DAILY SCOPE: Presidential File Needs Time, Swap Deal to Release Resistance Fighters

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Royal Saudi Court to Geagea: You Have Committed Sin

AN-NAHAR:

Where Do Doha, Tehran, Washington and Damascus Stand from "Initiatives"

AL-AKHBAR:

Berri Backs Franjieh against Aoun

AL-BINAA:

Geagea Reveals His Goal from Nominating Aoun: We Put the Ball in Hizbullah's Court

AD-DIYAR:

Qatari FM: Geagea Nominated Aoun, Took Lebanon's Interest into Consideration

The ongoing endorsement of the Lebanese Forces Head Samir Geagea of Head of the Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun for presidency is in the spotlight, as all Lebanese newspapers are still following up on the issue. Newspapers said that all sides in the country are waiting to see where things go, and considered that for Aoun to become president, a lot more time is required and that it will not happen any time soon.

In addition to following up on the presidential nomination and its repercussions, newspapers also touched on the US war launched against Hizbullah through imposing new sanctions on banks, the freeing of resistance fighters who were captured by al-Nusra terrorist group. Papers also discussed developments on the regional level.

AS-SAFIR-Royal Saudi Court Says Geagea Sinned by Nominating Aoun

Relations between head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea and the Future party Head MP Saad Hariri have become complicated after Geagea announced on Monday his support for head of the Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun.

A trusted source in the Future Party told As-Safir newspaper that the royal Saudi court told Geagea he has committed a "huge sin" by endorsing Aoun for presidency. According to the source, Geagea now needs to ‘rethink' his relationship with Saudi Arabia, MP Saad Hariri and March 14 camp.

On a related note, political sources said that Geagea, and during a televised interview on MTV Lebanese Channel on Wednesday tried to provoke Aoun and incite him against Hizbullah.

According to the source, Geagea said that "Hizbullah, and only if it wanted, could simply endorse Gen. Michel Aoun for presidency and ensure the support of all their allies in March 8 to support him."

Geagea announced on Monday his decision to nominate Aoun for the presidential election that has been delayed for around 20 months due to the lack of the political consensus among the various factions.

In a joint press conference, Geagea said that after mulling the political complications which caused the presidential vacancy, the Lebanese Forces decided to support General Aoun's candidacy. Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014.

AN-NAHAR-Presidential File Requires More Time

Sources close to Hizbullah told An-Nahar newspaper that the situation requires more time to reach an understanding, where one of the candidates [Aoun and Franjieh] would pull out for the favor of the other, by that end the presidential void in the country.

The sources added that the process might take some time, expecting that Lebanon would see a solution to the crisis before the end of spring.

Also, sources expected that MP Saad Hariri would travel to meet the Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai who headed on Thursday morning to Rome. The two, according to the sources, are supposed to tackle the presidential file.
Al-Rai, before leaving Lebanon's airport said "We want a president who is made in Lebanon."

He stressed that "Political and parliamentary blocs should assume their responsibilities while taking into consideration the regional situation and international conditions, and bring a president who is accepted regionally and internationally."

Al-Rahi will be discussing the almost 2-year presidential deadlock with Pope Francis and other top Vatican officials.

As for the Saudi objection to the nomination of Aoun for presidency, well-informed sources told the newspaper that it has increased following the stance declared by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil in Egypt.

Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister had indicated on Sunday that Lebanon has "refrained from voting for the Arab Foreign Ministers final decision at the closing of its meeting in Cairo," adding that the Lebanese delegation also objected to, and demanded the elimination of, the statement's mentioning of "Hezbollah" and linking it to "terrorist acts."

AL-AKHBAR- Negotiations between Hizbullah, al-Nusra for a Swap Deal

Al-Akhbar newspaper said in a report on Thursday that negotiations are taking place between Hizbullah and the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra front to release three resistance members that were taken captive in Syria's Aleppo outskirts almost two months ago.

The daily said that the al-Nusra terrorist group has tasked Abou Malek al-Talleh, the so-called emir of al-Nusra in Qalamun, with carrying out the negotiations.

According to the paper, there will be a swap deal where the Hizbullah fighters will be set free in return for freeing several al-Nusra terrorists who were taken captive by the resistance while others were arrested by the Lebanese army.

The terrorist group is also trying to pressure Hizbullah, asking it to withdraw from one or two villages in the Qalamoun region that are currently under the resistance's control.

The process is taking place under the mediation of a Qatari side, to speed up the negotiations and end the process as soon as possible, said the newspaper.

Source: al-Ahed News