Arab press: re-shuffling of the economic front of Damascus

Today, Arab press touched upon the economic situation of the government of Damascus, in addition to measures taken by France against the political Islam organizations, in addition to the Libyan situation. 

'' Asma' Al-Assad reshuffles the economic front of the government''

Starting from the Syrian issue, for in this relation Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said : '' while the reshuffling of the economic front of the Syrian government is underway, changes are being made in positions held by notable businessmen who contributed to establishing the pillars of the government in the war, in a bid contrary to all expectations''.   

Adding : '' well informed sources in Damascus told the ''Al-Sharq Al-Awsat'' newspaper a campaign to reshuffle the economic front of the government is underway to contain the mess that was caused by excluding businessman Rami Makhluf, (51), Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad's cousin, from the economic field of the Syrian economy, where he was number one and the most prominent in a series of businessmen surrounding the government''.  

The sources pointed out that Syria's first lady Asma' Al-Assad, who '' led the campaign against Makhluf , cousin of her husband, manages now moneys and businesses of the family after the death of Al-Assad's uncle Mohamed Makhluf who was administering moneys and businesses of the family for decades''. 

The sources confirmed that '' this change led to a new status in which Asma' Al-Assad tries to limit the influence of businessmen  appeared during the war years, that make now a leading economic role, on the background of balancing the power in Syria between Iran and Russia, in a time when the local economy collapses with the devaluation of the Syrian Lira that lost 80 %of it's value, where a U.S. $ was cost 3,000 liras in the last April, then it relatively was leveled at 2,300, but it was shaken again in the last week, to reach on Saturday 2,500 liras amid expected deterioration in the coming winter, and fuel and bread crisis''.    

'' French messages to the west not to bargain Political Islam and extremists''

With reference to the French steps to chase extremists, the Al- Arab paper said :'' French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, sent strong indications to Europe, specially Britain and Germany, that his country will not accept any ''bargains'' that lead to normalizing the political Islam trends that embrace extremists spiritually and ideologically who carry out terrorist operations not only in France, but in other European countries, some of which tried to contain and employ these groups''.

Observers on France considered that  Castex words are a message from the French president Emmanuel Macron to internal and external parties that kept on settling the political Islam in France and Europe under the banner of freedom, forgetting that the radical thought being embraced by Islamic centres and societies aims primarily to undermine the freedom system on which France was based, and swapping it with invading values by forcing the French to adopt them''.  

The observers added that France long experince with representatives of the Political Islam by means of different institutions resulted in one outcome, where extremists exploited freedom to build an isolated world based on hatred towrds the west and igniting the youth, especially the newcomers with hatred and despite to lead shocking operations, and they wondered : what makes France satisfied with this antagonising reality'' ?    

It is obvious that the French message implies Tunisia that anti –French culture are leaked from, for it purports that France is not ready to recognize any Islamist system at her southern borders, that may constitute a seed to spread hatred in the west, and that Islamists' ''concessions'' on modernity and compliance with modern values are not but a maneuver to gain time.   

''Libyan parties meet inside the country''

In the Libyan crisis the Al-Bayan newspaper said that :'' Joint Military Committee's (5+5) meetings started yesterday in the Libyan city of Ghidams, under the sponsorship of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, the UNSMIL, and presence of it's Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams''. 

The meeting that was held by the Joint Military Committee inside Libya, is the first of it's kind, after earlier meeting in the Swiss capital Geneva, and Ghardagha of Egypt and Buziniqa of Tunisia.

This round of talks comes after a permanent ceasefire agreement was concluded on October 23^rd, in Geneva, that aims at discussing ways of implementing the permanent ceasefire, that includes setting up sub-committees, in addition to watching and investigating the implementation of the ceasefire.

Member of the Joint Military Committee 5+5 Mukhtar Al-Naqqasa stressed that all security measures are taken to secure the area and residence and the headquarter where the meetings are to be held, making clear that the aim of the Ghidams meeting is a way to implement the ceasefire, noting that there are three or four dimensions that are going to be discussed in Ghidams meeting that continues to Wednesday of which forces to return to their camps, in addition to exiting all mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya, in addition to discussing and reshuffling of the Oil Institutions Guards.    

Ghidams meetings come within fears of rejection by the Islamist powers of the outcomes of the agreements between the parties, where head of the Defence and National Security Committee in the House of Deputies Tala Al-Mahyub said in press statements yesterday that the Muslim Brotherhood will not accept Turkey and it's mercenaries to leave Libya, and they try to by all means from the early hours of the Geneva agreement to spoil it, but at the end the National Accord Government signed the ceasefire agreement that was welcomed by the UN Security Council.

L.A.

ANHA