Introduction to the evening news 05-02-2012

One undisputed question made it to the forefront of the Syrian issue: What will Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov carry with him to Damascus on Tuesday? And why is he accompanied by the Foreign Intelligence Service’s Mikhail Fradkov?    

Creating anticipations in this regard is risky; even the Russian Information Agency Novosti tabled three options:    
The first option suggests that the visit might carry a strong supportive message regarding the reform comprehensive program and the re-tabling of the Russian proposal on the dialogue table between the regime and opposition in Moscow.    

However, the second option comes in contradiction with the first one: the Russian leadership cannot objectively remain in confrontation with Washington, Europe and the Arab League. Accordingly, Russia is compelled to revise its positions.     

On the other hand, the third option lies in exerting pressure to break the spiral of violence by convincing all parties to sit around the dialogue table.    

These options race against domestic developments given that the Russian veto is seen by certain western countries as a cover for Syria to carry out further oppressive acts, according to a report released by the AFP.      

On the Lebanese scene, the question that made it to the forefront is as follows: what is coming after the suspension of the cabinet sessions? Will Hezbollah and Amal Movement succeed in bridging the ministerial gap, particularly between the Serail and Rabieh? No signs have emerged so far in this regard since Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and Hajj Hussein Khalil, two sides attempting to heal the rifts, evaded any related discussions, probably because these efforts are still unripe or because they are only wishes, not yet facts.