DAILY SCOPE: Putin Assures Support to Syria, Families of Kidnapped to Escalate
Local Editor
NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
Why Did Washington Warn Its Citizens from traveling to Lebanon
Kidnapped File: "Secrecy" That Does Not Conceal Bad Administration
Security Cooperation Between Washington and Damascus through Baghdad
AN-Nahar:
Will Dialogue Take Place Under One Clause?
Kidnapped Issue Witnesses Escalation Following Deal
AL-AKHBAR:
Lavrov: No New Geneva
AL-BINAA:
Lavrov and Moallem: Syrian Sovereignty First
The issue of the kidnapped Lebanese soldiers surfaced again on Thursday, especially as the case faces escalation due to the rage of the soldiers' families. Moreover, the Hizbullah liberation of Imad Ayad, the resistance fighter who was held by the so-called Free Syrian Army is still a hot topic discussed by Lebanese dailies. On the regional level, papers focused on the meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who discussed the latest field developments in Syria.
As-Safir newspaper wrote on Thursday that Lebanon is eagerly waiting to hear what Saad Hariri will say during the televised speech he is to deliver, expecting him to show flexibility on the matter of holding dialogue with Hizbullah.
On another hand, as-Safir noted that on the same night Lebanese Army Chief Jean Qahwaji declared that the Lebanese army is breaking terrorism and protecting Lebanon from strife, the US State Department warned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon in fear of ‘terrorist operations', which raises questions on the nature of information that led Washington to such travel warning.
According to the paper, the kidnapped soldiers' issue has witnessed escalation as their families wonder why did Hizbullah succeed in liberating its captive Imad Ayad from the hands of the so-called "Free Syrian Army" at the time the Lebanese government has proved unable to handle the file of the soldiers kidnapped by ‘Daesh' and ‘al-Nusra'.
Sources told as-Safir that since Hizbullah was able to put limits to the negotiation process with the so-called Free Syrian Army, reaching a deal to swap Ayad in return for two terrorists, the Lebanese government ought to do the same especially in light of what it described as the ‘illogical' demands.
Meanwhile, the emergency committee had convened, headed by caretaker Prime Minister [PM] Tamam Salam, where the kidnapping issue was discussed and Salam gave new information to the committee yet assured the importance of working on this file in discreet.
On the regional level, as-Safir highlighted that for the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem. Al-Moallem arrived Wednesday in Sochi city on a two-day work visit to Russia where he met Putin.
Al-Moallem's visit came upon the invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, according to a statement by Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
In its statement issued on the eve of al-Moallem's visit, the Russian Ministry said the primary issue to be tackled during al-Moallem-Lavrov talks will be the current situation in Syria, "which is still very tense and marked by the increase of the terror threat posed by the extremist groups, including ISIL and al-Nusra Front."
"Russia condemns the use of extremist groups in efforts to change the regime [in Syria]," Lavrov said, at a news conference on Wednesday in Sochi, after meeting his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem.
The foreign minister called the US refusal to compromise with Syrian authorities "openly ideology-driven," saying that Syria's nuclear disarmament confirms the country's cooperation internationally.
Russia will develop its relations and contacts with Syria and its leader Bashar Assad, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said after meeting Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov.
The Syrian diplomat said that Putin confirmed Russia's intentions to cooperate with the country, particularly in the fight against terrorism.
At a press conference with Lavrov, al-Moallem said the talks dealt with "the situation in the region and the conspiracy against Syria, that became well-known to all, by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey," clarifying that he affirmed to the Russian leadership the Syrian peoples' determination to combat terrorism.
"The talks also dealt with the mission of UN Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura, and the two sides had identical viewpoints on the need for supporting his efforts to freeze the situation in Aleppo," al-Moallem said.
He added both sides discussed the Russian ideas about holding a Syrian-Syrian dialogue in Moscow.
The delegation accompanying Minister al-Moallem include Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad, Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ayman Sousan, Syria's Ambassador in Moscow Riyad Haddad and Advisor to the Minister Ahmad Arnous.
An-Nahar newspaper, for its part, wrote that the families of the abducted soldiers are willing to demonstrate escalation right after the snow storm on Lebanon wanes. It has been a frustrating and painful four months for the families of the 28 soldiers and policemen who were abducted by the "ISIL", and Syria's al-Qaeda branch, al-Nusra Front during a five-day battle with the army in the northeastern town of Ersal on the border with Syria in August.
In a press conference at their sit-in camp in Riad al-Solh Square, the relatives said in a statement that "following Hizbullah's shocking liberation of their member from the hands of terrorist groups in Syria, and the huge betrayal we experienced, we have decided to escalate our protest as of Friday morning."
An-Nahar quoted sources as saying "The Lebanese government will contact the families of the kidnapped soldiers on Thursday, to brief them on the latest decisions that have been made in this regard especially concerning the ongoing Qatari mediation. Families of the abducted Lebanese soldiers called on Hizbullah's Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, to help free their sons, a day after a member of the resistance group was released in a swap deal.
Source: al-Ahed news
