Syria's return to Arab League depends on leaders' decision

NEWS DESK

On Wednesday morning, the Arab newspapers touched upon Syria's return to the Arab League and the repercussions of the US withdrawal from Syria.

Al-Hayat: Shukri: Syria's return to the Arab League depends on the approval of the Arab leaders

On Syrian affairs, al-Hayat newspaper touched upon Syria's return to the Arab League and quoted Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri as saying that "Syria's return to Arab League States and its attendance at the Beirut Economic Summit" this month «Is tied to a decision of the League's Council», and «to be approved by Arab leaders».

"As the League's permanent delegates meet on Wednesday, sources in the General Secretariat of the League denied that the meeting is discussing the return of Syria to its seat in the meetings of the League, taken in 2011.

The sources pointed out that the meeting to discuss the logistical and technical arrangements for the meeting of the Arab-European Ministerial Council in Brussels on the fourth of February, in order to prepare for the Arab-European summit.

Shukri denied in a joint press conference in Cairo with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bureita, that he knew about Syria's presence in the economic summit, adding that there is a need to take action in accordance with Security Council resolution 2254 to qualify the return to the Arab League. He stressed that Syria's return to the Arab League is linked to the development of the political process to end its crisis.

Al-Shareq Al-Awsat: Trump and Macron agree on "coordinated withdrawal and protection of Kurds"

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said that French diplomacy, according to official sources, has been active and worked on three lines: Turkey, Russia and the United States, and has intensified its contacts through traditional diplomatic channels or through the State Department and finally through President Macron's personal involvement. Communication with Ankara Despite tensions between France and Paris over alleged Turkish plans to intervene in Syria, President Macron sought to circumvent them through direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and in a phone call on January 2, Macron has asked him in an explicit language «maintain allied forces, particularly the Kurds given firm commitment in the fight against Islamist terrorism».

With Washington, the two sides are continuing. The last thing that happened was Macron's phone call with his counterpart Trump overnight. "IS elimination remains the priority for both sides. In the context of the withdrawal of American units, Macron stressed the importance of close coordination between the parties of the International Coalition to ensure the security of all our partners," the Elysee Palace said in a statement on Tuesday. The presidential statement also said that Macron and Trump stressed "their intention to continue to impose respect for the red line on the use of chemical weapons in Syria."

In fact, Paris "breathed a sigh of relief" at the recent "clarifications" of Trump, his national security adviser, John Bolton, and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo. The reason for this is that what French diplomacy aspired to, "an agreed and hasty withdrawal on one hand, and guarantees for the Kurds on the other," somehow turned into an American plan that came after the concern that Washington's partners had in the region and beyond.

Al-Arab: Erdogan urges the succession of Americans East Euphrates

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not hide his desire for Washington to hand over the task of managing the Syrian territories under the influence of the US-backed Kurdish movements, but the Turkish agency's request is met with strong opposition from influential American circles that began to circumvent President Donald Trump's decision, to withdraw from Syria and seeks to slow down and put conditions in front of him.

This desire comes in an atmosphere of Turkish-American tension, which was clearly manifested in statements by John Bolton, the US national security adviser who visited Ankara on Tuesday, as well as statements by Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for the Turkish presidency, in which each side raised the level of anger towards the other party in what related to the positions of Syria. "

(T/S)

ANHA