DAILY SCOPE: Session to Elect President More Likely Postponed, Syrian Army Thwarts Terrorist Counter Attacks

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

King Abdullah's Inheritors Escape Paying "Billions".. Hariri Embarrassed

Palestine: Confiscating Lands, Demolishing Buildings

Netanyahu: Some Arabs are Allies, Major Threat from Iran, "ISIS"

AL-AKHBAR:

Hariri to Franjieh: We Are Still With You

AN-NAHAR:

Hollande: Presidential Void in Lebanon Unfortunate, Saudi Arabia and Iran should Contribute to Find Solution

AD-DIYAR:

Presidency More Complicated after Aoun Imposes Conditions, Franjieh Refuses to Withdraw

Lebanese newspapers on Friday focused on the multi-dimensional political fervor related to the presidential elections, as news circulate on the possibility of postponing the cabinet session designed to tackle the issue on Feb. 8. This took place following the endorsement of the Lebanese Forces to MP Michel Aoun for presidency and drawing a more complicated path to the process. Newspapers also touched on the different domestic and regional developments.

AN-NAHAR-Session to Resolve Presidential Impasse More Likely to Be Postponed

A parliamentary session set for the election of a new president on February will not take place most probably, despite what seems to be a rapprochement between the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement.

An-Nahar daily on Friday said that "The session most probably will not take place in absence of March 14 and March 8 lawmakers and that the March 14 camp might boycott the session over fears that the results would not be in their favor."

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.

Since the presidential vacancy in May 2014, House Speaker Nabih Berri has called for about 30 sessions that have been adjourned over lack of quorum.

AL-BINAA: March 14 Attempts to Postpone Session on Electing President

Well-informed sources told al-Binaa newspaper that Interior Minister Nuhad al-Mashnouq and MP Saad Hariri's consultant Nader Hariri paid a visit to House Speaker Nabih Berri with the aim of postponing the session scheduled for February 8 to end the presidential void.

Sources said that Hariri is making intensive phone calls to guarantee that head of the Marada party Suleiman Franjieh would get 65 votes.

The cabinet has failed to hold regular sessions since September because of the dispute on the decision-making mechanism and the dispute on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials in absence of a president.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

The latest presidential initiative, proposed by Saad Hariri, leader of the Future Movement, contemplated the selection of Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh.

AL-AKHBAR-Syrian Army Thwarts Terrorist Counter-Attacks in Latakia

The Syrian army and its allies were able to take control over several towns in the Turkmen mountains including al-Hour, Bet Miro, and others in the northern outskirts of Latakia.

Field sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that the army's success came after the thwarting of a counter-attack that was carried out by the armed terrorist groups on the hills and towns surrounding Salma strategic town. The sources noted that the Syrian army is expanding its security zone in the area, following several attacks that were carried out by the terrorist groups.

Moreover, the field source told the Lebanese daily that Turkey has been increasingly providing military support to the terrorist groups, especially after new supply lines were set up in areas that are not under the control of the Syrian army.

Yet, the Russian air force has been targeting many of these lines, the source pointed out, noting that in one of the Russian raids, a convoy of vehicles belonging to the armed groups was directly hit on the international Aleppo-Latakia highway.

Russia's Foreign Ministry had said on Thursday that Terrorists have increased their activities ahead of the next week's inter-Syrian talks, with terrorists in the Syrian province of Aleppo receiving reinforcements from Turkey.

According to the ministry's statement, "attempts to launch counter-attacks against the government forces were performed by Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham groups, which got serious reinforcements from Turkey."

Source: al-Ahed News