Panorama: Europe stipulates change in behavior of Damascus, doubts about exit of Turkish mercenaries from Libya

During the past week, the Arab newspapers discussed the European policy towards Damascus, in addition to the exit of the Syrian mercenaries from Libya.

'The reconstruction of Syria depends on changing the regime’s behavior'

The beginning is with the Syrian issue, and in this context, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper said: “The High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security in the European Union, Joseph Borrell, stressed the necessity of“changing the Syrian regime's behavior ”internally and externally before thinking about holding a conference for the reconstruction of Syria and lifting economic sanctions on it.

Syria returned to the top of the international agenda in two events: The first was that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken presided over the Security Council meeting in New York yesterday, to raise the issue of "cross-border" humanitarian aid, with the approaching end of the mandate of the current resolution on July 11th. The second was the holding of a donors' conference in Brussels yesterday and today. Borrell said that the conference seeks "to reaffirm strong support to reach a political solution under Security Council Resolution 2254, and to ensure that Syria remains at the top of the international agenda." "cross-border" humanitarian aid, as the mandate of the current resolution nears the end of next July 11. 

The conference aims to provide more than 10 billion dollars to the Syrians inside the country and in neighboring countries, and Borrell explained that the European Union has provided 25 billion euros since the outbreak of the crisis ten years ago.

Borrell was asked about the presidential elections scheduled before the end of President Bashar al-Assad's term on July 17, and he replied: “If we want to see elections that contribute to settling the existing conflict, they must be held in accordance with 2254,” adding: “These elections cannot result in any Procedures that lead to direct normalization with the regime. Accordingly, we have called on other parties in the international community and the region to avoid any degree of normalization.

Who will force thousands of foreign mercenaries to leave Libya?

 Regarding the Libyan issue, Al-Arab newspaper touched on the file of the mercenaries in Libya, and said: “the positions of Western observers and diplomats about a proposal to form a monitoring mechanism by the United Nations to cease fire in Libya and follow up on the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries, consisting of five UN and ten Libyan elements, carried in its folds. A bundle of doubts about the feasibility of it under a mission this small number.

In light of the gravity and weight of the task, some consider with hope the possibility of a real breakthrough that will help Libya get out of the heat of conflicts, and that the settlement will not be like other previous attempts that have failed, taking into account the changes in the parties and signs of new developments regarding the relations of the parties. Actors on the Libyan scene each other.

But diplomats raised a question that has in fact been on the table since a small delegation arrived in Sirte, comprising 10 UN observers last month, to follow up on the ceasefire measures, that how can this limited number of observers supervise the fragile cessation of hostilities and the departure of about 20 thousand mercenaries?

Although there is an understanding of the Libyans' obsession about the rejection of the presence of foreign elements on the field, it is very disappointing that this mechanism becomes only "symbolic", especially since there are those who want to obstruct it. "Are they going to conduct patrols?" said a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. Will they need an office? ”

The diplomat is afraid of “stabilizing” the military situation on the ground, and that the military part agreed upon between the Libyans will not be implemented after a marathon of negotiations, and he wonders if this “prevents the resumption of the civil war,” as the implementation of the step is mainly linked to the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries, who poured into the past three years, among them were the mercenaries of the Russian Wagner Company.

In the past few years, foreign forces have spread, represented by mercenaries from the private Russian company Wagner, and Syrian mercenaries that Turkey brought them to Libya, but they began to leave, as well as Chadian and Sudanese armed groups that Niger does not want to be distributed in the region, in addition to Turkish soldiers.

America: Our commitment to our partners' security will never change

Al Bayan newspaper touched on America's assertion of the support of its partners and said: “The United States has reiterated, according to Acting Assistant Secretary of State Joy Hood, that the Pentagon and President Joe Biden have not made a decision on reducing the number of troops in the Gulf, or withdrawing equipment. , Stressing his country's commitment to the security of the region.

The American official announced, in exclusive statements to Al-Arabiya / Al-Hadath, that there is a near repositioning of American forces.

He added that the countries of the region know that the United States is the preferred partner, while Washington is working hard to gain this confidence. He also stressed that the US partners in the Gulf are able to successfully undertake the military tasks themselves, and they are able to protect the region and not necessarily have forces on the ground.

He added, "Our alliances are here to stay ... they will not go away. Our commitment to the safety, security and stability of our partners throughout the Middle East does not change and will never change."

He also pointed out that time had confirmed that the success of the American policy came because of alliances, referring to what the international coalition had done to defeat ISIS terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria.

These developments came after US officials reported that the United States decided to withdraw at least 3 batteries from the Patriot air defense missile systems in the region.

They also noted, according to the Wall Street Journal, that some military capabilities, including the aircraft carrier "Eisenhower", And monitoring and reconnaissance systems, which will be withdrawn from the Middle East in order to meet Washington's military needs in other regions around the world, adding that additional options for reducing the US military presence in the region are currently under consideration.

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ANHA