Arab press: International attitude curbs Erdogan, US-Russian talks about Iran

On Monday morning, the Arab press touched upon to Turkish movements in the Mediterranean, as well as to the Lebanese crisis, and the Iranian file.

Al-Bayan: International firmness restrains Erdogan's ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean

The Arab newspapers published this morning, on the Syrian issue, dealt with several topics, the most prominent of which was the Turkish moves in the Mediterranean, In this context, Al-Bayan newspaper said: “Greece believes that Turkey’s concerns will become a reality in late August or mid-September, with the European Union adopting the agreement signed between Athens and Nicosia on the exclusive economic zone in the western Mediterranean, and that this would mean canceling Turkey’s plans for the“ blue homeland ”and completing it. According to Greece’s agreement with Egypt, while Cyprus affirms that the issue of determining the maritime borders between it and Greece is on the agenda of the European Union’s discussions, and that the relevant declarations will be issued when necessary.

The Greek Parliament is expected to ratify, after returning from the summer vacation in late August, the agreement on the exclusive economic zone with Egypt, after presenting it with the stipulated procedures, for discussion in the relevant committee and then voting in the plenary session, which is expected to be completed by September 4.

On the other hand, Ankara found itself motivated to activate European mediation in order to help it get out of the impasse, which was expressed by the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, that his country agreed to Switzerland's offer to mediate in resolving the conflict with Athens in the eastern Mediterranean, in conjunction with Erdogan's attempts Persuading German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to intervene to bridge the gap between the parties to the conflict.

All this coincided with the Paris announcement that it would send two "Rafale" jets and two ships belonging to the French Navy to the eastern Mediterranean, amid tension between Greece and Turkey over gas exploration.

The "Rafale" jets landed, according to the French Ministry of Armies, on the island of Crete to stay for a few days, after they had visited Cyprus days earlier to conduct training.

Perhaps what aggravates the Turkish position is the complete European solidarity with Greece and Cyprus, and the condemnation of Ankara's agreement with the Libyan "GNA."

In their turn, observers believe that Erdogan's statements that his country will not be discouraged by sanctions and threats do not deviate from the context of media consumption, in attempts to cover up the internal crises and external strikes of the regime.

Observers point out that the Turkish regime finds itself unable to impose its will on the countries of the region, especially after the signing of the Egyptian-Greek agreement, which practically overthrew Erdogan's agreement with the Libyan "GNA" on the exclusive economic zone, by acknowledging that the islands have rights and influence on the shelf Continental and the exclusive economic zone.

Al-Sharq al-Awsat: US-Russian contacts for a meeting on Iran

On the Iranian issue, Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper said: “Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his US counterpart, Mike Pompeo, discussed a Russian proposal to hold an online summit at the United Nations that deals with Iran, to prevent Washington from using the Snapback mechanism to return UN sanctions. On Iran, after the failure of an American project to extend the Iranian arms embargo in the Security Council. "

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the two ministers "exchanged views on the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a meeting on the Iranian issue to ensure reliable security in the Gulf region, taking into account the interests of everyone."

The call came, the day after US President Donald Trump announced that he would not "likely" participate in an emergency summit called by his Russian counterpart of the "5 + 1" group and Iran.

Trump announced that he intends to move in the coming days to re-impose UN sanctions on Iran, through the "Snapback" mechanism stipulated in the nuclear agreement, but a spokeswoman for the European Union's foreign policy coordinator, Josep Borrell, said yesterday that it is due to the withdrawal of the United States from the plan. Joint global action "cannot be counted as a participant in the plan."

Al-Arab: Early elections top the solution scenarios in Lebanon

In the Lebanese context, Al-Arab newspaper said: “The option of holding early parliamentary elections in Lebanon has returned to be presented strongly with the retreat of the chances of forming a national unity government, in light of the reservations of local political forces, and the Lebanese public’s rejection of this option, which is a reproduction of the same administration that was the reason for Lebanon’s access to This situation is unprecedented since the end of the civil war (1975 - 1991). "

Political circles say that behind-the-scenes negotiations that are taking place under international auspices and are not devoid of regional accounts appear to be stumbling, and perhaps this is one of the motives that led some, led by Maronite Patriarch Mar Bishara Boutros al-Rahi, to move again towards re-presenting the option of early elections.

In the aftermath of the devastating Beirut explosion on August 4, which resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries, in addition to the massive destruction it left in the Lebanese capital, political forces led by the Lebanese Forces Party rushed to call for early parliamentary elections.

Lebanese circles say that the Western powers, especially the United States, were not opposed to forming a unity government to prevent the complete collapse of this country, which deepened its economic and political wounds, until understandings were discussed under the table about the Lebanese-Israeli and American-Iranian conflict, but it appears through The statements of the US envoy, David Hale, who visited Lebanon last weekend, that things are not going as desired.

And the Maronite Patriarch called in Sunday mass for early parliamentary elections in Lebanon and the formation of a rescue government in place of the ruling "political class".

T/S

ANHA