DAILY SCOPE: Syria Will Not Give Up on Hizbullah, Iran

Local Editor

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Politicians! Hands Off Al-Assir Case

AL-AKHBAR:

Iraq: ‘Popular Mobilization' to Confront Division

AL-LIWAA:

Qahwaji: Protecting Eastern Borders in Hands of Army, Prosecution of al-Assir Next Month

AL-BINAA:

Syrian Army Has Upper Hand on Sahel al-Ghab, Zabadani Moving towards Surrender

AN-NAHAR:

Solution to Waste Crisis Today... Landfills to be Set

Lebanese newspapers on Wednesday highlighted the different domestic files lingering without solutions, topped by the waste management crisis. Also, more revelations surfaced showing progress in the investigations related to the terrorist Ahmad al-Assir who was arrested at the Beirut International airport with a forged ID in attempt to flee the country. Papers also tackled other regional files that might see solutions if the nuclear deal gets approved in coming October.

Al-Moallem: Syria Will Not Give Up on Hizbullah, Iran --- AL-JOMHOURIA:

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem told al-Jomhouria Lebnese newspaper "there is no complete initiative up to the moment on the Syrian crisis, but rather ideas that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif brought with him and were discussed with the Syrian side."

He noted that Syria had earlier discussed similar ideas with Russia, and Zarif had guaranteed these ideas would be completed and promoted.

According to the daily, al-Moallem declared that there are Syrian fixed principles in any initiative which are:

- Preserving Syria's sovereignty on all its territories.

- Exclusive dialogue between the Syrians and without pre-conditions.

- Resorting to Popular consent to any agreement that would take place.

The Syrian FM also told al-Jomhouria newspaper that UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura has bets that the nuclear deal will be approved by the US Congress and the Iranian Consultative Council around October, and that is when the Syrian file will see some solutions.

The Syrian official further assured to the daily that "conditions made for Syria to give up on Hizbullah and Iran is not accepted at all."

He further expressed optimism on the Iranian nuclear deal, saying "the deal repercussions will start with a Gulf-Iranian dialogue next month at the UN headquarters, followed by attention to many other files once the deal is approved by the US congress and the Iranian Council."

More Terrorist Cells to be Revealed --- AL-BINAA

Security Sources told al-Binaa Lebanese daily that the long-fugitive Ahmad al-Assir has revealed top secret and sensitive information related to terrorist groups and activity in Lebanon, yet the security forces and intelligence apparatuses are keen on keeping the investigations discreet because the revelation of any information might facilitate the fleeing of other terrorists and fugitives in hide.

The same sources told the paper that the terrorist cells in Lebanon are diverse and not directly linked together, and that makes it difficult for al-Assir or others to recognize all of them. But the sources considered that arresting al-Assir will indeed lead to the uncovering of other terrorist networks and enhance stability and security in the country.

A staunch supporter of the "ISIL" terrorist group, al-Assir was on a wanted list since June 2013 after clashes between his Takfiri followers and the Lebanese army claimed the lives of 18 soldiers in the Lebanese southern city of Sidon. In 2014, a Lebanese military judge urged the country's prosecutors to hand down death penalty to 54 Takfiris, including al-Assir and notorious extremist singer Fadel Shaker.

Waste Crisis Solution in Hands of Government --- AL-LIWAA

Lebanese MP Mohammad Qabbani told al-Liwaa newspaper that the country is falling apart due to the waste management crisis, wondering how the Lebanese people can tolerate the situation any further after the crisis has entered its second month.

He held the government as responsible for the crisis, noting that the deals and bids presented to solve the crisis is a long-term management to the crisis, but pointed out that there should be a current solution especially that the idea of exporting wastes does not seem to be applicable.

In response, Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq asserted that bids to solve the waste crisis will be opened and declared on Wednesday, assuring that the state will help in finding dumping ground.

"We have a sufficient number of bids that were presented to help solve the waste crisis and they will be opened and announced today with transparency," he told An Nahar daily.

"The state will help in finding disposal grounds," he assured, adding that the tenders include all Lebanese regions.

"Today we will move from the stage of preparation to the stage of implementation starting with sweeping, landfilling and management," said Mashnouq, adding "the bids that will be announced today have been studied thoroughly by international consultancy firms and have been evaluated technically, financially and legally."

Drifts of un-recycled rubbish had piled up on Beirut's streets due to the closure of the city's landfill on July 17th. Although smothered in white powder, the rotting rubbish stank, attracted flies, mice and rats, and was a serious health hazard at a time when tourists and tens of thousands of Lebanese expatriates flooded the country.

The existing landfill is full to capacity; nothing has been done to develop new sites, and villagers living in mountainous areas reject the creation of new landfills in their neighborhoods. The Beirut municipality has called on the government to authorize the hiring of specialized firms to dispose of the waste abroad.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team