European Allies to Meet over Syria, Says Italy’s Foreign Ministry

 Passengers wear adopted flags by the new Syrian rulers at the arrival terminal of Damascus airport, as Qatar Airways becomes the first international airline to announce the return of international flights at Damascus airport after 13 years of its suspension, in Damascus, Syria, January 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Passengers wear adopted flags by the new Syrian rulers at the arrival terminal of Damascus airport, as Qatar Airways becomes the first international airline to announce the return of international flights at Damascus airport after 13 years of its suspension, in Damascus, Syria, January 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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European Allies to Meet over Syria, Says Italy’s Foreign Ministry

 Passengers wear adopted flags by the new Syrian rulers at the arrival terminal of Damascus airport, as Qatar Airways becomes the first international airline to announce the return of international flights at Damascus airport after 13 years of its suspension, in Damascus, Syria, January 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Passengers wear adopted flags by the new Syrian rulers at the arrival terminal of Damascus airport, as Qatar Airways becomes the first international airline to announce the return of international flights at Damascus airport after 13 years of its suspension, in Damascus, Syria, January 7, 2025. (Reuters)

Foreign ministers from Italy, France, Germany, Britain and the United States will meet this week over the situation in Syria, Italy said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will preside over the meeting Thursday with his European and US counterparts, the ministry wrote in a statement.

The US Department of State had announced Monday that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken would meet European counterparts, calling it an occasion "to advocate for a peaceful, inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition".

Opposition forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive last month after 13 years of brutal war, with Western powers cautiously hoping for greater stability in Syria.

Italy's foreign ministry said Tajani sought the meeting "to take stock of the situation in Syria one month after the fall of the Assad regime".

On the agenda is the work of Syria's transitional government and the challenges posed by an upcoming national dialogue conference, it said.

Also to be discussed are the drafting of a new constitution and Syria's economic recovery.

In Rome, Blinken will join US President Joe Biden as he pays a farewell visit to Italy's capital that includes an audience with Pope Francis.



Constitutional Path for Aoun’s Presidential Election in Lebanon

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
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Constitutional Path for Aoun’s Presidential Election in Lebanon

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)

Gen. Joseph Aoun currently leads the race for Lebanon's presidency, but some warn his election could be unconstitutional because he holds a “Class A” position, requiring his resignation two years before running.
However, his supporters point to the 2008 election of Gen. Michel Suleiman, who was also army commander at the time, as a precedent. They argue the reasons given for Suleiman’s election should apply to Aoun as well.
At the time, Speaker Nabih Berri argued that the support of over 86 lawmakers for Suleiman made his election constitutional, as any constitutional amendment requires 86 votes.
MP Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, continues to argue that Aoun’s election is unconstitutional under the current process.
He recently stated that constitutional amendments require a president, a functioning parliament, and a fully empowered government. The process also needs two steps: a two-thirds majority in the first vote and a three-quarters majority in the second.
Bassil’s argument is based on Articles 76 and 77 of the constitution, which say amendments can only be proposed by the president or parliament, but only during a regular session — which ended in December.
Dr. Paul Morcos, head of the “JUSTICIA” legal foundation in Beirut, told Asharq Al-Awsat that in 2008, parliament used Article 74 of the constitution to bypass the amendment to Article 49.
He explained that Gen. Suleiman’s election was considered an exception to the rule requiring military officials to resign six months before running for president, due to the presidential vacancy after President Emile Lahoud’s term ended in 2007.
Morcos added that the same reasoning could apply to Gen. Aoun’s potential election as president.