Lebanon Army Scraps Meat from Meals as Prices Skyrocket
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese soldiers stand guard during a demonstration in central Beirut in early June. (AFP)
The Lebanese army has scrapped meat from all meals it offers to soldiers on duty as food prices skyrocket because of a deepening economic crisis, state media said Tuesday. Lebanon is in the throes of its worst economic downturn since the 1975-1990 civil war, with poverty surging to now afflict around half of the population. Although its currency is officially pegged at 1,507 pounds to the dollar, a shortage of hard currency has seen its black market value plummet to more than 8,000 to the greenback. As a result, food prices have shot up by at least 72 percent since the autumn, the non-governmental Consumer Protection Association says. Prices are expected to climb further as the currency continues to dive. Lebanon's army has "completely scrapped meat from meals offered to soldiers while they are on duty", the National News Agency said, citing the economic crisis. On Tuesday, a kilogram of lamb was selling for around 80,000 Lebanese pounds ($53 at the official rate), up from 30,000 pounds ($20 at the official rate) two months ago. The price of a kilogram of beef has shot up from 18,000 pounds ($12) to more than 50,000 ($33). Economy Minister Raoul Nehme announced on Tuesday the price of a 900-gram packet of bread will climb from 1,500 ($1) to 2,000 Lebanese pounds, according to the NNA. Lebanon relies on imports for most of its food, but a scarcity of dollars and a plummeting local currency have made such imports both costly and difficult. Lebanon, which has a sovereign debt equivalent to 170 percent of its GDP, defaulted on its debt in March for the first time in its history. The economic crunch has sparked months of unprecedented protests against official corruption and the banking sector. The union of butchers and cattle farmers said Tuesday that more than 60 percent of butcher shops had closed in recent weeks. It blamed the collapse of the pound and a decision by commercial banks to halt dollar withdrawals and transfers. After a meeting on Tuesday, the union addressed authorities, saying: "Either you release our trapped dollar savings from banks or you support the livestock sector... otherwise we will have no choice but to completely close down."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363426/lebanon-army-scraps-meat-meals-prices-skyrocket
UEFA Says Fully Committed to Champions League Finale in Lisbon
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
UEFA said on Tuesday it was fully committed to staging a Champions League Final Eight tournament in Lisbon in August. (Reuters)
UEFA said on Tuesday it was fully committed to staging a Champions League Final Eight tournament in Lisbon in August despite several suburbs of the city preparing to go back into lockdown as novel coronavirus cases climb again. The European football body’s president Aleksander Ceferin said he saw “no need for a Plan B” after discussing plans with Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa, although UEFA recognized that organizing the tournament represented “great challenges”. “During the meeting, all parties underlined they are fully committed to working together in a collaborative manner in order to deliver a successful event in Lisbon,” UEFA said in a statement. “The participants discussed the fact that this is an unprecedented tournament which presents great challenges, but reinforced their belief that the necessary conditions will be present in Portugal.” Last Thursday, the Portuguese government said that those people living in the affected areas of the capital - 19 parishes not including downtown Lisbon - would be allowed to leave home only to buy essential goods or to travel to and from work. The measure will be in place from July 1-14 and will then be reviewed. The tournament will use a straight knockout format and the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be staged over one leg, instead of the usual two, with the final to be held on Aug. 23. “I shared a complete update on the COVID-19 situation in our country and added that all measures are being taken to ensure that we will host this tournament in a safe and secure manner,” said Costa. Ceferin said he was confident that “we will conclude the season in a positive way in Lisbon. There is no need for a Plan B.” Paris St. Germain, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and RB Leipzig have already qualified for the quarter-finals. The four last-16, second leg matches which still have to be played — Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, Juventus vs. Olympique Lyonnais and Barcelona vs. Napoli — will take place on Aug. 7/8, either at the originally scheduled venues or in Portugal.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363421/uefa-says-fully-committed-champions-league-finale-lisbon
Saudi Govt. Says Water Security of Egypt, Sudan Part of Arab National Security
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
King Salman chairs a virtual cabinet meeting. (SPA)
The Saudi cabinet stressed on Tuesday that the water security of Egypt and Sudan was an integral part of Arab national security. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting, which was held via video-conference due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The ministers stressed the Kingdom’s rejection of any action or measure that violates the water rights of Nile River countries, urging the need to resume negotiations with “good intentions” in order to reach a “fair agreement that achieves the interests of all sides.” The Arab League had held an extraordinary meeting last week to tackle the Nile dam dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. It approved the formation of a committee that would follow up on the developments in the dispute and coordinate with the United Nations over the issue. The cabinet reviewed the latest local and international developments linked to the coronavirus pandemic. They followed up on the implementation of treatment protocols and the latest infections and recoveries reported in the Kingdom. Furthermore, the ministers expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation to the Islamic and international support and praise for its decision to hold this year’s holy Hajj pilgrimage with very limited numbers and only for people residing in Saudi Arabia. The decision was taken due to the ongoing pandemic. The ministers were briefed on the preparations to hold the Hajj. They include providing the highest levels of medical and security services to the pilgrims. The cabinet then reviewed regional and international developments, underscoring the Kingdom’s commitment to the Palestinian cause, ending Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. It condemned all illegal Israeli policies and practices. It also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in helping the Yemeni people restore their state and push forward the political process to end the conflict in their country. It called on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities and stand firmly against the terrorist Iran-backed Houthi militias’ attacks against civilian locations in Saudi Arabia.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363416/saudi-govt-says-water-security-egypt-sudan-part-arab-national-security
Coronavirus Recoveries Top 130,000 in Saudi Arabia
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Security forces ensure that coronavirus restrictions are respected in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Recoveries from the novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia have reached 130,766, announced the Health Ministry on Tuesday. In a daily briefing on the outbreak, it said 4,387 new infections were confirmed, raising the total to 190,823. Fifty more people have died from the disease, taking the toll to 1,649. Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Abdelali warned that the pandemic was not over, stressing that a vaccine has not yet been developed for it. He underlined the need for prevention against the virus by following the preventive measures.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363401/coronavirus-recoveries-top-130000-saudi-arabia
Europe Restricts Visitors from the US amid Virus Resurgence
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Few people wear masks as they walk on the beach pier during the global outbreak of the coronavirus in Oceanside, California, US, June 22, 2020. (Reuters)
The European Continent on Tuesday decided to reopen to visitors from 14 countries but not the US, where some of the states that pushed hardest and earliest to reopen their economies are now in retreat because of an alarming surge in confirmed coronavirus infections. The European Union’s decision came a day after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey closed bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks, and officials in Republican and Democratic strongholds alike mandated the wearing of masks. “We have to remain vigilant and keep our most vulnerable safe,” tweeted European Council President Charles Michel. The EU extended its ban on visitors not just from the US but from China and from countries such as Russia, Brazil and India where infections are running high. Britain dropped out of the EU in January and maintains its own rules, requiring arriving travelers to go into 14-day self-quarantine. President Donald Trump suspended the entry of most Europeans in March. American make up a big share of Europe's tourism industry, and summer is a key period. More than 15 million Americans travel to Europe each year, while some 10 million Europeans head across the Atlantic. The news was a blow to struggling shopkeepers hoping for a summertime boom. “Americans were 50% of my clientele,” said Paola Pellizzari, who owns a mask and jewelry shop on the Saint-Louis island in the heart of Paris and heads its business association. “We can’t substitute that clientele with another.” The Louvre museum is scheduled to reopen July 6. Americans used to be the largest single group of foreign visitors to the home of the “Mona Lisa.” “When I returned after lockdown, five businesses had closed,” Pellizzari said. “As days go by, and I listen to the business owners, it gets worse.” The coronavirus has been blamed for over a half-million deaths worldwide, including about 130,000 in the US, where the number of confirmed infections has rocketed over the past month to around 40,000 per day, primarily in the South and West. A large share of the cases are among young people who are going out again to bars and restaurants. On Capitol Hill, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, warned: "I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around, and so I am very concerned.” He cited scenes of people socializing in crowds, often without masks. States such as Texas, Florida and California are backtracking, closing beaches and bars or rolling back restaurant restrictions in some cases. “Our expectation is that our numbers next week will be worse,” Ducey said in Arizona, where for seven times in 10 days, the number of new cases per day has surpassed the 3,000 mark. Also Monday, Los Angeles announced it will close beaches and ban fireworks displays over the Fourth of July. And New Jersey's governor said he is postponing the restarting of indoor dining because people have not been wearing masks or complying with other social-distancing rules. In Florida, Walt Disney World forged ahead with plans to reopen on July 11, despite a spike in confirmed cases in the past week. The state on Tuesday reported more than 6,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. More than 8,000 new cases were recorded on each of three days late last week. Florida has seen more than 3,500 deaths.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363391/europe-restricts-visitors-us-amid-virus-resurgence
Asharq Al-Awsat
Actor Carl Reiner speaks at the American Film Institute's 43rd Life Achievement Award at the Dolby theatre in Hollywood, California June 4, 2015. (Reuters)
Carl Reiner, a driving force in American comedy as a writer for television pioneer Sid Caesar, partner of Mel Brooks and creator and co-star of the classic sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” has died. “He passed away last night at the age of 98 of natural causes, at his home in Beverly Hills,” Reiner’s assistant Judy Nagy told Reuters on Tuesday. Reiner’s career spanned seven decades and every medium from theater and recordings to television and movies, including directing “Oh, God!,” three collaborations with Steve Martin and a role as an elderly con man in the revived “Ocean’s Eleven” series. He was still taking voice roles in his 90s and had a key role in “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast,” a documentary about people who keep busy into their 90s. In recent years, Reiner had often quipped that he got up every morning, checked the obituaries, and if he was not in them, had breakfast. Reiner is survived by three children, including Rob Reiner, director of several hit movies and known for playing Archie Bunker’s son-in-law “Meathead” in the hit TV comedy “All in the Family.” Reiner’s wife of 64 years, Estelle, died in 2008. Rob Reiner on Twitter mourned his father’s passing, saying, “As I write this my heart is hurting... He was my guiding light.” His father was also active on Twitter. His final tweet on Monday was in praise of British playwright and composer Noel Coward. “Noel Coward was the single most prolific writer of musical comedies, plays, songs and films,” Reiner wrote. “He also found time to critique performances with barbs such as, ’They were like two paper bags belaboring each other.’” Reiner expressed his approach to his work in his book “My Anecdotal Life,” when he said, “Inviting people to laugh at you while you are laughing at yourself is a good thing to do. You may be the fool but you are the fool in charge.” Reiner, the Bronx-born son of a watchmaker, started in entertainment as a teenager in a touring theater troupe that performed Shakespearean plays. But his career took a decisive turn after he joined the Army Signal Corps during World War Two. Recruited into a special unit that put on shows for the troops, Reiner began writing and performing his own comedy material. Returning to New York City after the war, Reiner appeared in several Broadway musicals, including a lead in “Call Me Mister,” before he was hired to join Caesar’s popular TV sketch comedy series “Your Show of Shows” in the 1950s. Reiner was part of Caesar’s ensemble of performers as well as a celebrated writing team that included such then-unknown talents as Brooks, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart. Reiner and Brooks remained close into their late 90s with Reiner telling USA Today in 2019 that they got together regularly to watch game shows and movies. Encouraged by his wife to develop a TV show as his own, Reiner began work on a sitcom pilot loosely based on his experiences with the Caesar shows, titled “Head of the Family,” casting himself as a TV writer with a wife and two kids. Network executives initially passed on the project, unhappy with Reiner as the lead character, Rob Petrie. But CBS ultimately picked up the series in 1961, after it was recast and retitled for its new star, “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” Reiner, who earned several Emmys writing and producing the hit series, played the recurring role of Petrie’s boss, the temperamental variety show host Alan Brady. A reprisal of his Alan Brady role three decades later, for a guest spot on the 1990s sitcom “Mad About You,” earned Reiner yet another Emmy. Besides helping transform its creator and star into household names, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” launched the career of Mary Tyler Moore, who played Rob Petrie’s wife. The series, considered a TV sitcom classic, ended its run in 1966. The following year, Reiner made his feature film directing and producing debut with “Enter Laughing,” which he adapted from a Joseph Stein play that was based on Reiner’s semiautobiographical 1958 book of the same name. He later directed George Burns in the title role of the 1977 comedy film “Oh God!” before collaborating with Steve Martin for a string of movies, including “The Jerk,” “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” and “The Man with Two Brains.” Starting in 2001, he made a big-screen comeback playing elder con artist Saul Bloom, who comes out of retirement to join George Clooney, Brad Pitt and others in the blockbuster remake of the 1960s heist film “Ocean’s Eleven.” Reiner returned to that role in two “Ocean’s” sequels. But Reiner never strayed far from television, continuing to make guest appearances on various shows such as “Two and a Half Men” and “Hot in Cleveland” well into his 90s, as well as keeping up a busy Twitter account. Reiner wrote four volumes of memoirs, including “I Just Remembered” in 2014, as well as children’s books.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363381/carl-reiner-american-comedy-star-dead-98
Asharq Al-Awsat
An explosion has taken place in north Tehran. (Screengrab)
An explosion has taken place in north Tehran, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday, without citing the reason for the blast or any additional information. Video posted online by the agency showed thick black smoke rising into the evening sky. Jalal Maleki, the Tehran Fire Department spokesman, told the Tasnim news agency that a fire had broken out in a medical clinic in north Tehran and firefighters have been sent to the scene. The head of the Tehran Emergency Center, Peyman Saberian, told the Fars news agency that three people have been injured in the fire. An explosion took place close to a sensitive military site near Tehran last week which a defense ministry spokesman told state TV was caused by a tank leak at a gas storage facility.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363376/explosion-north-tehran-thick-smoke
Saudi Arabia: Iran Still Major Threat to Syria’s Future, Identity
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia stressed on Tuesday that its position on the Syrian crisis is clear in that the political solution is the only way to resolve conflict. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah underlined the need to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 2254 and the Geneva 1 conference. Speaking at the Brussels-hosted virtual donor conference on Syria, he warned that Iran was still a major threat to the future of Syria and its identity. He noted that the donor meeting was the fourth to address Syria’s future, ten years after the eruption of its crisis. A solution has yet to be reached to the conflict, which has had repercussions on the security and stability of the region and world. Prince Faisal stressed Saudi Arabia’s complete support for the efforts of the UN and its envoy, Geir Pedersen, in reaching a solution to the conflict and resuming the work of the constitutional committee. He cited the Kingdom’s support to Syria, highlighting its hosting of the Riyadh 1 and 2 conferences that led to the formation of the Syrian High Negotiations Committee. He added that Saudi Arabia has exerted and was still exerting all possible efforts to unite the Syrian opposition. On the Iranian threat, the minister said: “Some international parties have interests in Syria, but Iran has a dangerous regional expansionist project that it is pursuing through sectarian militias and the stoking of destructive civil wars.” “Sectarian militias and terrorist groups are two sides of the same coin. They both bring about destruction and ruin and prolong crises. Saudi Arabia stresses the need to combat all forms of terrorist organizations,” declared Prince Faisal. The process to reconstruct Syria hinges on the launch of a real UN-sponsored political settlement, he added.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363361/saudi-arabia-iran-still-major-threat-syria%E2%80%99s-future-identity
Lebanese Govt. Raises Subsidized Bread Prices as Currency Tumbles
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Employees wearing personal protective equipment pack bread at a bakery in the Lebanese capital Beirut on March 20, 2020. (AFP)
The Lebanese government on Tuesday raised the price of a 900-gram loaf of partially subsidized bread to 2,000 pounds from its pre-October-crisis price of 1,500 pounds in the first such price change in eight years. The pound, which is officially pegged at 1,500 to the dollar, has lost over 80% of its value since October and is now trading at nearly 9,000 to the dollar on the black market after sharp falls in recent days. Since October Lebanon has been in a financial crisis that has seen businesses close and prices and unemployment soar. The crisis is seen as the worst threat to its stability since the 1975-90 civil war. The heavily indebted country has maintained an official dollar peg of 1,507.5, but dollars at this level have been rationed exclusively for imports of fuel, medicine, and wheat. In recent days there have been long queues in bakeries as oven owners stopped selling their bread to shops, complaining that their production costs had spiraled due to the rapid depreciation in the value of the pound. Bakeries also threatened to stop bread distribution, saying they were losing money. Flat bread is a staple food for the majority of the population in the Middle East. Ali Ibrahim, the head of the Lebanese Ovens Association, told Lebanese LBCI TV broadcaster the decision should "have been taken a while ago." The bread crisis sparked renewed anti-government protests on Saturday and Sunday as demonstrators blocked main highways across the country. Angry protesters again took to the streets on Tuesday in the heart of the capital Beirut, paralyzing traffic in sporadic demonstrations over deteriorating living conditions.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363351/lebanese-govt-raises-subsidized-bread-prices-currency-tumbles
Pompeo Pushes UN Security Council to Extend Arms Embargo on Iran
Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed the UN Security Council on Tuesday to indefinitely extend an arms embargo on Iran before it expires in October, arguing that the country is not a “responsible democracy” and must be held accountable. Earlier this month, the United States circulated a draft resolution on the measure to the 15-member council, but council veto-powers Russia and China have already signaled their opposition to the move. “Don’t just take it from the United States, listen to countries in the region. From Israel to the Gulf, countries in the Middle East – who are most exposed to Iran’s predations – are speaking with one voice: Extend the arms embargo,” Pompeo told a virtual Security Council meeting. “This council has a responsibility to listen to them,” he said. US President Donald Trump’s administration has long argued that the arms embargo on Iran should not be lifted. The arms embargo is set to end in mid-October under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. “Iran is not a responsible democracy like Australia or India,” Pompeo told the council. The Security Council was meeting on Tuesday to discuss the latest report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on implementation of the arms embargo and other restrictions still in place under the nuclear deal. Guterres’ report said that cruise missiles used in several attacks on oil facilities and an international airport in Saudi Arabia last year were of “Iranian origin.” If Washington is unsuccessful in extending the arms embargo, it has threatened to trigger at the Security Council a return of all UN sanctions on Iran under the nuclear deal, even though it quit the accord in 2018. Diplomats say Washington would face a tough, messy battle. Iran has breached parts of the nuclear deal in response to the US withdrawal and Washington’s reimposition of sanctions. Britain, France and Germany said earlier this month that they believed lifting the arms embargo would “have major implications for regional security and stability” and were trying to reach a compromise between Russia and China and the United States. However, the European countries also said they would not back US efforts to unilaterally trigger a return of all UN sanctions on Iran.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2363346/pompeo-pushes-un-security-council-extend-arms-embargo-iran
Lebanon: Independent, 'Dissident' MPs Seek to Form Opposition Front
Asharq Alawsat
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat
A demonstrator rests on the ground as he and other demonstrators block a highway during ongoing anti-government protests in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
A number of Lebanese independent deputies and others, who withdrew from parliamentary blocs they had joined after the recent elections, are seeking to form a unified opposition entity in order to support civil society movements through the parliament. MP Neemat Frem revealed ongoing talks between a number of deputies to establish a unified opposition, pointing that some MPs could leave their blocs. In the wake of the massive protests that started on October 17, Frem decided to withdraw from the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc, which is headed by MP Gebran Bassil, President Michel Aoun’s son-in-law. MP Paula Yacoubian, for her part, emphasized that talks were underway with deputies “who actually embraced the demands of the revolution, and not within the framework of folklore and slogans, to try to form an opposition parliamentary front.” “Our aim is to strengthen and expand the opposition so that its voice can be heard and it can assume its role in promoting real reform and change,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat. Kataeb MP Elias Hankash noted that the opposition front was yet to be crystallized, adding that communication was underway between independent deputies to study the possibility of forming such a front under the current circumstances. “This is why we are calling for early parliamentary elections to increase the number of independent deputies, in order to extend the front that we aspire to form,” he said in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat. MP Shamel Roukoz, the other son-in-law of Aoun, is actively working within an opposition front composed of retired officers. Sources close to Roukoz said that the deputy was seeking to expand the “national rescue movement” to all Lebanese areas. “The movement is operating under the slogans of revolution, and it aims to build a state of law and institutions,” the sources noted.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362491/lebanon-independent-dissident-mps-seek-form-opposition-front
Iran Journalist who Fueled 2017 Protests Sentenced to Death
Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat
People protest in Tehran, Iran, Dec. 30, 2017, in this picture obtained from social media. (Reuters)
Iran on Tuesday sentenced a journalist to death whose online work helped inspire nationwide economic protests in 2017. Ruhollah Zam had returned to Iran under unclear circumstances and was subsequently arrested. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili announced Zam's sentence on Tuesday. Zam had run a website called AmadNews that posted embarrassing videos and information about Iranian officials. He had been living and working in exile in Paris before being convinced into returning to Iran, where he was arrested in October 2019. Zam later appeared in televised confessions admitting his wrongdoings and offering an apology for his past activities. Zam ran a channel on the messaging app Telegram that spread messages about upcoming protests in 2017 and shared videos from the demonstration. That gained him widespread notoriety at the time, including from Iranian authorities wanting to end the protests. Telegram shut down the channel over Iranian government complaints it spread information about how to make gasoline bombs. The channel later continued under a different name. Zam is the son of Shiite cleric Mohammad Ali Zam, a reformist who once served in a government policy position in the early 1980s. The cleric wrote a letter published by Iranian media in July 2017 in which he said he wouldn’t support his son over AmadNews’ reporting and messages on its Telegram channel.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362481/iran-journalist-who-fueled-2017-protests-sentenced-death
Aoun Warns Israel From Starting Gas Exploration in Disputed Area
Arab World
Beirut- Asharq Al-Awsat
President Aoun met Monday with the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Royal Melkite Catholics, Patriarch Youssef Al-Abssi (NNA)
Lebanese President Michel Aoun warned on Monday from any Israeli decision to start gas and oil exploration in the disputed area with Lebanon, near Block 9, considering that this issue is very dangerous and will further complicate the situation. “Lebanon will not allow encroachment on its internationally recognized territorial waters, especially the exclusive economic zone in the South, where oil and gas blocks are located, especially Block No.9, where exploration will start within months,” the President said. Aoun was speaking during a meeting at the Presidential Palace with the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Royal Melkite Catholics, Patriarch Youssef Al-Abssi, heading an accompanying delegation of bishops. Commenting on the current economic crisis in the country, the President said it began before his election and was exacerbated. “We could have started treatment immediately at the time, but many projects were postponed, such as the implementation of the McKinsey study, which was developed in 2017, when it was found that Lebanon has productive sectors that must be utilized to develop our economy, which enables us to pay the accumulated debts, but unfortunately there is a certain mentality characterized by laziness and work complication, with people who themselves are the pillars of this crisis,” he said. Aoun explained that whoever caused the crisis couldn’t solve it. He said that since the events of October 17, the severity of the crises has worsened. “We have reached the situation we are living in today,” the President said. Aoun highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the crisis, especially the financial part of it. “We should not forget the international crises as well as the crises in the region surrounding us, the conflict with Israel, and the US policy supporting it,” the President concluded. Lebanon's economic crisis has led to a collapse of the local currency and purchasing power, plunging whole segments of society into poverty.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362466/aoun-warns-israel-starting-gas-exploration-disputed-area
Lebanon’s Government Criticized by Its Own Supporters
Arab World
Beirut- Caroline Akoum
Prime Minister Hassan Diab meets with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun and Lebanese Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon Janaury 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
The circle of criticism against the Lebanese government has widened to include, in addition to the opposition, its most prominent supporters and parties that have secured a representation within the ministerial lineup. Speaker Nabih Berri, the head of the Marada Movement, former Minister Sleiman Franjieh and the president of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Gebran Bassil, have all joined a choir criticizing the government’s performance and its failure to implement reforms. With the economic crisis reaching an unprecedented level and information about the failure of Beirut’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government seemed to be a heavy burden on those who brought it, with some of them recognizing that it was “unable to deal with crises.” The latest attack came from MP Faisal Karami, who stressed that the government had no choice but to find a solution, “especially since the economic situation was beginning to open large security holes in Lebanon.” For his part, MP Jamil Sayyed, who was considered as the government’s godfather, said in a television interview: “[Prime Minister Hassan] Diab’s government is no longer able to address crises.” Presidential sources, however, refused to comment on the recent wave of criticism, telling Asharq al-Awsat that there is “no serious proposal about a government change except for what is said in the media.” FPM MP Mario Aoun questioned the intention behind the attacks against Diab’s cabinet “by those who are supposed to be its allies.” He did not rule out “attempts to expedite its downfall and overthrow the current rule.” “The government cannot be judged after four months of its formation in light of the country’s difficult and accumulated problems. It must be given more time to reach results,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. He continued: “We do not exclude that some people are planning with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to accelerate the fall of the government and the rule, but they won’t succeed.” In contrast, Mustaqbal (Future Movement) MP Mohammed Al-Hajjar stressed that Hariri was not seeking to return to the premiership “under an era headed by two presidents,” in reference to President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law, MP Gebran Bassil. “One cannot call for the resignation of the government without preparing for an alternative,” Hajjar said, adding: “As long as Hezbollah and the FPM are protecting it, the government will stay and Lebanon will pay the price."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362441/lebanon%E2%80%99s-government-criticized-its-own-supporters
Fans to Return to S.Korean Baseball, Obliged to Wear Masks
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Munhak Baseball Stadium, Incheon, South Korea - May 5, 2020 A SK Wyverns fan wearing a protective face mask during the match, despite most sports being cancelled around the world the local league starts behind closed doors due to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
South Korea’s professional baseball league said it will require fans to wear masks and to sit at least a seat apart as it prepares to bring back spectators in the coming weeks amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The Korea Baseball Organization on Tuesday said fans will also not be allowed to eat food in the stands. They will also be screened for fevers and discouraged from excessive shouting, singing and cheering during the game to prevent contact or dispersion of droplets, the KBO said. Teams will be initially allowed to sell only 30% of the seats for each game, a figure that could be expanded to as much as 50% depending on the progress in the country’s anti-virus efforts, according to the league's plans, the Associated Press reported. They will be able to buy tickets only with credit cards so that health authorities could easily locate them when needed. South Korea has been actively tracing the contacts of virus carriers using credit-card information, cellphone location data and surveillance camera footage. Also, the KBO is also considering requiring fans to register themselves with smartphone QR codes, a technology that has been enforced at businesses such as nightclubs, karaoke rooms and gyms to track customers when transmissions occur. If a fan is confirmed as a COVID-19 patient during a game, the KBO will immediately suspend play and shut down the stadium for sanitation as health authorities trace the person’s contacts. Players or team staff will be tested if needed.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362426/fans-return-skorean-baseball-obliged-wear-masks
Solskjaer Challenges Man United Strike Trio to Improve
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says there has been improvement from young attacking trio Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood this season. (Reuters)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says there has been improvement from young attacking trio Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood this season but he could bring in another forward to boost competition for places. Rashford and Martial have contributed 19 goals each in all competitions while Greenwood has scored 12 but Solskjaer said the trio still have to earn their spot. “You need competition for places at United. If you think you’ve got a divine right to be playing every game and are doing so well that we’re not going to look for players to replace you, you’re in the wrong place,” Solskjaer told reporters. “We’ve always got to look at improving, and if they don’t... we might have to look somewhere else to get better because we have to be better.” Solskjaer said he showed faith in his young strikers after allowing Romelu Lukaku to join Inter Milan in August. “It was time to allow our forwards to feel that confidence and feel that demand of playing and being demanded to play every game,” Solskjaer added. “In the end that’s how you get to another level, a different level ... all three (Martial, Rashford and Greenwood) have had a good development this season but they can be so much better.” United, who are sixth in the Premier League with 49 points, visit Brighton & Hove Albion later on Tuesday.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362421/solskjaer-challenges-man-united-strike-trio-improve
Tunisians Donate USD13.5 Million to Fight COVID-19
Arab World
Tunis - Mongi Saidani
A view shows a deserted square around the clock tower at the end of Avenue Habib Bourguiba, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Tunis, Tunisia March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
The Tunisian Ministry of Health announced that it received donations amounting to TND38.11 million (around USD13.5 million) during 13 weeks of fighting the coronavirus pandemic. This is in addition to services and centers provided to hospitals, whose financial value hasn’t been assessed. In this context, head of the central committee entrusted with donations at the Ministry Mohammad Moftah told Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) that the overall value of donations to the health sector is estimated at TND50 million (USD17.7 million) in case the value of services was added to direct donations. The best and fastest mechanism to fight the pandemic was fulfilling the needs of the hospital through the following process: The donors buy the needed equipment from the supplier and hand it over to the hospital. Sometimes, this process took one day only while at other times it took a week by the latest. Tunisia established a donations’ fund that garnered an approximate TND200 million (USD70.8 million). It further affirmed that the majority of donations will go to the health sector via purchasing ambulance vehicles and assigning doctors for poor regions. On June 27, Tunisia reopened its border and scheduled the full return of tourism activity starting July. It pins hopes on tourism given that it succeeded in containing the pandemic, as revealed by official data stating that the total of confirmed cases is 1,169. A tally less than others registered internationally.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362406/tunisians-donate-usd135-million-fight-covid-19
Koalas May Be Extinct in Australia's New South Wales by 2050
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
Koalas in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) could become extinct by 2050. (Reuters)
Koalas in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) could become extinct by 2050 unless the government immediately intervenes to protect the species and its habitat, the final report of a year-long parliamentary inquiry said on Tuesday. Land clearing for agriculture, urban development, mining and forestry had been the biggest factor in the fragmentation and loss of habitat for the animals in NSW, the country’s most populous state, over several decades. A prolonged drought-fueled bushfire season that ended earlier this year was also devastating for the animals, destroying about a quarter of their habitat across the state, and in some parts up to 81%. “The evidence could not be more stark,” the 311-page report says. “The only way our children’s grandchildren will see a koala in the wild in NSW will be if the government acts upon the committee’s recommendations.” The report, commissioned by a multi-party parliamentary committee, makes 42 recommendations, including an urgent census, prioritizing the protection of the animal in the planning of urban development, and increasing conservation funding. The report, however, stopped short of unanimously recommending a moratorium on logging in public native forests, it said. Stuart Blanch, manager of land clearing and restoration at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia called on the government to heed the recommendations and strengthen protections for the animals’ habitat. “WWF calls on the NSW Premier to rewrite weak land clearing laws to protect koala habitat, greatly increase funding for farmers who actively conserve trees where koalas live, and a transition out of logging koala forests and into plantations.” Blanch said in a statement. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Tuesday told reporters the government had already made investments into preserving the animals.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362396/koalas-may-be-extinct-australias-new-south-wales-2050
Astronomers Discover Second Largest 'Universal Monster' 700 Years after Big Bang
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
Astronomers Discover Second Largest 'Universal Monster' 700 Years after Big Bang
Astronomers have discovered the second oldest "fake star" known as quasar, containing a monster black hole with a mass equivalent to 1.5 billion suns. A quasar is the hot zone surrounding the black hole. Like a star, it sends signals that can be detected from one region, and that's why they call it the "fake star". The new discovery was documented in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on June 24. The astronomers suggested the newly discovered quasar started its journey 700 million years after the Big Bang- the physical theory that establishes the beginning of the universe. The new quasar has been named "J1007 + 2115," and it's one million year younger than the one discovered in 2018 known as J1342 + 0928. Current theory suggests that at the beginning of the universe, following the Big Bang, atoms were too distant from one another to interact and form stars and galaxies. The birth of stars and galaxies as we know them happened during the Epoch of Reionization, about 400 million years after the Big Bang. Xiaohui Fan, associate head of the University of Arizona's Department of Astronomy, told the Phys.org website on June 26: "In the aftermath of the Big Bang, the universe was very cold, because there were no stars yet; no light. It took about 300 to 400 million years for the first stars and galaxies to appear, and they began heating up the universe. Under the influence of heating, hydrogen molecules were stripped of electrons in a process known as ionization. This process lasted only a few hundred million years (a blink of an eye in the life of the universe) and is the subject of ongoing research." "Then, the reionization epoch- at the mid-point of which this quasar was detected- took place. The new discovery is a big step towards understanding the process of reionization and the formation of early supermassive black holes and massive galaxies," he explained.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362381/astronomers-discover-second-largest-universal-monster-700-years-after-big-bang
Egypt Reduces COVID-19 Threat Through Digital Transformation
Arab World
Cairo - Waleed Abdulrahman
A member of the medical staff at the infectious diseases unit of the Imbaba hospital in the capital Cairo, (AFP)
The Egyptian government launched Egypt's digital portal, which will electronically provide major services for citizens as the authorities continue to impose measures to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly announced that social distancing and self-isolation strategies prompted the government to speed up projects as part of the country’s digital transformation which will facilitate life for citizens. The increased reliance on the internet during the pandemic also increased the demand for accelerating the electronic transformation within state institutions. Speaking at the inauguration of a number of development projects at the presence of President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi, Madbouly stressed the importance of telecommunications and the information technology sector. He indicated that the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated worldwide moves towards digital transformation, announcing that Egypt’s next year budget will include EGP15 billion to accelerate projects in the communication sector. Madbouly explained that Egypt's digital gate will provide a package of electronic services that could reach up to 155 types of e-services by the end of this year. The Prime Minister noted that the state has succeeded in meeting the challenge of holding academic exams online, noting that it is a promising opportunity. Madbouly said that Sisi has directed authorities to increase internet's speed and provide a wider range of electronic services ahead of the virus outbreak. In 2019, Egypt ranked in the 40th place in Africa's internet speed, he said, however in March, the country ranked the second to mega investments in the development of networks. Last September, the government’s Media Center said up to EGP7.8 billion was allocated for the 2019/2020 budget to develop the information and digital content sector. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Chamber of Information Technology and Communications (CIT), Waleed Gad, said that the digital transformation will contribute to providing better services. He said that the aim is to secure a better life and eliminate the need for the citizens to go to state institutions for needed services.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2362361/egypt-reduces-covid-19-threat-through-digital-transformation
Bahrain to Pay 50% of Wages for Private Firms Hit by Coronavirus
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
A man purchases vegetables at a market in Manama, Bahrain. (Reuters)
Bahrain’s government said on Monday it would pay 50% of salaries for private company workers in sectors that were hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, state news agency BNA reported. The new payments would start in July, BNA said, adding that the government would extend its assistance to Bahraini citizens by also paying electricity and water bills. Bahrain had said it was spending $570 million on paying salaries to all 100,000 of its citizens employed in the private sector from April to June to help soften the economic blow from the coronavirus outbreak.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2361421/bahrain-pay-50-wages-private-firms-hit-coronavirus
Roche's Combo Therapy for Advanced Breast Cancer Gets US FDA Approval
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
The logo of Swiss drugmaker Roche is seen at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland January 30, 2020. (Reuters)
The US Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Roche Holding AG’s combination therapy for a form of advanced breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. The therapy, Phesgo, was approved for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and comes with a boxed warning flagging risks of potential heart failure, fetal harm and lung toxicity. The injectable combination treatment includes Roche’s breast cancer therapies Perjeta and Herceptin along with hyaluronidase, which is used to enhance the absorption of the drugs. The therapy works by targeting the HER2 protein, a major trigger of uncontrolled cell growth in 20% of breast cancers. Roche has been a pioneer in the therapeutic area with its best-seller, Herceptin. The therapy, which is initially used in combination with chemotherapy, can continue to be administered at home by a qualified healthcare professional after the patient is finished with the chemotherapy regimen. The most common side-effects for patients taking Phesgo were alopecia, nausea, diarrhea, anemia and asthenia, the company said.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2361416/roches-combo-therapy-advanced-breast-cancer-gets-us-fda-approval
Soundtracks from Italian Cinema's Golden Age Get New Lease of Life
Entertainment
Asharq Al-Awsat
The logo of Universal Music Group (UMG) is seen at a building in Zurich, Switzerland July 25, 2016. (Reuters)
Soundtracks from the golden age of Italian cinema are to be made available to a new generation of music and film lovers under a new partnership between Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sugar, Italy’s leading independent label. More than 2,000 historic soundtracks from films including Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” and “Amarcord” and Luchino Visconti’s “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) and scores from composers such as Ennio Morricone will be reintroduced and distributed via Decca Records. Under the partnership, UMG Italy will also distribute recordings from Sugar’s roster of contemporary artists including Italy’s biggest pop-rock stadium act Negramaro and pop-jazz artist Raphael Gualazzi. “Having one, truly unique, worldwide distribution solution for the entire breadth of Sugar recordings is a very important step, as we look to grow our reach and visibility into new territories,” Filippo Sugar, CEO of the 88-year-old Italian music company, said in a press release. Universal and Sugar have cooperated before on numerous projects, including a live-streamed Easter performance this year by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli from an empty Duomo cathedral in Milan at the peak of Italy’s coronavirus crisis. UMG, based in the United States, is one of the world’s biggest record labels.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2361401/soundtracks-italian-cinemas-golden-age-get-new-lease-life
Josep Borrell to Asharq Al-Awsat: Regime, Not Sanctions, Responsible for Syrian People’s Suffering
Interviews
London - Ibrahim Hamidi
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. (Reuters)
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell hoped that Tuesday’s donor conference on Syria will match last year’s pledge of 6 billion euros. In an extensive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he said the Europeans have provided some 20 billion euros to Syria since the eruption of its crisis in 2011. “The Brussels Conference is our most effective tool to maintain the world’s attention on the need to solve this conflict and to continue mobilizing the international community around a political solution,” he said. “We will continue to do our part.” “As in previous Brussels Conferences on Syria, we have invited neither the regime nor the opposition. This might be reconsidered only and once a political process is firmly under way, including free elections as foreseen under UN Security Council resolution 2254,” he added. “During all these years, our vital support has reached the Syrian people. The Syrian regime bears responsibility for the humanitarian, economic and healthcare crises in Syria. Not sanctions,” Borrell stated. What do you expect of the donor conference in Brussels on June 30? How does this one differ from the previous ones? Syria entered its tenth year of war. In the past nine years, half of the Syrian population had to flee their homes. Over half a million people died. An entire generation of Syrian children has only known war. They all deserve a better, peaceful future. The Brussels Conference is our most effective tool to maintain the world’s attention on the need to solve this conflict and to continue mobilizing the international community around a political solution as called for in UN Security Council resolution 2254. This is the only way to bring back lasting peace and stability for Syrians. The Conference will be 2020’s main pledging event for Syria and the region, addressing the critical needs generated by the crisis, but it goes way beyond a donor conference. It is about continuing to support, politically and financially, Syria's neighbors and their people, who have shown extraordinary solidarity towards Syrian refugees. It has also grown into a unique opportunity for Syria’s civil society to engage in direct dialogue with the donor community and refugee-hosting countries. We could not gather people physically this year but we built a week of events where Syria’s youth, women and civil society organizations could interact with the international community. This is crucial, not only because they are the voices of the Syrian people but also because they hold the key to a better future for Syria. A few factors raise the stakes for this year’s Conference. The grave deterioration of the economic and humanitarian situation, the recent military offensive from the part of the regime and its supporters, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, as well as the ongoing coronavirus crisis all further exacerbate already dire living conditions of the Syrians. They have had enough. Together with the United Nations, who play a crucial and leading role, we are sparing no efforts to remain at their side and live up to their hope for a brighter and peaceful future. Last year’s conference provided aid worth 6.2 billion euros. Do you think that you would get the same pledges this year? Would you be able to respond to the United Nations appeal for humanitarian aid? It is impossible to give a figure of likely pledging ahead of this year’s Conference. Amounts also vary from year to year, depending on donors’ approaches. We remain as ambitious as we are every year in support of the Syrian people and their host communities in neighboring countries. We are all working together, not least with our co-chair the United Nations, to ensure that Syrians across the whole of Syria, as well as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, can continue receiving the support and protection of the international community over the coming year. That is the least they should expect and the least we can do. As the European Union, we have provided over 20 billion euros since the beginning of the crisis in humanitarian, stabilization, development and economic assistance. We are the biggest donor for Syrian people. Two thirds of all the money spent to help Syrians and Syria’s neighbors came from the EU and its member states. And we will continue to do our part. On top of the unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis and all the suffering they have been going through, Syrians are now also enduring the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s Conference will also address this issue. As EU, we have been adapting our current assistance in response to this new and additional challenge, working hard to ensure that life-saving equipment reaches those in need in Syria. Why was the Syrian government not invited to the Brussels conference? As in previous Brussels Conferences on Syria, we have invited neither the regime nor the opposition. This might be reconsidered only and once a political process is firmly under way, including free elections as foreseen under UN Security Council resolution 2254. The resolution clearly states that “the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria”. This is not just nice words for the EU, it is our compass. Nobody should hold their future hostage. This is why we are ensuring a meaningful input and a very large involvement of Syria’s civil society, with extensive online consultations held ahead of the Conference in Syria and in the region. Days of Dialogue also took place virtually on 22 and 23 June, consisting of discussions between civil society, ministers and senior decision-makers from refugee-hosting countries, the EU, the United Nations and other international partners. These contributions will feed in the Ministerial meeting of the Conference on 30 June. Syria’s civil society, its aid workers, its women and youth organizations are the future of the country. How would you explain Russia's participation in the conference despite its criticism of not inviting the Syrian government? As in previous years, all those members of the international community with influence in the conflict in Syria and that have expressed a will to support diplomatic efforts, in accordance with UN Security Council relevant resolutions, have been invited. In this regard, the EU welcomes the participation of the Russian Federation. The conference comes after the European Union renewed economic sanctions against Damascus and the start of implementing the US Caesar Act. Does it have any effect on Brussels conference? One of the key objectives of the Conference is for the international community to come together behind the UN-facilitated and Syrian-led political process. International pressure on Damascus to fully and genuinely participate in negotiations in the framework of UN Security Council resolution 2254, which is also done through sanctions, is of course part of this effort. Moscow and Damascus say that these sanctions will harm the flow of the humanitarian and medical aid. What’s your reply? EU sanctions are neither new nor aimed at the civilian population. They target individuals and entities that have been supporting the repression and the regime, financing them or benefitting from the war economy. They are designed not to impede the delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance, including crucial support in the current situation of the coronavirus pandemic. They do not prohibit the export of food, medicines or medical equipment. Even for potentially dangerous dual-use goods, for example chemicals also needed for pharmaceutical use, a number of exceptions are foreseen for humanitarian purposes. The EU has been and remains the largest humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis with over 20 billion euros mobilized since 2011. During all these years, our vital support has reached the Syrian people. The Syrian regime bears responsibility for the humanitarian, economic and healthcare crises in Syria. Not sanctions. On the contrary, it is mostly thanks to international assistance that healthcare, food, education or protection can still be delivered to people in need inside Syria. I could also add that trade has also continued throughout the war between the EU and Syria. We have never placed Syria under any kind of embargo. What are the conditions that the European Union can lift the sanctions against Damascus? EU sanctions concerning Syria have been in place since 9 May 2011 in response to the Syrian regime’s violent repression against its own people, including human rights violations, the use of live ammunition against peaceful protesters and the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. These were not imposed lightly. They are the consequence of grave human rights violations and potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, which must be accounted for. Our list now includes 273 individuals and 70 entities. The goal of these measures is to put pressure on the Syrian regime to halt repression and negotiate a lasting political settlement of the Syrian crisis in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254, under UN auspices. Without a change of behavior and a constructive and genuine commitment to the political process, sanctions will remain. They are part and parcel of the EU’s wider approach to the Syria crisis. We also review them constantly to assess, inter alia, effects and developments on the ground. EU has linked any contribution to the reconstruction of Syria with the success of the political process in Syria. What is your position on the reconstruction of Syria now? The EU has been very clear on this. Europeans are willing to support the future of the Syria population and help them reconstruct their country but there are parameters for the EU's engagement. The EU will only participate in Syria's reconstruction when a genuine political transition in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254 is firmly underway. If this is not the case, all efforts will be in vain. Reconstruction requires minimal conditions in terms of stability, governance, public accountability, and representativeness of the governing authorities. Syria currently fulfils none of these criteria. The EU’s reconstruction support cannot be invested in a context that would exacerbate pre-war inequalities and grievances and would not lead to reconciliation and peace building. The focus of reconstruction is not simply to rebuild infrastructure and housing – it is about restoring Syria’s social fabric, rebuilding trust and creating conditions that will mitigate or prevent the recurrence of violence, as well as responding to the grievances that sparked the conflict. Syrians deserve to live in a country where they all feel safe and protected by an impartial judiciary and by the rule of law and where human dignity is ensured. The Brussels conference is co-chaired by the United Nations. What is your position on the efforts of the UN Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen? Our position remains that only a political solution achieved in the framework of UN-brokered Geneva negotiations can guarantee a peaceful future for Syria. We fully support the work of the United Nations and of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen. The Brussels Conferences aim at rallying the international community behind the UN efforts to advance a political solution. The Conference will also back the calls by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Special Envoy Pedersen towards a nationwide ceasefire and the release of detainees, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Russia announced its willingness to negotiate with America to reach a political solution in Syria. What is your position on the American-Russian dialogue on Syria? Any progress towards the political resolution of the Syria conflict is to be welcomed. We insist that there should be no compromise on certain principles. Both Russia and the US support UN Security Council resolution 2254 and any solution to the Syria conflict must be in line with that resolution. For us in the EU, there can be no normalization of relations with the Syrian regime, and by extension no commitment of international funding for reconstruction, until there is real engagement in a genuine, comprehensive and inclusive political process. Also, the return of refugees to Syria could only be supported by the international community only under the condition that they would be guaranteed to be safe, voluntary and dignified. Do you think a US- Russia deal, will be enough? How does it look like for you? Again, the future of Syria is for the Syrians to decide. This is what UN Security Council resolution 2254 says. The political negotiations on Syria's future must be Syrian-owned and Syrian-led. Both the US and Russia, as permanent members of the Security Council, have committed to support the genuine, comprehensive and inclusive political process set out in UN Security Council resolution 2254. Currently, Syria has three spheres of influence: North East of Syria, North west, and the rest of the country. Does the European Union have the same vision for these zones? The European Union will not waver in its commitment to the full sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Syria. Precise governance arrangements within Syria are a matter for the Syrians to decide. In 2021 there will be presidential election in Syria. How do you see that? How do you see Syria in one year from now? Meaningful elections in Syria will be those held on the basis of a new Syrian Constitution, as foreseen in UN Security Council resolution 2254. They will mark the opening of a new chapter for the country and for its people. If other elections are held before that, I encourage the Syrian regime to demonstrate its commitment to genuine political openness, for instance by making sure they are open to all Syrians, including those abroad, and that they are free and fair. However, in no way will this replace the need for real engagement in a political process and for the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254. How Syria will look a year from now will depend on the commitment of the regime to the implementation of that resolution as the only internationally accepted way forward. Not for our benefit, not for theirs or their supporters’, but for the benefit of all Syrians.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2361396/josep-borrell-asharq-al-awsat-regime-not-sanctions-responsible-syrian-people%E2%80%99s
