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Libyan Political Dialogue Forum Mulls PM Pick

Part of the activities of the Political Dialogue Forum held in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis (DPA)
Part of the activities of the Political Dialogue Forum held in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis (DPA)
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Libyan Political Dialogue Forum Mulls PM Pick

Part of the activities of the Political Dialogue Forum held in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis (DPA)
Part of the activities of the Political Dialogue Forum held in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis (DPA)

The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum talks continued for the second day Tuesday in Tunisia's capital to discuss a draft political roadmap for the preparatory phase in Libya.

The discussions, which kicked off Monday under the UN auspices, are expected to conclude on Saturday during which a press conference will be held to announce key agreements reached between Libyan parties.

Various political figures hope the forum will serve as a reference during the upcoming transitional phase. A Libyan committee will be formed and will include five figures of the 75 officials who participated in the forum.

They will be tasked to monitor the outcomes of the Tunis meeting and the implementation of the agreements, as well as take a final decision in case obstacles occurred.

Remarkably, Libyan sources revealed that several figures have been proposed for the prime minister's post. These are led by Libyan Interior Minister of the Government of National Accord Fathi Bashagha, politician Ahmed Maiteeq and Speaker of the east-based Libyan parliament Aguila Saleh.

The draft being discussed includes seven main political issues that set the principles of the national political program, including holding general elections, restructuring the executive authority in Libya to achieve security, ending armed conflicts, unifying state institutions, improving services and economic performance, as well as developing the work of state institutions and attaining comprehensive political reconciliation.

According to Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman al-Asoumi, the LPDF represents a pivotal stage and a major milestone to end years of conflict and meet the aspirations of the Libyan people of comprehensive peace and lasting stability in their country.

Asoumi urged all Libyan parties to actively engage in the dialogue and prioritize the national interest of Libyans to reach a comprehensive political settlement to the crisis.

He stressed that this settlement will support the sovereignty of the Libyan state over its entire territory, preserve its national unity and end all forms of foreign interventions in Libya’s internal affairs.

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Syrians Commemorate Uprising Anniversary for First Time Since Assad's Fall

This is the first celebration of the Syria's 2011 uprising since the fall of Bashar al-Assad (AFP/Bakr ALKASEM)
This is the first celebration of the Syria's 2011 uprising since the fall of Bashar al-Assad (AFP/Bakr ALKASEM)
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Syrians Commemorate Uprising Anniversary for First Time Since Assad's Fall

This is the first celebration of the Syria's 2011 uprising since the fall of Bashar al-Assad (AFP/Bakr ALKASEM)
This is the first celebration of the Syria's 2011 uprising since the fall of Bashar al-Assad (AFP/Bakr ALKASEM)

Syrians gathered on Saturday to commemorate the 14th anniversary of their uprising in public demonstrations in Damascus for the first time since president Bashar al-Assad was toppled.

The demonstration in Damascus's Umayyad Square is the first in the capital after years of repression under Assad, during which the square was the sole preserve of the ousted president's supporters.

Activists also called on people to gather in the cities of Homs, Idlib and Hama at demonstrations under the slogan "Syria is victorious".

By the afternoon, dozens of people had gathered in the capital's Umayyad Square, amid a heavy security presence and with military helicopters overhead dropping leaflets bearing the slogan "there is no room for hate among us".

Security forces were stationed at all entrances to the square, with some of them handing out flowers to demonstrators while speakers blared revolutionary and Islamic songs, AFP reported.

Many attendees waved the Syrian flag -- officially changed from one used under Assad to the design from the independence era -- and held signs reading "the revolution has triumphed".

Hanaa al-Daghri, 32, was among those in the square and told AFP "what is happening now is a dream we never dared to imagine".

"I left Damascus 12 years ago because I was wanted, and I would have never had any hope of returning were it not for the liberation," she said.

"We are missing many friends who are no longer with us, but their bloodshed brought us to where we are today."

Under bright sunlight, Abdul Moneim Nimr, 41, stood surrounded by his friends who raised a large flag and began dancing and singing.

"We used to celebrate the anniversary of the revolution in northern Syria and today we are celebrating in Umayyad Square. This is a blessed victory," he said.

Syria's conflict began with peaceful demonstrations on March 15, 2011, in which thousands protested against Assad's government, before it spiralled into civil war after his violent repression of the protests.

This year's commemoration marks the first since Assad was toppled on December 8 by opposition factions.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who headed the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which spearheaded the offensive, has since been named interim president.

Hundreds also gathered at the main square in the opposition's former stronghold of Idlib, an AFP journalist saw, raising the flags of Syria and HTS amid a heavy security presence and despite the Ramadan fast and relatively hot weather.

On Thursday, Sharaa signed into force a constitutional declaration regulating a five-year transition period before a permanent constitution is to be put into place.

Analysts have criticised the declaration, saying it grants too much power to Sharaa and fails to provide sufficient protection to the country's minorities.

It also came a week after Syria's Mediterranean coast, the heartland of Assad's Alawite minority, was gripped by the worst wave of violence since his overthrow.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, security forces and allied groups killed at least 1,500 civilians, mainly Alawites, in the violence that began on March 6.

The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on Friday: "It is fourteen years since Syrians took to the streets in peaceful protest, demanding dignity, freedom and a better future."

He added in a statement that despite the brutal civil war, "the resilience of Syrians and their pursuit of justice, dignity and peace endure. And they now deserve a transition that is worthy of this."

He called for "an immediate end to all violence and for protection of civilians".

On the occasion of the anniversary, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council in northeast Syria reiterated its objection to the constitutional declaration, saying it "did not adequately reflect the aspirations of the Syrian people to build a just and democratic state".