Arab newspapers: Al-Sharaa govt. faces internal hurdles, peace enters new crisis

Today’s Arab newspapers addressed the Syrian situation, in addition to the peace process in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, as well as the situation in Sudan.

Al-Sharaa after one year in power: success abroad and stumbling at home

Starting with Syrian affairs, Al-Arab newspaper wrote: “After a year in power, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has succeeded in improving his image internationally and freeing the country from sanctions that had heavily burdened it. But he has not yet, according to analysts, succeeded in establishing institutions capable of maintaining security and earning the trust of all Syrians.

Sectarian-tinged violent events in the strongholds of the Alawite and then Druze minorities, along with ongoing Israeli attacks, have shaken the course of the transitional phase. Expectations among Syrians had been high that al-Sharaa would lead their country to safety and stability after nearly 14 years of devastating conflict.”

A new crisis obstructs the “peace process” in Turkey

Regarding the peace process in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey, Asharq Al-Awsat wrote: “The ‘peace process’ in Turkey is facing a new crisis due to disagreements over the confidentiality of a meeting held by a parliamentary delegation with the party leader Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali Prison in the west of the country.”

Disputes erupted between lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Republican People’s Party (CHP) during a meeting of the “National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Committee” in parliament, which is tasked with proposing the legal framework for the peace process. Thursday’s session was dedicated to hearing a report on the delegation’s meeting with Leader Abdullah Ocalan.

MPs from the People’s Equality and Democratic Party declared that the report presented during the session, which summarized the minutes of the delegation’s meeting with Leader Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali on November 24, took the minutes out of context and distorted their intended meaning.

Why does Russia insist on a military base in Port Sudan?

As for Sudan, The Independent wrote: “The issue of the Russian naval base in Port Sudan has returned forcefully to the forefront amid an international race for influence in the Red Sea. Although the agreement has been stalled since 2020, Moscow and Khartoum appear to be continuing negotiations, driven by the reality of Sudan’s war and competition from regional powers such as Iran and Turkey, and global powers such as the United States and China. Port Sudan offers Russia a strategic location to monitor global trade routes and compensate for its loss of influence in the eastern Mediterranean, while the Sovereign Council uses the issue to pressure the West. Meanwhile, regional powers oppose the move.”

A-H 

ANHA