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Tebboune to Visit Beijing, Signaling Qualitative Leap in Algerian-Chinese Relations

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (Algerian presidency)
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (Algerian presidency)
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Tebboune to Visit Beijing, Signaling Qualitative Leap in Algerian-Chinese Relations

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (Algerian presidency)
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (Algerian presidency)

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is expected to make an official visit to China before the end of the year.

Algerian Foreign Ministry’s Secretary General Amar Belani discussed the visit on Wednesday with Chinese Ambassador in Algiers Li Jian.

Bilani and Jian stressed the need to prepare Tebboune’s “important visit”.

The Ministry said the visit is “expected to achieve a “qualitative shift” in Algerian-Chinese relations.

It added that the two officials stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of major structural projects, included in the 2nd Five-Year Plan of Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation (2022-2026), the Executive Plan for the joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Three-Year Plan (2022-2024) of cooperation in strategic areas.

Projects include the establishment of the port of Cherchell Center, the development of the Gara Djebilet iron mine in Tindouf, the exploitation and processing of phosphate in Tebessa and Oued Kebrit in Soug Ahras, and the development of the zinc and lead mine in Bejaia.

While meeting with Bilani, the Chinese ambassador welcomed the progress made by Algeria in improving the business climate and investment in the country.

He expressed the major interest of Chinese economic operators in concluding partnerships with their Algerian counterparts, especially in view of the promising opportunities offered by the new law on investment that ensures legislative stability and a better vision for foreign investors.

Tebboune will pay a state visit to Russia in May at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

He will discuss cooperation with Russia in the military field, despite pressures from US Congressmen on the Algerian government to force Algiers to abandon a large-value arms deal expected to be signed during the visit.

Tebboune and Putin had held telephone talks in February to discuss “ways to boost bilateral partnership, including in the energy sector.”

They also discussed the upcoming Algerian-Russian Joint Commission meeting that will be held later this year.

Last year, reports said Tebboune was expected to visit Moscow in December to sign a strategic partnership agreement on economic and military affairs.

The agreement called for buying Russian weapons worth millions of dollars. However, no official party had confirmed the reports and since the visit did not take place as scheduled, analysts said it was “canceled due to US pressure.”

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Arab World

Shelling, Looting in Sudan’s Capital as Military Factions Battle for Eighth Week 

Smoke billows behind buildings from a reported fire in Khartoum, on June 5, 2023, as fighting continues between two warring generals. (AFP)
Smoke billows behind buildings from a reported fire in Khartoum, on June 5, 2023, as fighting continues between two warring generals. (AFP)
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Shelling, Looting in Sudan’s Capital as Military Factions Battle for Eighth Week 

Smoke billows behind buildings from a reported fire in Khartoum, on June 5, 2023, as fighting continues between two warring generals. (AFP)
Smoke billows behind buildings from a reported fire in Khartoum, on June 5, 2023, as fighting continues between two warring generals. (AFP)

Shelling hit western areas of Sudan's capital on Monday morning after rival military factions fought through the night, residents said, with reports of deepening lawlessness in Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur.

Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been battling each other for more than seven weeks, intensified after the expiry late on Saturday of a ceasefire deal brokered by Saudi Arabia and the US.

The conflict has uprooted more than 1.2 million people within Sudan and sent about 400,000 fleeing into neighboring countries, inflicting heavy damage on the capital where remaining residents are at the mercy of battles, air strikes and lawlessness.

Late on Sunday, residents reported intense fighting across the three cities that make up the nation's wider capital - Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri - and smoke could be seen rising from several areas early on Monday.

"The neighborhood where we live in the center of Omdurman is looted publicly on a daily basis without anyone intervening to prevent it, with clashes and shelling continuing around us," said 37-year-old resident Mohamed Saleh.

In Khartoum East district, RSF troops who have spread out in neighborhoods across the capital were in full control and were looting extensively, said Waleed Adam, a resident of the area.

"You see them right in front of you, taking cars, money, gold - whatever they can get their hands on," he told Reuters by phone. "I guess it's just a matter of time until they come to my street."

The RSF says it has been working to protect civilians by arresting looters.

The war has also triggered unrest in Darfur in Sudan's far west, a region that was already suffering from mass displacement due to earlier conflict.

In recent days at least 40 people were killed and dozens more were wounded in Kutum in North Darfur State, according to activists who monitor the region. Residents have also reported widespread looting and insecurity in the area.

On Monday, the RSF released a video purporting to show that they had taken over the army headquarters in Kutum, a commercial hub and one of the larger towns in the state.

There was no immediate comment from the army, which had denied on Sunday that the RSF had taken the town.

There have been long communication blackouts in parts of Darfur, where aid groups have found it especially complicated to bring in new humanitarian supplies.

In El Obeid, a city 360 km (220 miles) southwest of Khartoum and on a key route from the capital to Darfur, residents reported large deployments of RSF forces and the closure of some roads.

Recent days have brought the first showers of the year in Khartoum, marking the start of a rainy season likely to complicate a relief effort already hampered by bureaucratic delays and logistical challenges.

Arab World

Lebanon: Speaker Calls for Parliament Session on June 14 to Elect President

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (dpa)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (dpa)
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Lebanon: Speaker Calls for Parliament Session on June 14 to Elect President

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (dpa)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (dpa)

Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has called the lawmakers for a parliament session on June 14 to elect a new head of state, Lebanon’s MTV station said Monday.

Berri’s announcement came less than 24-hours after the opposition announced on Sunday they had nominated IMF official and former minister Jihad Azour as their candidate for the post.

“As a result of extensive contacts we have agreed on the name of Jihad Azour,” said the opposition in a statement, adding that their candidate has garnered consensus of several blocks including the Strong Lebanon bloc of the Free Patriotic Movement.

They urged Berri to invite the parliament for “successive” meetings to elect a president to fill the post vacant since the end of the term of President Michel Aoun on October 31.

 

Arab World

Syrian Opposition Calls for Resuming Direct Talks with Damascus

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gestures while speaking during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 22, 2021. Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via REUTERS
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gestures while speaking during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 22, 2021. Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via REUTERS
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Syrian Opposition Calls for Resuming Direct Talks with Damascus

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gestures while speaking during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 22, 2021. Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via REUTERS
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gestures while speaking during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 22, 2021. Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via REUTERS

The opposition Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) urged on Sunday the resumption of direct UN-sponsored talks with the regime of President Bashar Assad, in the wake of the return of Damascus to the Arab fold after a 12-year isolation.

In a statement following a two-day meeting in Geneva, the SNC called on "brotherly and friendly countries to support the efforts of the UN to take all necessary resolutions to fulfill a comprehensive political solution".

The statement called for a solution in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254, which set out a roadmap for a political transition.

"The international, regional and Syrian conditions provide an appropriate circumstance for the resumption of direct negotiations... under a specific agenda and timetable," the SNC added in the statement.

The UN has played the mediator’s role between the government and the opposition since the beginning of the conflict, and it held several rounds of talks that were mostly in Geneva in 2018, but they hit an impasse.

After the failure of negotiations, the UN focused on holding talks to draft a new constitution, but no progress was made.

The Syrian opposition received support from several Arab states during the first years of the conflict, but this support gradually diminished with the stalemate of the political process.

Twelve years after the war, the political opposition has lost much of its momentum.

More than one decade after some Arab states severed ties with Damascus, the Arab League announced last month the return of Damascus to the AL after around 12 years of suspending its membership.

Saudi Arabia resumed ties with Damascus, knowing that some Syrian opposition figures were headquartered in Saudi Arabia. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad headed last month to the Arab summit in Jeddah to break the regional isolation of Damascus.

The Arab states seek to play a “leading” role in reaching a political settlement for the conflict, according to several statements.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said late last month that "new diplomatic activity in the region could be an opportunity if seized."

 

Arab World

Egypt, Mauritania Urge Ethiopia to Adopt Common Ground Solutions in GERD

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazaouani (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazaouani (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Mauritania Urge Ethiopia to Adopt Common Ground Solutions in GERD

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazaouani (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazaouani (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt and Mauritania on Sunday urged Ethiopia to show the political will to adopt any common ground solutions put on the negotiating table that meet its interests regarding the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reaffirmed the “serious repercussions” on water security of the Nile Basin countries, calling for a legally binding agreement regarding the GERD filling and operation.

Sisi received President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazaouani, who arrived in Cairo on a three-day visit.

He described the talks with Ghazaouani as “constructive” and tackled various bilateral, regional, and international issues.

The Egyptian President said in a press conference with his Mauritanian counterpart that Egyptian water security is integral to Arab water security.

“We stressed the importance of urging Ethiopia to show the political will to adopt any of the common ground solutions that were put on the negotiating table and that meet its interests without encroaching on the rights and interests of the two downstream countries.”

GERD negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have stalled since January 2021. Cairo resorted to the Security Council in July 2020, but the latter urged the three countries to resume negotiations and finalize an acceptable and binding agreement.

The two presidents agreed to continue coordination and cooperation within the framework of the African Union and continue efforts to support the structure of peace, security, and development in the African continent.

Sisi indicated that consultations had demonstrated a shared political will to strengthen outstanding relations and promote them toward broader prospects.

The two leaders agreed on further advancing cooperation in the economic, investment, and trade fields and expediting the convening of the second round of the Egyptian-Mauritanian High Joint Committee this year.

The committee aims to foster closer relations, deepen the bilateral partnership, and strengthen cooperation and coordination about issues of mutual concern.

They touched on the latest developments in the Arab arena and agreed on the importance of advancing mechanisms of joint Arab action to maintain national security and protect the unity, sovereignty, and resources of Arab states.

The talks focused on the latest developments in the Palestinian cause and the Libyan crisis.

“We shared the same view regarding the importance of holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously and the departure of all foreign forces, mercenaries, and foreign fighters with no exception within a set timeframe, in line with the relevant international resolutions.”

Regarding developments in Sudan, the Egyptian President stressed the importance of an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, preserving Sudan’s national institutions and preventing them from collapsing.

“We urge all parties to make the voice of wisdom prevail to preserve the capabilities of the Sudanese state and the interests of its people”, he said.

 

Arab World

Six Detained Yazidi Women Freed from ISIS Grip in Syria

The six freed Yazidi women (Nadia Murad’s twitter account)
The six freed Yazidi women (Nadia Murad’s twitter account)
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Six Detained Yazidi Women Freed from ISIS Grip in Syria

The six freed Yazidi women (Nadia Murad’s twitter account)
The six freed Yazidi women (Nadia Murad’s twitter account)

Nobel Prize-winner and Yazidi activist Nadia Murad announced on Sunday the rescue of six Yazidi women who were taken captive by ISIS.

In August 2014, ISIS invaded Sinjar—a district of the Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq from where the group abducted, killed and enslaved thousands of Yazidi men and women.

“After weeks of investigation, I am extremely heartened to report that we have rescued six more Yazidi women who were taken captive by ISIS,” Murad wrote on her twitter account.

The women were still children and teenagers when they were first taken captive in 2014, Murad said.

“Trafficked out of Iraq and onto Syria, they were rescued on Saturday morning. They have been flown back to Erbil where they will be reunited with their families, and offered all the psychosocial support they need,” she added.

The activist said this rescue wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani.

By setting up an office dedicated to rescuing kidnapped Yazidi women and girls, the President has helped many of them escape ISIS captivity, Murad explained.

“We will continue to search for the remaining women and children who we know are still missing. In this endeavor, we are asking for help with international partners,” she noted.

A Yazidi source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the majority of rescue operations are conducted through mediators who live in Syria and are tasked with searching for the abductees and freeing them in return for large sums of money.

The source said the payment is provided either by the Kurdistan Regional Government or some charitable organizations.

For its part, the Office for Yazidi Abductees Affairs praised President Barzani’s great efforts in liberating the six abductees.

Displaced Yazidi families from the Sinjar district reside in 26 camps in Dohuk where more than 35,000 families have not yet returned home, according to the Ministry of Migration and Displacement.

In March, the Office for Rescuing Yazidis in the Kurdistan Region said there are 6,417 kidnapped Yazidis, including 3,548 females and 2,869 males.

It said 3,562 were freed from ISIS grip while 2,693 remain captives.

Arab World

Sisi: It is Important to Prevent Sudan’s National Institutions from Collapsing

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. (dpa)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. (dpa)
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Sisi: It is Important to Prevent Sudan’s National Institutions from Collapsing

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. (dpa)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. (dpa)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi urged on Sunday all Sudanese warring parties to stop the fighting and make the voice of wisdom prevail in order to preserve the capabilities of their country and the interests of the people.

During a meeting with his Mauritanian counterpart in Cairo, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Sisi stressed the importance of declaring an immediate and sustainable ceasefire to preserve Sudan’s national institutions and prevent them from collapsing.

He stressed the need for intensifying efforts to provide urgent humanitarian and relief aid to alleviate the suffering of those affected.

The fighting between the Sudanese military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, broke out in mid-April.

On Thursday, the White House announced that it will impose sanctions against key defense companies and people who “perpetuate violence” in Sudan as the warring sides failed to abide by a cease-fire agreement in the northeastern African nation.

Last week, Sudan’s military suspended its participation in the peace talks sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the United States, launched late in May in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The army and the RSF had exchanged accusations of shelling and aerial bombardments on a market in the capital, Khartoum.

In line with the Saudi-US mediation, other forces are trying to find a solution to Sudan’s crisis, mainly the African Union’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

IGAD has eight East African countries, including Kenya, which welcomed on Sunday the envoy of the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), political advisor Youssef Ezzat.

Ezzat met the Kenyan President in the presidential palace in Nairobi, a move that angered the Sudanese Army Commander, Gen. Burhan.

Meanwhile, the 15-member UN Security Council last Friday adopted a resolution extending its mission, UNITAMS, in Sudan until Dec. 3, 2023.

This came after Burhan accused UN envoy Volker Perthes of inflaming the worsening conflict in a letter last week sent to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

 

Arab World

European Diplomats Visit Gaza to Assess Reconstruction Needs

A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
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European Diplomats Visit Gaza to Assess Reconstruction Needs

A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)
A Palestinian man is seen at his destroyed house after an Israeli raid on Gaza. (Reuters)

A high-ranking European delegation of 20 ambassadors visited Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation and construction needs.

It is the first visit by a European diplomatic delegation to the coastal enclave since the last wave of tensions between Palestinian factions and Israel in May.

The delegation toured destroyed houses and listened to testimonies of families. They included the Nabaheen family, consisting of more than 100 people, nine of whom have special needs.

EU Representative in Palestine Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff said the visit aims to express solidarity with the victims of the recent war in Gaza.

"The European missions' representatives expressed their condolences to the victims of the tension, and it became clear from our information that the victims were mainly civilians," he added.

The European delegation "looks forward to completing a report explaining what happened."

Von Burgsdorff renewed the EU position that calls for consolidating ceasefire understandings in Gaza and implementing the two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Meanwhile, representatives of families whose homes were destroyed in the recent round of tension with Israel called on the European diplomats to actively contribute to accelerating the reconstruction of their homes.

The recent Israeli attacks killed 33 Palestinians, including five children, three women, and 11 members of the Islamic Jihad group.

According to Palestinian officials, the raids displaced 200 families, or around 1,000 people. The attacks destroyed 103 housing units and over 2,800 were partially demolished, while 150 were uninhabitable.

Arab World

Erbil Court Sentences Six to Death for Killing Colonel in Anti-terrorism Service

A photo circulated in October by media outlets in Erbil of the bombed car of colonel Hawkar Jaff
A photo circulated in October by media outlets in Erbil of the bombed car of colonel Hawkar Jaff
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Erbil Court Sentences Six to Death for Killing Colonel in Anti-terrorism Service

A photo circulated in October by media outlets in Erbil of the bombed car of colonel Hawkar Jaff
A photo circulated in October by media outlets in Erbil of the bombed car of colonel Hawkar Jaff

An Erbil court in Iraq on Sunday sentenced six people to death involved in the killing of Hawkar Jaff, a colonel in the counter-terrorism service.

A source told Asharq Al-Awsat that, “those sentenced include anti-terrorism chief in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Wahab Halabji and the head of the PUK’s intelligence unit, Karzan Muhammad, in addition to four others.”

The source said the court decision could escalate the already existing tensions between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which controls Erbil and Duhok, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which controls Al-Suleimaniyeh.

Meanwhile, Kurdish news outlets quoted Mohammed Jaff as confirming that an Erbil court had sentenced six of the perpetrators of his brother’s assassination to death.

He added that the court has yet to decide on the fate of other perpetrators involved in his brother’s assassination next June 8.

In October, Jaff was killed and four others, two women and two children, were injured when an explosive device attached to the bottom of his car detonated facing his house in the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The operation was conducted a few days after Jaff defected from the PUK amid internal division that led to the expulsion of Lahur el-Sheikh from the party’s presidency.

After Jaff’s assassination, several officials in Erbil said the PUK-supervised Counter Terrorism Group (CTG) was behind the attack.

Separately, the Kurdish security organization, Asayish, defended on Sunday its decision to arrest a French journalist and his female assistant on June 2, 2023, in the Sulaymaniyah governorate of Iraq.

The Asayish statement came in response to the strongly-worded condemnation issued Saturday by the French Consulate General in Erbil.

Asayish said that on June 2, its forces had warned the French journalist, Benoit Drevet, and his female translator, not to visit the Galala area, which is not safe, and had asked them to leave.

It added that the journalist and the translator insisted on staying. “The Asayish forces treated them with respect and asked them to leave the area where drones were flying,” the statement said.

“The Asayish forces treated the journalist with respect. He was transferred to the city of Sulaymaniyah, and the French consulate was informed of his safety,” it added.

In return, the French Consulate General in Erbil has issued a strong condemnation following the detention of the French journalist and his female assistant in Sulaymaniyah.

The consulate's statement expressed deep concern over the “repeated assaults on press freedom and journalists' rights within the Kurdistan Region.”

It also expressed gratitude to the authorities involved in handling the case.

In January, the Metro Center for Journalists' Rights and Advocacy in Kurdistan said in a press conference that 2,160 violations were committed against journalists from 2011 to 2020.

 

Arab World

Syria and Iraq Assert Correlated Joint Security

Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid received Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (dpa)
Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid received Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (dpa)
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Syria and Iraq Assert Correlated Joint Security

Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid received Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (dpa)
Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid received Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (dpa)

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, was invited Sunday to visit Syria to discuss prospects for bilateral cooperation and coordinate joint action toward consolidating security and stability in the region.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, who is visiting Iraq, conveyed the invitation.

Mekdad stressed during his meeting with Sudani in Baghdad the importance of maintaining the unity of the Syrian territories and the interdependence of Iraqi national security with the security of Syria.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's media office said the talks highlighted the need to promote bilateral relations.

The Foreign Minister expressed Syria's support for Iraq, reiterating its pivotal role in the region and efforts to consolidate the relationship between the Arab brothers and regional countries.

Mekdad indicated that Syria seeks joint action to face common challenges and cooperate in combating terrorism and eliminating the danger of drugs.

The top diplomat affirmed that Syria was looking forward to joint work with Iraq in combating terrorist organizations and their threats to common security with Iraq.

"We will continue to cooperate to combat terrorism and eliminate the danger posed by drugs,” he said.

During his visit to Baghdad, Mekdad also met his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein and discussed the issue of refugees. They also discussed the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

In a joint press conference at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Mekdad said: "We believe in political, military, and economic coordination," stressing the need to end the imbalances that Syria faces amid the presence of terrorist organizations, namely ISIS-affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra in Idlib governorate.

Mekdad also praised Iraq for coming to the aid of Syria following the earthquake and thanked the Iraqi people for helping their "other half" in the country.

Iraqi support

Hussein reiterated that Syria's security directly affects Iraq's situation and vice versa.

The Iraqi official indicated that Iraq was among the Arab countries that called for Syria's return to the Arab League.

Drug trafficking issue

Hussein said Syria is going through challenging circumstances and needs action at the regional and international levels, stressing that the Syrian refugees are an integral part of this matter.

"We received about 250,000 refugees," said Hussein, adding that most of them live in camps in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. He noted the ongoing discussions regarding the Syrian situation.

The Iraqi official explained that the meeting addressed the cooperation to fight cross-border drug trafficking.

Border control

Security expert Sarmad al-Bayati believed many security visions for border control were not applicable, noting that Iraq now controls 90 percent of its border.

Bayati told Asharq Al-Awsat that many areas within the Syrian border are not controlled by government forces, noting that the danger increases towards the north, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) forces control many areas.

He explained that there were imbalances in implementing the visions, explaining that drug trafficking is a complicated issue amid various smuggling outlets across multiple border areas.

Head of the Republican Center for Strategic Studies, Moataz Mohieddin, said Mekdad's visit to Baghdad was important for both countries to limit infiltration of terrorists, noting that the Ministries of Defense and Interior must activate several agreements.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohieddin indicated that it was necessary to organize joint forces for the borders between Iraq and Syria, adding that it was crucial to establish electronic fences and control towers to monitor the territories.

 

Arab World

Lebanon’s Opposition Announces Jihad Azour as its Presidential Candidate

MP Michel Mouawad holds a press conference with opposition lawmakers to announce his withdrawal from the presidential race. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
MP Michel Mouawad holds a press conference with opposition lawmakers to announce his withdrawal from the presidential race. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanon’s Opposition Announces Jihad Azour as its Presidential Candidate

MP Michel Mouawad holds a press conference with opposition lawmakers to announce his withdrawal from the presidential race. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
MP Michel Mouawad holds a press conference with opposition lawmakers to announce his withdrawal from the presidential race. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Lebanese opposition announced on Sunday its nomination of former minister Jihad Azour as president. The Free Patriotic Movement also announced its support for Azour’s run.

A meeting of the parties endorsed the nomination of Azour, currently director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund.

Lebanon has had no head of state since President Michel Aoun's term ended at the end of October, deepening institutional paralysis in a country where one of the world's worst economic crises has been festering for years.

The nomination pits Azour against Marada movement leader Suleiman Franjieh, the candidate of the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and Amal, which is headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Franjieh is an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with strong ties to the ruling political establishment in Damascus.

Lawmaker Michel Moawad, who had won the most votes in repeated unsuccessful presidential election votes, but not enough to win, said he had withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Azour.

“After intense contacts, we agreed on Jihad Azour as a centrist and non-provocative figure to any party in the country,” he added.

Opposition deputies said the consensus around Azour could help him garner the 65 votes needed in a secret ballot by lawmakers in the 128-member parliament to assume the post.

The opposition includes the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb and a number of independent lawmakers opposed to Hezbollah and to Franjieh’s nomination. The FPM, which is headed by MP Jebran Bassil, has joined them in opposing Franjieh’s bid.

Azour has not declared his own candidacy, but political sources say he has held discrete meetings with various parties and members of parliament to discuss his chances.

In his Sunday sermon, a few hours before Azour was backed by opposition MPs, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai said he welcomed “any step” towards ending the stalemate over the presidency.

Rai later revealed that he had met with Franjieh and dispatched and envoy to meet with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to break the presidential impasse, reported Al Jadeed television.

Hezbollah officials had accused those delaying Franjieh's nomination of prolonging the crisis and serving the West.

“This new candidate that was announced is for us a candidate for confrontation,” Hezbollah deputy Hassan Fadlallah said on Sunday, without naming Azour.

Washington has warned that the administration was considering sanctions on Lebanese officials for their continued obstruction of the election of a new president and warned the paralysis could only worsen the country's crisis.

Attention will now turn to Berri, who will be under pressure to call parliament to session to hold the elections. The speaker has repeatedly said he would only call the legislature to meet once “serious” candidates are available.

He had recently said he would decide what to do “once the opposition takes a clear stance over its candidate.”

Mowad had called on Berri to call parliament to session “immediately” and for successive elections to be held until a victor is declared.