DAILY SCOPE: Qatar Stops Mediation, Final Touches on Future-Hizbullah Dialogue

Local Editor

NEWS PAPERS HEADLINES

ASSAFIR:

Qatar Stops its Mediation ... Berri and Jumblatt Criticize "Management"
Captured Military File: These are Points of Strengths and Weaknesses

AN-NAHAR:

Qatar Ends Mediation Because of ‘Failed Efforts'
Crisis in Hostages File: Too Many Negotiators

AL-AKHBAR:

Delegation's Task Confined to Release Close Relative of Prince of Doha ... and Captives Left to Their Fate
Doha Ends Mediation: No thanks ... Qatar

THE DAILYSTAR:

Qatar Ends Mediation of Lebanon's Hostage Crisis
Berri: Final Touches Underway for Future-Hizbullah Dialogue

Qatar ended its mediation of Lebanon's hostage crisis Sunday after the terrorist groups killed Lebanese soldier Ali Bazzal, at the time the Lebanese government struggled to contain the outcome of the murder and the mounting anger among the families of the 25 remaining captives.

Lebanese newspapers focused on the Qatari stance, while highlighting the points of weakness and strength in the negotiation process, in an attempt to strain the armed terrorists from shedding more blood.

In this context, as-Safir newspaper on Monday noted that the martyrdom of soldier Ali Bazzal has shed its shadow on the public scene, in light of a mass national support to the family of the martyr which reflected a high sense of responsibility and awareness by that once again bringing any attempts of strife to a dead end.

The paper also noted that the repercussions of the Bazzal reached the Qatari capital, as the Qatari Foreign ministry declared it cannot go on with mediation to release the kidnapped soldiers any further.
Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday night that it had launched the mediation efforts upon Lebanon's request and for humanitarian reasons.

But it put an end to its efforts after its envoy failed to resolve the crisis.
Also, the paper assured that the blood of Bazzal has united the Lebanese despite their different affiliations, same as what had happened when the previous soldiers were executed by the terrorist groups. Yet, the paper said despite the unity among the Lebanese, measures should be taken to prevent any attempt of sowing strife, especially in light of the very sensitive situation now.

Al-Nusra on Friday published a photo purporting to show Bazzal being shot in the head and threatened to kill more soldiers if the relatives of the militants are not released immediately.

The paper stressed that the ‘crisis unit' should focus on the following:

Make sure the file of the kidnapped soldiers is not discussed from a sectarian or religious dimension, uniting the authorities in charge of this file and limiting its management to caretaker PM Tamam Salam and head of the Security Forces Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, making use of the Syrian positive attitude towards the case, setting a joint ops. Room that includes all security and judiciary apparatuses in Lebanon to coordinate an exchange information, take a strategic decision to disconnect all vital roads and exits, in addition to focusing on all points of strength in the negotiations process.

These points of strength, according to as-Safir are: to cut any connection between the abductors and the families of the hostages, rejecting any attempt to divide the file, and insisting on a full swap deal, using the major arrested terrorists like Saja Dailami, so-called Free Syrian Army leader Abdallah Rifai, and others as a main card in any deal or negotiation, requesting the Lebanese Judiciary to provide a list of names that includes the terrorists who have been sentenced to death and proceed in executing the verdicts, totally rejecting the release of important figures such as Naim Abbas and Omar al-Atrash who are vital plotters and executors to terrorist operations, and taking the proper strict security measures required to keep the situation under control not to mention learning from previous lessons in the confrontation with the terrorist groups.

As-Safir also mentioned that Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat have expressed anger at the performance of a committee tasked with resolving the crisis of Lebanese hostages.
The meetings of the committee, which is made up of ministers and security officials, haven't made progress, Berri told his visitors.

He said in remarks published on Monday that the committee is facing a crisis.
"Before awaiting for Qatar to help us, we should first help ourselves and rely on our sources of strength in order to use them in the right direction to secure the release of the soldiers," he said.

Jumblatt made similar remarks, saying: "I am so far remaining silent because my priority is to save the hostages and release them." "But I will say what I have at the appropriate time if things don't change," he warned.
He described the meetings of the committee as "chaotic.

The PSP chief told as-Safir that the Lebanese authorities should swiftly engage in a prisoner swap. "We could still save lives," he said.
For its part, al-Binaa newspaper quoted concerned parliamentary sources as saying ‘it is surprising that the government is not using the many cards and points of strength it possesses against the terrorists in the case of the abducted Lebanese soldiers, such as: cutting all lines of support, goods, fuel and medication that reach the terrorists in the outskirts of Arsal, especially that this is an easy step that can bring the terrorists down on their knees.

The source also noted that the army can use its human resources, where there are around 70 to 80 thousand Lebanese soldiers in the army, through which a well-planned stage of cleansing to the terrorist groups can take place by all means possible.

On the other hand, al-Akhbar newspaper said that the Qatari mediator has practically achieved nothing during the process of mediation, especially as he visited Lebanon for a few days to resolve some matters related to Qatari interests, where he was designated to free a Qatari national who was said to be kidnapped by her mother who lives in Syria.

Sources, on another note, told al-Jomhouriya newspaper that the Lebanese army is on utmost alert in the region of Arsal and its outskirts, especially after the bloody ambush in which six Lebanese soldiers were martyred.

On the political level, al-Mustaqbal newspaper quoted sources concerned with the Future-Hizbullah dialogue that the talks will not start before the beginning of the new year due to reasons undisclosed by both sides. The source also noted that Nader Hariri, who is designated to negotiate on behalf of the Future party has traveled to the United States and will not return before the holidays. Yet, there might be a preliminary meeting to prove good intention on the process especially in light of the insistence of house speaker Nabih Berri.

Source:al-Ahed news