- Russia calls for emergency UNSC session
Russia called for an emergency session for the U.N. Security Council in New York, on Friday.
A diplomat, who attended the closed emergency session, told An-Nahar daily that Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin circulated a draft law based “on the philosophy” of the consensual presidential statement issued by the Security Council on August the 3rd.
Moscow’s draft law Friday came a day after Churkin strongly hinted that Russia would veto the U.S. and European-backed resolution calling for a weapons embargo on Syria and freezing the assets of Syrian President Bashar Assad and other pro-Syrian regime Symbols.
Sources added that Churkin stressed the importance of maintaining the unity of the Security Council and held the Syrian opposition responsible since it opted to withhold from participating in the dialogue convened by Assad.
China, India, Brazil and South Africa’s representatives endorsed the Russian draft law while nine other countries voted for the U.S.-European draft.
Lebanon has yet to take a stance regarding the Syrian crisis.
Russia’s draft law says that the Security Council expresses its deep concern over the continuing violence in Syria and stresses that the only solution is “an inclusive and Syrian-led political process”. It also calls on belligerent parties to show restraint and to abstain from revenge including attacks targeting state institutions.
Following the emergency session, Syria’s permanent representative at the U.N. Bashar Al-Jafari told An-Nahar daily that the final evaluation of Russia’s initiative is up to Damascus, adding that it created a balance in the way the Security Council dealt with Syria’s events.
“The Russian initiative prevented the U.S. and the European members from imposing their impartial, irreal and subjective points of views”, Al-Jafari stressed.
Al-Jafari stressed that the U.S.-European draft law “violates the United Nations Charter” and wages a diplomatic and media war against Syria.
- Mikati keen on making the electricity plan a success
As-Safir quoted sources close to Lebanese Premier as saying that PM Najib Mikati is keen on making the electricity plan a success. The sources added that Mikati will spare no effort to develop the electricity sector within the legal, constitutional, financial and regulatory standards.
As-Safir reported that a consensual solution for the electricity crisis is in the works, adding that undermining the plan is in no one’s interest.
The sources stressed that the electricity plan should take all the concerned party’s opinions and points of views into consideration. They underscored that the financial, regulatory and administrative standards that will be applied to the electricity draft law will also be applied to any other draft law presented by other ministries.
- Terro: Escalation over electricity plan is uncalled-for
Displaced Minister Alaa El-Din Terro refused to respond to accusations made by Change and Reform bloc MPs to the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) ministers of political spite.
Terro said that he will not be dragged into petty disputes.
“The electricity plan has been mostly explained and clarified thus the accusations are uncalled-for”, Terro added.
Terro added that the electricity plan was discussed in a calm and stress-free atmosphere.
“All that changed when Change and Reform MPs and ministers started looking at the matter from a political angle, while the questions of PSP ministers were purely technical”, Terro said.
Terro highlighted the efforts made by Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and PM Najib Mikati to remove all obstacles before the holding the upcoming cabinet session on September seven.
“Rumors circulating that the PSP ministers are hindering the electricity plan are false, since no cabinet member is trying to impede the government’s work, but of course ministers associated with Mikati and Sleiman expressed reservations and demanded clarifications”, Terro added.
- Jumblatt: No compromises will be made on electricity plan
A Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) source told Al-Liwaa daily that the Head of the National Struggle Front Walid Jumblatt informed PSP officials that no compromises will be made on the electricity plan.
Jumblatt also emphasized the importance of monitoring the expenditure process and the plan’s implementation.
“The Energy Ministry should not be compared to any other ministry since all other ministries spending is budget controlled while Energy Minister Gebran Bassil is asking for $1200 million as extra budgetary spending”, Jumblatt added.