yemen, Aid under Control of Terrorists in Syria

On the latest events in Yemen, a military source told al-Akhbar newspaper that the popular committees along with the army started a new military campaign on Sunday night, supported by the people of al-Jawf governorate of southern Yemen.

According to sources, tens of terrorists were killed and injured, and two armored vehicles were completely destroyed.

In Taiz, the popular committees and their allies targeted gatherings belonging to the terrorist groups in different locations across the city, the newspaper quoted sources, assuring that three of their commanders identified as Abdallah Seif Sabi'i, Samir Abdel Wahid Mahmoud and Mohamad Abdel Jabbar Mahmoud were killed.

On Monday, al-Masdar news had said that if the Yemeni Army and their allies seize this city, they will have effectively taken control over another provincial capital in southern Yemen; this would also alleviate some of the pressure on the large city of Ta'iz, which is currently under attack by the Saudi-led Coalition Forces and the Hadi Loyalists.

On the Syrian level, al-Akhbar newspaper reporting directly from the humanitarian crisis scene in Syria said that al-Qaeda affiliate Jaysh al-Fateh extremist group had confiscated all aids including medical equipment and diesel oil that were supposed to enter to Kefraya and Foua.

Also in Madaya, local residents told al-Akhbar newspaper that the aid arriving is being monopolized by the merchants and the terrorist groups, who confiscate the aids and sell it for high prices.

Around 23 thousand people are encircled by the terrorist groups, who have blocked the way and prevented the people of Madaya from leaving the town.

Local citizens also told al-Akhbar that many of the sons of their own towns have joined the lines of the extremist groups "ISIS", al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham and Jaysh al-Fateh, noting that they also are the ones who confiscate the aids.

Earlier, sources noted that according to the Zabadani agreement, scores of trucks that hold humanitarian aids are scheduled to be sent to the town in January and that dozens of trucks that convey medical and food stuffs, which match the locals' needs for months, were sent to Madaya, but the terrorist groups confiscated them and sold them to the inhabitants for high prices.

Aid trucks arrived on Monday in the besieged towns of Kefraya and Fouaa at the same time when aid convoys also reached to Madaya in Damascus countryside.

Source: al-Ahed News