DAILY SCOPE: Lebanon Striving to Solve Mechanism Crisis

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:

AN-NAHAR:

Two Options before Consultations to Resolve Mechanism Crisis

Guarantees Not to Disrupt, and March 14 Cohesive

AL-AKHBAR:

Hariri Supports Changing Mechanism: No to Impeding Government

AS-SAFIR:

Paris Heading to Compromise Including Presidency, Cabinet, Elections and Reforms

THE DAILYSTAR:

Hariri Backs Salam on New Mechanism

Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday shed light on the latest political developments on the domestic level, focusing on the conflict over finding a mechanism through which the Lebanese government would function. Despite the ongoing dialogue and dual meetings taking place between the different parties and sides in Lebanon, yet it seems that the situation has not witnessed any progress so far, particularly in terms of electing a president for Lebanon which has been in impasse for ten months until this day.

Starting with al-Akhbar daily, the paper noted that Prime Minister Tammam Salam met Monday with Future movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri as part of his endeavor to find a solution to the crisis crippling the work of his cabinet.

Ministerial sources assured to al-Akhbar that ‘so far, no ministerial session will be held this week and the agenda was not distributed since the mechanism issue has not been resolved yet.' Moreover, sources present at the meeting told the daily "the two sides have similar view on the matter and stress the importance of changing the mechanism through which the government functions, to prevent the impediment of the cabinet and its work under any circumstance or changes that emerge in the region."

The sources also assured that the major powers and parties in the country have all agreed on the importance of changing the mechanism of the government as it should proceed with its work regularly, stressing that major and strategic matters can undergo discussion or argument outside the Ministerial Council.

An-Nahar newspaper for its part, said the consultations carried out by Salam are focusing on two proposals - either keeping the same formula in return for receiving pledges from the ministers not to paralyze the cabinet or implementing article 65 of the constitution.

The article's clause five says: "The legal quorum for a council meeting shall be a two-thirds majority of its members. It shall make its decisions by consensus. If that is not possible, it makes its decisions by vote of the majority of attending members. Basic issues shall require the approval of two thirds of the members of the government named in the decree of its formation."

According to the officials, Salam is currently seeking to manage the country's affairs and avoid a deterioration in the current situation. The paralysis prevented the cabinet from meeting for two consecutive weeks.

Also, Minister of Education Elias Bou Saab told an-Nahar newspaper on Tuesday that the cabinet will not hold a session this week. The minister pointed out that discussions between the political leaders over the work's mechanism of the cabinet did not reach a common ground yet.

He concluded by saying that the solution for the issue relies in implementing the agreed work's mechanism.

On another note, Head of the General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim is awaiting the green light to head to Istanbul to tackle the case of so-called Arsal captives, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

According to the daily, Ibrahim only traveled to the United Arab of Emirates, denying talks about his trip to Turkey where he allegedly met with Qatari intelligence chief Ghanim al-Kubaisi.

Sources told the newspaper that negotiations with al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front witnessed a breakthrough after a three-month paralysis. The sources also pointed out that a deal is expected to be finalized in the upcoming days under the sponsorship of Qatar.

However, the sources said that negotiations with the so-called "ISIL" and the Levant reached a standstill as the group is waiting for the Lebanese authorities to carry out part of the agreement in order to resume talks.

A number of soldiers and policemen were abducted by al-Nusra Front and the so-called Islamic State group gunmen in the wake of clashes in the northeastern border town of Arsal in August, where a few have been released, four were executed and the rest remain captive.

Source: al-Ahed news