Introduction to the evening news 31-01-2012

For the first time since the end of the cold war in the 1990s, a diplomatic confrontation is taking place at the U.N. Security Council between the west that rallied the foreign ministers of the U.S., the U.K. and France, and Russia and China that both strongly refused the Western-Arab draft resolution on Syria stipulating the devolution of power from Bashar Assad to his deputy then the transition to a whole new regime model.        

Russia raised the tone today to unprecedented levels, warning that imposing a western draft law at the UNSC will pave the way for a civil war. But foreign minister Lavrov kept the door partially open when he said that the draft resolution is unacceptable in its current form, adding that Russia will never allow the UNSC to approve a military operation in Syria.         

In parallel, Washington is filling the political and media scene with statements assuring that Assad will fall, hoping that Moscow will eventually accept to abandon its last ally in the region. Reuters quoted a prominent U.S. official as saying “we hope that Russia will heed the region’s people, and we are trying to convince it not to rely on Assad who will eventually fall”. The U.S. official acknowledged that despite the ever-increasing desperation seen in Assad’s statements, the opposition is still divided on the military level.        

In short, the UNSC will certainly not reach the voting phase tonight to avoid the Veto and to gain time for international compromises whose timing, place and time are still ambiguous.          

In Lebanon, discussions in the cabinet have been ongoing since 4:30 pm tackling issues ranging from electricity to cellphones to telecommunication data. Despite the obstruction of administrative and judicial appointments, LBCI knew that PM Najib Mikati added to the agenda of the cabinet that will also convene tomorrow at the Baabda Palace a series of appointments related to the government’s presidency, an issue that seems to be indisputable.