DAILY SCOPE: Naturalization Back to Headlines: Matter is Being Politically Exploited

Local Editor

NEWSAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

France Wins the Gulf, Will it Lose Syria and Lebanon?

AN-NAHAR:

Berri Calls for a Legislative Session Beginning of May

AL-AKHBAR:

"Suspicious" Deal to "Own" Lebanon's Seashore: More than 120 Million Dollars for a Public Property

Moscow to Hariri: No to Federalism

AL-BINAA:

Syrian Military, Political Advancements, Saudi and Turkish Retreat

Lebanese newspapers on Monday tackled the different domestic files including the talk on the Syrian refugees' crisis and the hype on naturalization, where Lebanese officials assured that the case is being exploited for political reasons. Also, newspapers followed up on other issues related to Hariri's visit to Moscow and the real reasons behind his visit, where according to sources part of it comes in the context of finding an exit to his financial crisis.

AS-SAFIR: Naturalization Case Being Exaggerated

Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday told As-Safir newspaper that "the concerns on the plans to naturalize refugees have been exaggerated."

According to the paper, Berri said that there are no factors on the ground that demonstrate the refugees will be naturalized, assuring that the issue is being exploited for purposes related to the presidential elections.

"Can such an alleged plan exist and I would accept it and remain silent over it?" Berri questioned adding "Don't they know me and know my history?"

"We have presented the greatest sacrifices to prevent naturalization, and what we rejected in the past will not be allowed to happen now...this matter is out of question, and has to be kept outside the context of political debates," Berri pointed out.

He also said that the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon did not address this issue during his recent trip to Lebanon, which took place almost two weeks ago.

On a related note, Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam said that the issue of naturalization is an illusion that will not happen, stressing that some sides are exploiting the matter for political and sectarian purposes.

Salam added that there was nothing worrying in the words of Ban Ki-moon, pointing out "Why should we risk squandering this [UN] support through internal political debates. We will only suffer more damage and harm this way and we will only be shooting ourselves in the foot."

Ban arrived on March 24 in Lebanon, where he dialogued with the President of the Council of Ministers, Tammam Salam, and other officials, and visited communities with Syrian and Palestinian refugees.

Lebanon, with a population for 4.5 million is home to more than 1 million registered Syrian refugees, not to mention that another half a million Syrians live in the country also, according to Lebanese officials.

AL-AKHBAR: Hariri Looking for Solutions to his Financial Crisis

Al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday focused on the visit of Future Party Head Saad Hariri to Moscow, pointing out that the goal from his visit was to "see what the Russian stance is from Syria."

Sources following up on the visit told the newspaper that Russia informed Hariri that it rejects federalism in Syria and the countries of the region completely.

"Hariri went to perceive the Russian stance from the latest developments in Syria, especially as Russia became the Player number 1 in the Syrian field," said the sources.

Also, the sources reported that Hariri's visit aimed at finding a solution to his financial crisis, through attempts to invest work with multi-national oil and gas companies that work in the Mediterranean countries.

Lavrov and the US Secretary of State John Kerry have agreed to make diplomatic contacts with Riyadh, Tehran, the Vatican and Paris to put an end to the ongoing delay in the presidential elections in Lebanon and find a solution to the reasons hampering the process.

Hariri's visit comes as part of the Russian-US agreement to contact heads of prominent parliamentarian blocs in the country.

AL-JOMHOURIA: Christian Summit to Discuss Latest Developments

The Maronite Patriarchate in Lebanon will host a Christian spiritual summit on Monday to tackle the latest developments which will for sure include the presidential void, reported al-Jomhouria newspaper on Monday.

According to sources, the meeting is aimed at discussing religious values and empowering unity among the Christians in the east.

Chaired by the Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, the consultative meeting will be attended by heads of eastern churches in Lebanon, in which the presidential elections that is considered as one of the greatest problems facing Lebanon will be tackled.

Sources well-informed of the meeting said "our institutions cannot remain hampered and obstructed as it [the impasse] negatively affects all state institutions."

Since Lebanon's president Michel Suleiman stepped down from office by the end of his term in May 2014, the country has been without a head of state.

Source: al-Ahed News