Introduction to the evening news 23-11-2011

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was cast away in exile in Saudi Arabia, Hosni Mubarak was thrown in prison in Cairo, Muammar Gaddafi is resting peacefully in his grave, Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a power transfer deal in Yemen and is currently gearing up to head to New York for medical treatment. The obvious question at this point is: Who’s next?  

Could it be in a country in the surroundings of the Arab Gulf? Where will the buds of the Arab Spring flourish next? Will it all end, once again, in Tahrir square in Cairo? Will it all be over with the elections in Tunisia? Or might the spring go down with the newly formed Libyan government that is already being spoiled by a shower of criticism?

One thing is clear, whenever the situation in one country is settled; the developments in another one seem to escalate. On the eve of the meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers, a series of events and stances have unfolded. Most importantly is the announcement made by French Foreign Minister that he will ask the EU to contemplate the idea of establishing “humanitarian corridors” in Syria. This statement coincides at a time when the EU gears up to impose further economic sanctions against Syria.

On the Syrian front, the Syrian National Council urged the Syrian free army to refrain from attacking the Syrian armed forces.

In Lebanon, the issue of funding the STL was brought back to life thanks to the visits paid by the STL president to Lebanese officials. It is believed that the president was campaigning for funding the STL; however no comments were made in this regard.