Oil Wealth on Top, Eyes on Legislative Session, New STL Indictment
The Sands of time watch approached the finishing line and according to the timeline of Syrian crisis, it seems that the Syrian army is moving towards military decisiveness in Homs.
This came as the Syrians have said their word declaring their approval of the new Constitution and the reformist approach.
However, the international scene is surrounded by the dust of falling bets.
The so-called Syrian opposition is suffering ethnic, strategic, and military divisions despite the fact that the Arab moderates have recruited all their gold and effort to support the coup on al-Assad regime. Turkey hinted to rejecting any military intervention against Damascus.
And Hillary Clinton continues searching in the papers of her terrorist diplomacy to an alternative as she frankly announced that al-Qaeda is the only alternative and Moscow is a strong barrier against our plans.
In parallel, Western reports continue unveiling the levels of financial, military, and intelligence Western and Arab support to armed groups. But a light must be shed on revealed information that the Pentagon had ended its military plans to intervene in Syria.
Pentagon Ended Military Plans for Intervention in Syria
The US famous CNN unveiled Wednesday that the US pentagon has prepared detailed military plans that it might carry against Syria if ordered by US President Barak Obama.
Sources informed the channel that the planning has been under way for weeks but now there are specifics on how operations could be carried out.
A senior US official said the options are being teed up but no decisions have been made.
"But for the 1st time the potential plans include the number of US troops needed and the types of air, land sea capabilities required," CNN correspondent Barbara Star reported.
Reflecting the breach to Syrian sovereignty, the report uncovered that "US is collecting satellite images and intelligent of Syrian military movements, and stores."
However, the US officials admitted that toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through a military campaign may be the toughest option at all."
Berri in Cyprus, Discusses Oil Wealth
In Lebanon, the Lebanese oil wealth is back to the head front as Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri paid a visit to Cyprus in attempt to end the dispute on maritime borders and Lebanese economic zone.
Describing the meeting with Cypriot President Demetrios Christofias as "fruitful", "as-Safir" Lebanese newspaper unveiled that "Berri stressed Berri in his visit on the need to safeguard Lebanon's rights in the exclusive economic zone."
According to the paper, Berri called on Cypriots to "re-consider some points of the agreement signed with the "Israelis", including parts that came as a breach to Lebanese 850 km sovereignty of maritime area."
Berri further asserted "the need to strengthen coordination between relevant ministries in both countries to accelerate the pace towards understanding all the sticking points."
"As-Safir" further mentioned that during his meetings, House Speaker proposed the issue of fresh water that Lebanon owns, pointing out to "the possibility of selling large quantities of this wealth to Cyprus through the pipes that extend under the water."
Cypriot President expressed willingness to consider this offer and dealt positively with it.
Regarding the Lebanese oil stock, sources pointed out that "studies conducted by ministry enabled to estimate the almost exact size of the wealth."
"It is equal to tens of billions of dollars," sources confirmed to "as-Safir" noting that "production requires - if all goes natural without procrastination - a period of not less than six years."
Stating that the Lebanese oil forms an attractive element to exploration companies from America, Asia, and Europe, sources informed the daily that "until now 25 foreign companies particularly from the United States, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Norway, Austria, the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Korea, Italy, Japan, Canada, Brazil and Switzerland requested information on the geophysical survey of the Lebanese ground.
In an interview with "as-Safir" Energy minister Gibran Bassil said that "oil wealth exists thanks to God, and is protected thanks to the resistance, and is legalized thanks to the Parliament, and decrees are issued through the Energy minister."
Diesel Scandal, Meetings Ahead of Next Legislative Session
At another level, the head of the parliamentary energy committee, MP Mohammed Qabbani, vowed on Thursday to question Energy Minister Bassil after he lamented that an Audit Bureau report on the red diesel scandal didn't hold him accountable.
Qabbani told "an-Nahar" daily that the Bureau's representatives had informed members of the committee that "they can't hold Bassil accountable."
"That's why I decided to submit a written questioning to Minister Bassil within the next two days," he said, hoping that the grilling would lead to "a vote of confidence."
At the legislative front, "an-Nahar" daily viewed that that "the legislative session to be held by the parliament next Monday will be a terminal benchmark for settling the conflict over government spending from outside the budget and the one-twelfth rule.
In this context, the paper reported that "the meeting held on Tuesday evening at PM Najib Mikati's residence between the prime minister, Energy Minister Bassil, Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Minister of State for Administrative Development Mohammad Fneish and Hizbullah Secretary General's Political Advisor Hajj Hussein Khalil acquired an important dimension within the framework of majority preparations for next Monday's parliamentary session."
"The meeting focused on the means to promote cabinet action in general and provide everything needed to consolidate the majority and restore its efficiency," a ministerial source informed the paper.
On the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, "al-Joumhouria" newspaper informed that Mikati will receive on Thursday a copy of a new indictment in the attacks on the three officials that have been linked to ex-PM Rafik Hariri's murder.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
