Russia, Turkey adhere to cooperation, Soleimani's memory exacerbates tension

During the past week, Arab newspapers touched on the Russian-Turkish rapprochement, in addition to the US-Iranian tension, as well as the Libyan crisis.

'Russian-Turkish adherence to cooperation'

Al-Arab newspaper said: "International challenges imposed a further rapprochement between Russia and Turkey, which will necessarily be reflected in their cooperation in many files, especially in northern Syria."

Analysts say that "international pressure is likely to escalate against both of them in the coming period, in some way contributing to strengthening cooperation between Russia and Turkey," and analysts point out that "both Ankara and Moscow are looking for an outlet in the other."

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that military cooperation between Moscow and Ankara will continue despite the sanctions imposed by the United States earlier this month on Turkey, against the background of its purchase of a Russian-made missile defense system.

This came in the wake of talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Çavuşoglu in Moscow, in which Lavrov said: "We have affirmed our common determination to develop our technical and military cooperation."

The Russian minister added that President Vladimir Putin appreciates Turkey's determination to "continue cooperation in this field despite the illegal pressures of Washington."

He added: "Our countries have national interests that we defend and are ready to cooperate on the basis of mutual benefit. We are trying to reach a consensus. This is the strongest basis on which sustainable and stable relations between the two countries can be based."

Although the two parties avoided talking at the press conference on northern Syria, the two sides declared their commitment to support the constitutional committee charged with drafting a new constitution for Syria.

Experts say that "the failure to address the issue of northern Syria does not mean that this file was outside the circle of talks, especially since the meeting coincided with a Turkish escalation against the Syrian Democratic Forces in Ain Issa which overlooks the international road M4."

There are indications of an implicit Russian-Turkish agreement to pressure the Syrian Democratic Forces to hand over the city to the Syrian army and Russian forces. Observers indicate that Russia bargains with the Syrian Democratic Forces politically, and Turkey puts pressure on it militarily.

Although the two sides are on opposite sides of the Syrian arena in terms of Moscow's support for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and Ankara's support for the opposition and jihadist factions, this did not prevent them from establishing cooperation in several stages of the conflict.

'Iran fears an American strike'

Regarding the US-Iranian tension, Okaz newspaper said: "Amid the escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran, the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, hinted at terrorist operations inside America."

As the first anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani on the third of last January by an air strike near Baghdad airport is approaching, Qaani said in statements on Friday that his death in an American attack will not deter Tehran from resistance.

He said on a televised event to mark the anniversary at Tehran University: "Perhaps individuals will respond to your crime from inside your homes."

Two American B-52 bombers flew over the Middle East on Wednesday, in what US officials described as a message to deter Iran ahead of the first anniversary of Soleimani's killing.

In a related context, Iran's representative at the United Nations sent a letter to the international organization warning of the repercussions of any US adventures against Iran.

'Libya approaches the final solution without the Muslim Brotherhood'

Regarding the Libyan issue, al-Bayan newspaper said: "Signs of a political solution began to be formed in Libya, as informed sources revealed that the next stage will witness advances on the political level, which will positively affect various levels."

The sources confirmed that the extension of the Presidency Council's President Fayez al-Sarraj has become a de facto situation, with regional and international consensus, in light of proving inability of the Political Dialogue Committee emanating from the Tunis Forum to elect new authorities, provided that al-Sarraj relinquishes his second position which is the presidency of the Accord Ministers Council for personal benefit from eastern Libya, and has the support of the army leadership.

The sources added that al-Sarraj has already proposed appointing a prime minister from the east of the country, and it is likely that the position will be assigned to the former mayor of the municipality of Benghazi who is close to the army leadership, Abdel Rahman al-Abbar, who was previously nominated to the government presidency two years ago, during al-Sarraj's meetings with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The same sources pointed out that al-Sarraj requested the return of the boycotting members of the Presidency Council, Ali al-Qatrani and Omar al-Aswad and the resigned members Musa al-Koni and Fathi al-Mujbry to carry out their work, in a way that would help create regional balances that would help successfully enter the last transitional phase before the elections scheduled for late January / December 2021.

The sources indicated that the political solution efforts aim to block any attempt to return to war, and solve the economic and financial situation by lifting the freeze on oil revenues which have returned to flow since September, provided that the export revenues are placed in a special account with an external bank, without allowing it to be disposed of by the Central Bank of Libya.

In addition, the sources confirmed that the forces of extremism represented by the Brotherhood, and behind it Turkey are working to obstruct the political solution by insisting on rejecting any role for the army leadership in the next stage, which is inconsistent with regional and international consensus which sees that there is no solution except by gathering all Libyans under the tent of participation in determining the country's destiny, and preparing for the elections.

The sources pointed out that the "Brotherhood" does not welcome the date of the elections, due to its weak presence in the Libyan street, which makes it tend to channel power from the Turkish regime, as it see its mercenaries in the west of the country as a guarantee for the continuity of its influence in the political decision and its penetration into the state. The sources noted that the Brotherhood is working to thwart the plan to unify the executive authority by pounding the war drum with Erdogan regime's support, and the efforts to torpedo the Geneva Agreement.

D.H