DAILY SCOPE: Berri Launched Dialogue Initiatives, Politicians Welcome Move

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AN-NAHAR:

Berri Has Prepared 2006's Table: To Dialogue Move

AS-SAFIR:

‘Ahrar al-Sham' Foils Zabadani Truce

Berri Launches ‘Rescue Call': Emergency Exit via Dialogue

AL-AKHBAR:

Ankara Foils Zabadani Settlement Again

AL-BINAA:

Berri Launches ‘Dialogue Committee' To Set Hand on Hot Files

THE DAILY STAR:

Politicians Weigh In On Anti-Corruption Protests

After focusing on the anti-corruption rallies in Beirut during the past week, Lebanese newspapers on Monday the 31st of August 2015 dealt with different topics most important of which was the initiative launched by Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri during the commemoration of the 37thanniversary of Imam Moussa al-Sadr Disappearance.

Berri Launches Initiative to Resolve Crises --- AL-JOMHOURIA

Lebanese political leaders welcomed House Speaker Nabih Berri's initiative for dialogue to resolve the presidential crisis and other political issues that are still pending and threatening to create chaos in the country.

According to al-Jomhouria newspaper, sources close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam said that he welcomes any initiative which takes the country out of ‘paralysis'.

The daily quoted the sources on Monday that Salam hoped that all sides would heed Berri's call for talks, as a first step towards solutions to Lebanon's growing crises.

Berri's remarks come a day after tens of thousands of protesters from across Lebanon staged a rare non-sectarian mass rally in downtown Beirut against a political class they accuse of corruption and failing to provide basic services.

Jumblat: Any Initiative for Dialogue Welcome --- AN-NAHAR

Head of the National Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblat also said on Monday that "any initiative for dialogue is welcomed."

He told An-Nahar newspaper that he backed Berri's initiative, "particularly at this difficult stage that the country is going through as a result of pressing issues."

Asked if he expected the talks, which according to Berri would bring together Salam and the heads of parliamentary blocs, would succeed, Jumblat said: "The most important thing is to start the dialogue."

The speaker said on Sunday that the agenda will tackle the presidency, the work of the parliament and the government, the electoral law, the law on restoring citizenship for Lebanese expatriates, administrative decentralization, and equipping the army.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 due to political disputes between the different political camps.

Also Sunday, Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah urged all the blocs to react positively to the initiative, saying only dialogue leads to consensus on controversial issues, urging them not to lose the opportunity provided to them by Berri.

Zabadani Truce Ended by Terrorists --- AL-AKHBAR

Filed sources told al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday that the terrorist armed groups took advantage of the truce in Syria's Zabadani to bring in arms and weapons to the extremists fighting there in the region.

The sources noted that despite the uncovering of numerous tunnels that were support lines through which the terrorists brought in the arms, yet they still tried to launch missiles at the posts of the Syrian army and the resistance forces in the area.

Moreover, the sources said the Syrian army and resistance forces replied to the attacks of the armed groups in Zabadani's al-Mazaya area, preventing the terrorist groups from making any advancements.

The resistance forces and the Syrian army units kicked off fresh military operations to seize back a strategic town in Zabadani in Damascus countryside on Saturday, after the 48-hour ceasefire with the terrorist groups ended earlier today.

The ceasefire came into effect on Thursday and included, besides Zabadani in rural Damascus, two villages to the northwest of the country, Kefraya and Foua, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Saturday.

The Syrian army and the Lebanese Resistance forces started their operations to take control of al-Mazaya town in the Southern parts of the Zabadani city.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website Team