DAILY SCOPE: Government to Convene Thursday, Netanyahu-Obama Rift on N-Talks
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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:
ASSAFIR
Netanyahu ‘Spiritual Leader' to US Congress in Absence of Its President
Oil: Leaking Lebanese ‘Data' Outside Lebanon
AN-NAHAR
Obama: [Netanyahu] Speech Did Not Present Applicable Alternatives
AL-AKHBAR
Iraq: Liberation Without Americans
AL-LIWAA
Ministerial Council Resumes Session Thursday, Wagers on Keeping Promises
As-Safir newspaper noted that the Ministerial Council will resume its sessions on Thursday, after a two-week halt on the backdrop of disagreement on the government mechanism; which was solved by the Prime Minister's declaration of adopting the previous government mechanism that was a point of consensus to all sides with slight amendments that prevent the impediment of any halting to the government or its work.
According to an-Nahar newspaper, Prime Minister Tammam Salam called Tuesday on the cabinet to resume its meetings, stressing that consensus shouldn't be a reason for obstructing the work of the government.
"Priority is to activate the work of the state effectively and smoothly," Salam said in press release.
He pointed out that discussions with the opposing parties led to a breakthrough in the government crisis.
"After contacting all parties represented at the cabinet... and reaching a conviction that the current political state compels everyone to safeguard the government and fortify its unity... I consider that my national duty obliges the elements of the national consensus to give the maximum priority to activate the work of the cabinet."
Informed sources told an-Nahar that at the beginning of Thursday's Ministerial session, the ministers will define how the council should function.
Back to as-Safir, well-informed sources told the paper that the dialogue between the two major parties in the country, Hizbullah and the Future party has positive reflections on the Lebanese arena, noting that the dialogue as well has important outcomes, most important since the beginning of the talks but unannounced so far. The source also informed the paper that the two sides agreed on an all-encompassing security plan that would include Beirut and the Dahiyeh [southern suburb], stressing that the plan requires time until it is fully developed.
On the offshore oil excavation file, concerned sources told the Lebanese daily on Wednesday that the official negligence of Lebanon's natural resources is a real crime, noting that in the mean time "Israel" has signed agreements with Jordan and Egypt to provide them with "Israeli" gas with a revenue of 15 billion dollars from Jordan and 17 billion dollars [for the private sector] and 15 billion dollars [for the public sector]; a total of 47 billion dollars of which Lebanon could have benefited if it had solved the exploration issue.
European Diplomatic sources told as-Safir that some sides in Lebanon are considering handing the oil and energy committee in Norway the ‘Geo-physics data' on the Northern region, under the pretext that such data could help through attracting new companies to invest in Lebanon. On the other hand, Lebanese experts on the matter told as-Safir that such data is considered as ‘data related to the National Oil Security, which should be classified and top secret material that must not be revealed or delivered to any party even if the reasons behind that were technical.
On the international level, papers focused on the Iranian nuclear file, where the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Tuesday the US Congress on the nuclear deal between Iran and the Western powers, calling on Obama's administration to refrain from signing the "bad" agreement.
"My friends, we've been told for over a year that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well this is a bad deal, a very bad deal. We're better off without it," Netanyahu said.
According to the papers, he also denied that "the only alternative to this deal is war."
"The alternative to this deal is a much better deal. A better deal that doesn't leave Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure and such a short breakout point."
Netanyahu's controversial speech started on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. (local time). He was invited by US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner hours after President Barack Obama threatened to veto any sanctions legislation against Iran during his State of the Union address on January 20.
Al-Liwaa Lebanese daily quoted IRNA reporting that Iran's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman saying that the Iranophobic speech of the Zionist regime Prime Minister at the US Congress was part of his campaign for the upcoming legislative elections.
Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham made the remarks while commenting on the anti-Iran address of Benjamin Netanyahu to the US lawmakers which coincided with the ongoing nuclear talks between f Iran and the Gtoup 5+1 in Switzerland.
It was a completely "deceitful show and a part of electoral campaign made by radicals in Tel Aviv," Afkham said. She added that Netanyahu's speech "indicated his weakness and extreme isolation of the radical groups even among their supporters.
"This is also an effort to impose their radical and irrational agenda on international policy." The paper also noted that Netanyahu not only attacked Iran but also Hizbullah saying "For those who believe that Iran threatens the "Jewish state", but not the "Jewish people", listen to (Sayyed) Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbullah, Iran's chief "terrorist" proxy. He said: If all the Jews gather in "Israel", it will save us the trouble of chasing them down around the world."
Meanwhile, an-Nahar touched on US President Barack Obama's reaction, quoting sources that Obama said there was "nothing new" in Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial speech to Congress Tuesday, insisting the "Israeli" Prime Minister did not offer a better alternative to negotiations.
Netanyahu "did not offer any viable alternative," Obama said speaking from the Oval Office. "We don't yet have a deal. But if we are successful, this will be the best deal possible with Iran to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.
Source: al-Ahed news
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