Damascus elections reinforce Syrian divisions, Brotherhood foils political process in Libya

During the past week, Arab newspapers covered the Syrian presidential elections, in addition to the Libyan crisis, and the relationship between Egypt and Qatar.

'Assad elections reinforce division in Syria'

Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper said: "Syrians in government forces-controlled areas yesterday flocked to the polling stations to elect a president for the country, in conjunction with the opposition boycott in north-western, north-eastern and southern Syria, which reinforced the belief that these elections led to the intensification of Syrian divisions."

Furthermore, the foreign ministers of the United States, Germany, Britain, France and Italy considered in a statement on Tuesday-Wednesday night that the elections "would not be free and fair," and urged the international community to "reject this attempt by al-Assad regime to gain legitimacy once again."

Al-Assad responded to the criticism: "The movement that we have seen in Syria during the past weeks was an adequate and clear response, saying to them: The value of your opinions is zero, and your value is ten zeros."

'Libya ... the Brotherhood's fear of failure is behind obstructing the elections'

Al-Bayan newspaper said: "The Libyans, and behind them the international community, are waiting for the results of the meeting of the Forum for Political Dialogue on Wednesday and Thursday of results related to decisiveness in determining the constitutional basis for the elections proposed by the Legal Committee.

While observers confirm that there are consensus on more than one local, regional and international level that internal parties with external extensions work strongly to obstruct the elections, whether for political reasons related to fear of failure in it, or for special accounts linked to personal, organizational and regional interests, stressing that the Brotherhood does not want elections to be held on time.

Observers point out that the insistence of some parties to organize a referendum on the constitution before the elections is one of the most prominent mechanisms adopted to obstruct the political solution.

'Qatar picks up American signal, opens up to Egypt'

Al-Arab newspaper said: "Qatar moved quickly to repair its poor relationship with Egypt after it witnessed a reversal in the US administration's position on Cairo during and after the crisis in the recent Gaza war.

The Egyptian presidency said in a statement that the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, extended on Tuesday an invitation to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to visit Doha.

Al-Sisi received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, who delivered a message to him from Sheikh Tamim.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shokry attended the meeting, the presence of the Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Abbas Kamel, and the announcement that the visit will last for two days, beyond the stoppage within a tour of the Qatari foreign minister indicate that serious security talks will take place between the two parties.

With the second call that US President Joe Biden made with President El-Sisi within a few days, the Qatari position changed, and Doha sensed that a major change was coming in Washington's approach towards the Egyptian regime, and it was necessary to respond to it.

D.H