International report № 13

International Report 13 – July 25-30, 2020

The LCRS Political Team provides an analytical reading of the events in Lebanon, the region and the world.

1. Introduction

On Lebanese affairs

Lebanon is waiting for August the 7,of  2020. The day the verdict will be issued in the case of the assassination of the martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and with the issuance of the title of justice in Lebanon and the Arab world will be open.

Many questions go to the Lebanese mind:

1- Does using weapons to carry out a political crime nullify the partnership of those who carried it out?

2- Will the Lebanese be expecting procedural results from the court Similar to what happened in Yugoslavia, or will the results be of a political nature?

3- How can a team responsible for the crime persuade the Lebanese that it will not prepare for  crime or crimes in the future ...?

The report closely follows this issue and calls on the national and Arab media to allocate extensive programs to remind the public of the sacrifices that Lebanon paid for justice, and to confirm that the Special Court for Lebanon does not belong to a person, family, group, or even a stream ... rather, it belongs to all Lebanese.

On an other hand, it seems, unfortunately, that the Lebanese government, with its Prime minister and ministers, is not qualified enough to lead the country in the midst of this crisis in particular.

After the French delegation headed by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to Beirut had left, and during his speech at the meeting of the Supreme Council of Defense, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said: "Laudrian's visit did not bring anything new with it, and the French minister has a lack of information in terms of the path of government reforms in Lebanon, and he added, The French Foreign Minister stipulated that reforms be undertaken to provide aid to Lebanon, passing through the International Monetary Fund, which confirms that the international decision so far is not to assist Lebanon.

Then the Lebanese Minister of the Interior, Mohamed Fahmy, said about the visit, as he confirmed to Al-Jadeed TV that "there was disappointment at the visit of French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, he could have replaced the visit by a phone call."

And if these declarations indicate to a something it indicate to a lack of responsibility, in the first place, in dealing with international personalities who are concerned with assisting Lebanon on the first place.

As for the dealing of the government with the internal crises that afflict Lebanon, which started with the financial crisis to catch up with the emerging virus crisis and be followed by the economic and health crisis, and not to mention the political crisis, it turns out that the files are not subject to scientific treatment, as it should be by this government that called itself a "technocrat" government.

Rather, observers would be assured that the political and operational decision of this government is in another place, and that dealing with the files is done superficially and without responsibility as if the ministers are working intentionally to block the solutions if it were present.

1. The report

The report team provides an analytical reading that will put in light the main events around the world.

1. On Lebanese issues

The southern front, between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, flared up on the Shebaa-Kafr Shuba axis Monday afternoon for an hour. There were conflicting stories about the security incident, and according to the first story, Hezbollah targeted an Israeli military vehicle and the Israeli army responded with artillery shelling on the area in which it declared that it had set its targets. According to the second version, the Israeli army targeted a group of Hezbollah fighters who tried to infiltrate into the Israeli territory, so the army opened fire on it and thwarted the infiltration. The clash ended with a statement by the Lebanese army announcing that a house had been hit in the Habariyya area, while the Israeli army announced the end of the clash without losses on its part and the announcement of the international forces by its spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti, that "the head of the UNIFIL mission and its commander-in-chief, Major General Stefano del Cole, is in contact with the two parties To assess the situation and curb stress, he continues to urge the parties to exercise maximum restraint. " In the evening, Hezbollah issued a statement denying that it had taken any military action on its part, and accused Israel of unilateral assault due to fear and tense anxiety, which required an Israeli response that the assault by Lebanon was documented.

On the health front, after the increase in the number of people infected with COVID-19 virus, the Lebanese Minister of Health announced the implementation of "complete closure" in the country from Thursday, July 30 to August 3, and from August 6 to August 10, in an attempt to contain the spread of the new Corona virus, Without closing the airport or other crossings. This is while the Supreme Council of Defense announced its recommendation to extend public mobilization until the end of August.

In this context, there is a smell of a new scandal that would be added to the scandals in Lebanon, which is the scandal of the results of the PCR examinations. Where it was announced that a deputy and a number of Lebanese Red Cross medics were infected, and that a number of citizens also were infected in the mountainous town of Qartaba, Byblos region, and the village was isolated, but it became clear later that the results of the tests were inaccurate, which necessitated the conduct of second and third tests to confirm the injuries, and the results were negative overall.

At the level of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the issuance of the ruling, the Politica Center accompanied the emergence of the International Special Court for Lebanon (STL) from the beginning, and in follow-up to the ruling in the beginning of August, the Center continued to publish some documents related to this event through its communication sites, which can be read via links Attached.

1- Serge Brammertz's report on the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

Link: https://lcrs-politica.com/research/tkryr-syrj-bramyrtz-fy-aghtyal-alreys-rfyk-alhryry

2- International Resolution 1757 establishing the Special Court for Lebanon.

Link: https://lcrs-politica.com/research/krar-mjls-alamn-rkm-1757

On the economic level, while negotiations between Lebanon and the IMF did not stop, communications are still continuing even though their progress is awaiting reaching an agreement between the government, the Bank of Lebanon and the banks to launch a single plan with its numbers and approaches, which has not happened yet despite the government's pledge to do so. To that, bad news continued at the financial level, as Moody's announced the reduction of Lebanon's credit rating from CA to C. Although the two rankings are bad and mean that Lebanon is a faltering country, the decline to the C rank will lead to more pressure on banks and prices of Euro-bonds, which were traded on the market at less than the official price by 70 to 80 percent. Prices may drop further with the downgrade.

Political and economic events:

• Statement of Lady of the Mountain meeting”: Neutrality proves Lebanon's independence and guarantor of its unity. Hezbollah's weapons topple coexistence and spoil national partnership
• The Future Bloc: August 7, the Day of Truth and Justice for Lebanon, and the suspicious absence of the government from the southern scene adds to the record of achievements a new asset for the state of wear.
• Lebanon's powerful bloc (the Aounist Current) called on the "sincere movement"( the revolted people in the streets) to meet it in tackling corruption, and affirmed its absolute rejection of any attempt to exploit neutrality with the aim of isolating a political team.
• The Kataeb party: The state is required to prove its existence, and the Lebanese refuse to use their country as a mailbox for regional agendas.
• The Cabinet instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to file a complaint against Israel and decided to extend the general mobilization until August 30. Aoun: Adoption of the criminal scrutiny has been welcomed by Jean-Yves Le Drian.
• The Democratic Gathering (PSP) calls for re-distancing Lebanon and criticizes the performance of the "Ministry of the Darkness": suspicious behavior of the World Bank and alternatives are available for Bisry dam.
• The National Initiative Movement refutes the government's work - a complete absence in the south, a failure to tackle the emerging virus threat and a scandal in the attacks on the French foreign minister.
• The Democratic Meeting (PSP): blackmailing the Lebanese and linking solutions to passing suspicious and rejected projects that will not pass.
• The National Initiative Movement commends the initiative of Patriarch Al-Rahi and affirms that there will be no change in France’s position with the visit of its Foreign Minister to Lebanon
• "Loyalty to the Resistance" (Hezbollah) and "Development and Liberation" (Amal Movement): We refuse that the dam project in Bisri to be touched. We will not allow our people to get thirsty, and increase their calamities. We reject the new water blockade on our people, and we will not accept it, whatever the cost was.

This statement comes in the midst of the recent battle that erupted between the Bisri Valey Protection Organization and the political forces that still insisting on the implementation of the dam, and these forces are leaded by the Aoun movement, in addition to President Saad Hariri, who told reporters recently that he supports the "Bisri Dam". It should be noted that Minister Walid Jumblatt recently announced his opposition to the construction of the dam in Bisri valey.

2. On Syrian Issues

The United States announced, on Wednesday, the imposition of new sanctions on the Syrian regime and its supporters, as the Department of State and the Treasury issued two separate statements on the move, which constitutes the second batch of measures taken under the Caesar Act to protect Syrian civilians, which entered into force last month. In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the new set of sanctions was dubbed "Hama and Ma`rat al-Nu`man Sanctions," noting that it aims to perpetuate two of the most brutal atrocities of the Assad regime, and each occurred on this week in 2011 and 2019. The announced list includes 14 new punishments, as Pompeo announced the inclusion of Hafez al-Assad, the son of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Zuhair Tawfiq al-Assad, and his son, Karam al-Assad, and the first division of the regime's army to the sanctions list. Pompeo said: "Nine years ago, Bashar al-Assad's forces brutally besieged the city of Hama, killing dozens of peaceful demonstrators, in a shocking indication of what would happen next. One year ago, the Assad regime and its allies bombed a crowded market in Ma`rat al-Numan, Killing 42 innocent Syrians. " "There must be accountability and justice for the victims of Hama and Maarat al-Numan, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Assad regime. The Assad regime and those who support it have a simple choice: either to take irreversible steps toward a lasting political solution to ending the Syrian conflict called for in Security Council Resolution 2254 or face new segments of the sanctions that will paralyze it. "

In its statement, the Ministry of the Treasury also announced that its Overseas Foreign Oversight Office (OFAC) has included a businessman and nine entities on the sanctions lists for enriching the Syrian regime by building luxury properties. The ministry confirmed that this step comes within the framework of "continuing pressure on investors and companies supporting the corrupt reconstruction efforts of the Assad regime." "The ten goals that the Treasury is listing today include four goals under Caesar's Law, and Executive Order No. 13582 because of its great support to the Syrian government, while the remaining six goals are listed under Executive Order No. 13582 only," the statement said. The US Treasury confirmed that it continues to put pressure on investors and corporations supporting the "corrupt rebuilding efforts of the Assad regime." Among the targets is the Syrian businessman, Waseem Anwar Al-Qattan, who clarified the treasury statement that he has several contracts with the Syrian government to develop a commercial center and hotels in Damascus owned by the government. The statement said that the reports indicate that "Al-Qattan is linked to strong figures from the regime, and the Syrian government has recently established almost all major real estate projects outside the city of Marota in Damascus."

On the other hand, it seems that the reduction of Iranian influence in the regions of southern Syria is actually coming into effect, with the end of hundreds of fighters at the beginning of this week, for a military course in the ranks of the Fifth Legion, a coalition of armed groups opposed to the President of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, supported at the same time by Russia . Military sources from the city of Daraa, located in the south of Syria on the border with Jordan, said that "groups within the Fifth Legion increased the numbers of its members, after hundreds of opponents of Assad joined them at the request of Russia." According to the sources, the Iranian presence in Daraa and its countryside and the countryside of the Syrian governorate of Quneitra began to decline as a result of pressure exerted by the Russian police and local forces supporting it against the militias affiliated with and supported by Tehran. In addition to the Russian pressure on the Iranian militias, these groups received painful air strikes targeting their headquarters in Daraa and other Syrian regions on the border with Iraq. As a result, it lost at least 60 of its fighters in just one month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. For its part, local sources confirmed that Israel will not accept the Iranian presence on its borders in its current form, therefore, "Moscow is trying to limit the influence of Tehran and the groups supported by it in those areas in order not to turn into an arena of direct Israeli-Iranian conflict and for this reason allows it to remain on the border areas with Iraq only. "

3. On Libyan issues

In the past few weeks, Russia's Wagner mercenaries have taken control of two of Libya's largest oil facilities, increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington over Moscow's increasing moves in Libya, according to the Wall Street Journal. Since June, Wagner's mercenaries have moved to control the "Shaaratah" field, the largest oil field in Libya and Sidra port, the most important port for oil export. This move had helped the Libyan National Army chief, Khalifa Haftar, maintain the oil export ban, in defiance of US pressure to restart it, according to Libyan and Western officials. Moscow's actions show how Libya has become a major front in its struggle with the United States for influence in the Middle East. Moscow's control of Libyan oil sparked a severe reaction from the United States, and this imposed a package of sanctions on a Russian businessman in connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the United States is also seeking to counter the influence of the Kremlin by threatening to impose sanctions on their ally Khalifa Haftar, according to the newspaper. In addition, the US-African leadership has taken an unusual step in uncovering the deployment of Russian mercenaries in Libya through a series of public data accompanied by satellite imagery. The Libyan National Oil Company announced that Wagner Mercenaries, the company controlled by Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigogin, who is close to Putin, set up a camp in Sidra oil port on July 12. On July 15, the US Treasury expanded its sanctions on Prigogin-owned entities, citing his involvement in the conflict in Libya, and Admiral Heidi Berg, director of intelligence in Africom, wrote on Twitter: "Our intelligence reflects the continued involvement of Russia and the Wagner Group in Libya." And while the Kremlin says Wagner's mercenaries operate independently of its control, European security officials say intercepted communications show that the Group is reporting to Russian military intelligence in Libya, and the Russian government has publicly supported the demands of Haftar, who has stopped most of Libya's oil production since January, while he is seeking more revenue from the central government in Tripoli for the eastern Libya he controls. In another sign of Russia's growing influence in Libya, the Kremlin agreed on Wednesday with Turkey to continue joint efforts to create conditions for a lasting and sustainable ceasefire, by creating a permanent agreement. Russian mercenaries now control major export flows to Europe and the partially owned assets of the major Western oil companies. A US State Department spokeswoman said that the United States was angry at foreign intervention and the Libyan oil blockade, and said: "It is time for all responsible parties to reject attempts to militarize the energy sector, divide Libyan economic institutions, and subdue vital infrastructure to foreign interests."

US officials say that the Defense Intelligence Agency, which reports to the Pentagon, is investigating the deep links between Haftar and Russian mercenaries, and a US defense official confirmed that Haftar's forces are "one of the groups we follow closely because of their association with the Russian army and Russian intelligence." While the United States recognizes the central government in Tripoli, some Trump administration officials previously viewed Haftar as a potential ally against terrorism in Libya, but US officials recently revealed, according to the newspaper, that Washington threatened Haftar to impose sanctions on him for his refusal to reopen oil exports, a decision made under Russian pressure. Libyan and European officials added that Haftar initially allowed the ports to be reopened, but he changed his mind when Wagner Group forces moved to Sidra Port, and a US official indicated that the State Department had threatened to impose sanctions on Haftar because he was "uncompromising" in dealing with oil installations in eastern Libya, The US embassy in Libya tweeted on July 13 that "those who undermine the Libyan economy and cling to the military escalation will face isolation and the threat of sanctions." American officials hope that the sanctions will force Haftar to create understanding with his rivals in Tripoli and cut his ties with Russia. According to US property records, Haftar owns a farm worth $ 185,000 and homes worth $ 364,000 in Virginia, leaving him vulnerable to US sanctions.

The Chargé d'Affaires of the American Embassy in Libya, Joshua Harris, visited Benghazi on Wednesday, met with a number of local officials, and discussed with them the achievement of a peaceful solution in Sirte and Jafra, and a road map for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Libya, according to what the embassy announced. The embassy added that this visit confirms the commitment of the United States to "engage a wide range of Libyan leaders, who are ready to support Libyan sovereignty, reject foreign interference, meet in a peaceful dialogue and seize the opportunity provided by the United Nations-facilitated dialogue to reach a final formula for a permanent ceasefire and road map for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries." In his meetings with officials of the House of Representatives and the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, Chargé d'Affaires, Harris, reiterated that "with the lifting of the embargo imposed on oil, the embassy will remain fully committed to strengthening transparent management of oil and gas revenues until all Libyans are confident that these vital resources will be used wisely For the benefit of the Libyan people, "according to an embassy statement on Facebook. This comes while members of the US Congress are discussing a bill imposing sanctions on Russia and Turkey for escalating the civil war in Libya, especially after the Defense Department warned of the use of foreign mercenaries in this conflict. The "Libyan Stability" Law, which is expected to be issued by the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week, will impose mandatory sanctions on the two countries within six months, giving the White House ample time to cancel entry visas to the United States or freeze funds in American banks for the ones in target. "We do not want Russia to establish a foothold on the Mediterranean in Libya near Europe," an assistant to the House familiar with the legislation told the magazine.

4. On Israeli issue

The atmosphere of tension returned to camping on the border area between Lebanon and Israel, on Tuesday, as the Israeli army announced the monitoring of a number of suspects near the border fence, the day after he foiled an attempt to infiltrate a Hezbollah cell... And the Israeli army spokesman, Avichai Adraee, said in a tweet on Twitter “the army spotted a number of suspects in the western Galilee region near the border fence," he said, adding that details of the incident are being examined. Netanyahu stressed in a joint press conference with the Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, that "Hezbollah and the Lebanese government are responsible for any attack originating from the Lebanese territories," warning that "Hezbollah is playing with fire, and our response will be very severe." This came hours after the Israeli army announced that a "sabotage scheme" in the Jabal Ross area on the border with Lebanon had been thwarted by a cell belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah.

On another hand, the spokesman for the Israeli prime minister for the Arab media, Ofir Gendelman, revealed on Thursday the defection of the leader of a missile group from Gaza to Israel. Gendelman added that Hussein Ezzedine escaped after "he was persecuted by senior Hamas officials and revealed in his investigation qualitative and secret information about the movement and its air defenses." Gendelman, quoting a statement to the Shin Bet, added that Hussein provided very valuable information about Hamas and its activities. The defected leader infiltrated Israel by swim on June 28, and during his interrogation, he said that he had infiltrated Israel voluntarily due to personal and family difficulties he experienced after he was subjected to a campaign of persecution and defamation of his reputation by senior Hamas officials.

5. About the COVID-19 virus in the world

More than 17 million new cases of Coronavirus have been officially counted in the world, more than half of them in three countries, according to a census prepared by AFP, according to official sources, on Thursday. The epidemic continues to spread at a rapid pace in the world with the registration of an additional million cases in 4 days.

On Thursday, the South Korean company, Celtron, announced that it had obtained approval from the British government to launch the first phase of its clinical trials for a possible treatment for Covid-19 disease. The company said in a statement that it will enter volunteers to test its drug, which guarantees the use of antibodies to the virus, after obtaining the approval of the Agency for Medicines and Healthcare Products "MHRA".

On Thursday, Australia recorded its worst day in terms of COVID-19 infections, after the second largest population in the country reported 700 new cases and 13 deaths. The previous record of one-day cases was 518, but the second wave in Victoria, which focused on nursing homes, forced the authorities to shut down Melbourne, the state capital, and other states to close its borders.Meanwhile, the United States witnessed the death of Covid-19, almost every minute, as the number of deaths nationwide exceeded 150,000, the highest in the world, while the death toll of Brazil exceeded 90,000.

6. On the internal and external American affairs

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Wednesday that 3,500 American soldiers will return from Europe to the United States as part of a relocation plan. The plan also includes, "sending a swarm of fighters to Italy to protect southern Europe" and changing the US Special Operations headquarters to Belgium instead of Germany. "The United States will send more troops to Poland and the Baltic states," Esber said, at a press conference held in the Pentagon in the presence of leaders of the US military, adding that "the relocation of the military in Europe will constitute a strategic change and enhance Russia's deterrence." Esber added that the process "will start in a week, and it will cost billions of dollars." The US military said that "3 brigades will move from Germany to Belgium," adding that "the US Army Special Operations Command headquarters will also move to Belgium." But Esper said that "the number of American forces present in Germany is sufficient for the task of deterring Russia," stressing that "the United States is working to strengthen NATO in the face of the Russian threat."

Whereas, on Monday, US President Donald Trump announced the nomination of a retired officer known as his outspoken opposition to the deployment of American forces outside the borders to the post of the US ambassador to Germany, NATO ally, from which Trump decided to withdraw his forces. He also announced later that Germany had not paid its share in NATO and the United States was subjected to military and commercial exploitation for a long time.

7. On Iraqi issues

Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, met on Wednesday, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Jenin Blackshart, to discuss "demonstrations and early elections." This meeting coincides with a media attack against Blackshart, led by pro-Iranian militias. A statement to Al-Kazemi’s office said, “The Prime Minister and Blashart discussed peaceful demonstrations, as a right guaranteed by the Iraqi constitution. Al-Kazemi indicated that the government’s duty is to protect the peaceful demonstrations, and to respond to the legitimate demands of the demonstrators, and it is serious to end investigations on this file.” The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq was subjected to accusations by leaders and members of the Iraqi militia, after circulating a forged statement attributed to blasphemy about accusing "criminal gangs" of penetrating the demonstrators. In response to these accusations, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, UNAMI, on Tuesday expressed its support "for the right of the demonstrators to peacefully express their legitimate demands," calling for the protection of peaceful protesters.

While the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the "Iraqi Hezbollah" forces have deployed in the Badiyat al-Mayadeen in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. Where groups of these militias have been deployed, accompanied by military vehicles, in the Al-Khor area and the Tayyarat area, located at a depth of about 20 km, in the Badiyat Badia Syrian. The sources of the Syrian Observatory added that the militia placed pre-made concrete rooms within the areas of its deployment lifting earthen berms in the vicinity of those rooms. The Syrian Observatory pointed out, that the Iranian forces are continuing their efforts to consolidate their influence more and more within the areas under their control on Syrian lands, through several methods and ways such as recruitment of young people in addition to winning the support of the people with activities and aid.

On the other hand, security and government sources, and sources inside the scene of the demonstrations in Iraq, revealed that the groups that the Iraqi Ministry of Interior described as "criminal" are in fact affiliated with armed militias that are trying to "exploit the continuing popular boiling to achieve their political agendas." A source in the Iraqi Cabinet said, "National Security has identified the presence of militia tents in the demonstration squares, and government investigators now believe that a large number of these tents are responsible for the escalation that took place in the square in Baghdad and led to the killing of three protesters so far." On Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior announced preliminary results of investigations into the violence in Tahrir Square, accusing "dangerous criminal groups of being trampled among the demonstrators", and says it is responsible for the escalation between the demonstrators and the security forces. The ministry said in a statement that it "calls on conscious youth to look with responsibility to the dangerous path that armed groups outside the law are trying to draw the country to, to implement their malicious intentions."

8. On Yemeni affairs

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Abul-Gheit, welcomed, Wednesday, Saudi Arabia's efforts to activate the "Riyadh Agreement" between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council, stressing that the mechanism announced by the Kingdom to accelerate the implementation of the agreement is an important step towards a peaceful solution in Yemen. In a statement, Abul-Gheit expressed his satisfaction with the positions taken by both the Yemeni government and the Transitional Council to end the crisis in the southern regions, and to reach an appropriate settlement that would allow the restoration of stability and the implementation of the Riyadh agreement with its implementation mechanisms. The Arab official considered that the Riyadh agreement represents an important step towards addressing the difficult humanitarian and social conditions in all Yemeni lands, especially in light of health threats and serious economic hardships suffered by the people of Yemen. The statement pointed out that the current stage requires upholding the national interest of Yemen and its people above any party or regional consideration, and intensifying efforts to alleviate and end the suffering of the people and achieve stability in all parts of Yemen. Today, the Yemeni government and the southern transitional council demanding secession began work on a mechanism to accelerate the implementation of the "Riyadh agreement" signed between the two sides, after a faltering that lasted for several months.

On the fifth of last November, Saudi Arabia had sponsored an agreement in Riyadh between the Yemeni government and the Transitional Council after the latter's takeover of Aden, the most important city in the southern governorates. The Riyadh agreement stipulated the formation of an equal government between the southern and northern governorates within 30 days, and the organization of military and security forces under the leadership of the defense and interior ministries. Implementation of the agreement has stalled since its signing, and during the past period, Saudi Arabia sponsored indirect discussions between the government and the transitional council in Riyadh, and these discussions succeeded in reaching an agreement on forming a new government within the mechanism set by the Kingdom to accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh agreement. The mechanism includes the continuation of the ceasefire and escalation between the legitimate government and the southern transitional council, which has been in effect since June 22, the announcement of the southern transitional council to abandon self-administration, the appointment of a governor and security director for the governorate of Aden, and the assignment of the Yemeni prime minister to form a government of political competencies within 30 days. Indeed, Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi issued a decision to assign the head of the current government, Mu'in Abd al-Malik, to head the new government, and to appoint Ahmed Hamid Lemlis as governor of Aden Governorate and Ahmed Muhammad al-Hamidi as general manager of the Aden Governorate Police. He is a member of the Presidency Council for the Southern Transitional Council, while Al-Hamidi, who is loyal to the Southern Transitional Council, held several positions in the Yemeni Ministry of Interior, including the director of security of Hadramout Governorate in the east of the country. While the Southern Transitional Council announced the abandonment of "self-management of the south" which it had announced last April, and confirmed its support for efforts to implement the Riyadh agreement.

9. On Egyptian affairs

Egypt renewed its steadfast stance on the Libyan crisis, reiterating the call to preserve the territorial integrity and integrity of Libyan lands, and to seek a ceasefire, with a view to reaching a political solution to the crisis that has been going on for years, which was recently aggravated by Turkish intervention and Ankara's support for the government of reconciliation in the face of the Libyan army. The Egyptian Foreign Minister also affirmed that Egypt sought through the "Cairo Declaration" to consolidate the ceasefire and push for a political solution to the crisis, by finding a Libyan-Libyan consensus that reflects the will and aspirations of the people, which is consistent with the outcomes of the Berlin Conference. Sameh Shoukry stressed the need to support efforts to confront terrorist groups and armed militias, and to firmly address foreign interventions seeking to impose foreign influence on the Libyan people, with the escalation and complexity of the Libyan scene and a threat to regional security and stability.

The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, had announced a political initiative that paves the way for a return to normal life in Libya, warning against sticking to the military option to solve the crisis in Libya. Al-Sisi indicated that the political solution is the only way to solve the Libya crisis, and that Egypt's security is Libya's security and stability. Al-Sisi announced a Libyan-Libyan initiative to solve the crisis in the name of the "Cairo Declaration", which includes respecting all international initiatives and decisions regarding the unity of Libya.

10. On Iranian affairs

The series of mysterious incidents that have affected major installations and sites in the past weeks in Iran continues, and in its news the Iranian media reported that an explosion occurred in the western Kermanshah region, on Tuesday, according to "Reuters". For his part, "Iran International" website published a video circulating on Iranian social networking sites, showing a huge fire in a fuel depot in the industrial zone in the town of "Dolotabad" in Kermanshah province, and shows the tongues of fire burning and thick smoke billowing. It is reported that recently, at least 14 explosions and fires occurred in Iranian sites, as the country witnessed a series of "mysterious" incidents, which affected nuclear and military installations, the most important of which was the explosion of the "Khijir" missile base east of Tehran near the Parchin military site, Last June 26, as well as targeting centrifuges to enrich uranium at the Natanz facility in Isfahan on July 2. Recent satellite imagery also revealed that the explosion, which occurred on the morning of Friday, July 10, in the Ghamdarra region, west of Tehran, targeted an air force of the Revolutionary Guards.

On Tuesday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards began maneuvers in the Gulf waters, west of the Strait of Hormuz, with the participation of the navy and air forces. The Revolutionary Guards announced the start of the last phase of the "Great Prophet 14" maneuvers with the participation of the navy and air forces in the general area of Hormuzgan Province, the western Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf waters.

11. On European affairs.

In a sudden development, the authorities in Belarus announced on Thursday that "the Russians who were arrested yesterday are suspected of planning to carry out terrorist operations" as the elections approached, according to Agence France-Presse. The agency quoted the country's Secretary of the National Security Council as saying that "the arrested persons are suspected of having been preparing for terrorist acts on the territory of Belarus," stressing on the other hand that the search is still underway for 170 other possible suspects. Since Wednesday, Belarus announced through its official media the arrest of 32 Russian "fighters" from the special military group Wagner, known to be close to the Kremlin, who had come to "destabilize" the country before the presidential elections on August 9. The Belarusian-Russian channel and the official BILTA news agency announced the arrests, after informing the authorities that "200 fighters have arrived on the territory (Belarusian), and they are expected to destabilize the situation during the election campaign."

Commenting on the news of the arrest, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the country's law enforcement authorities will consider a possible extradition order for suspected Russian mercenaries arrested by Belarus and suspected of planning "terrorist acts" within its territory. A prominent security official stated that 14 of the detainees spent time in the Donbas region of Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russian-backed militants in the conflict since 2014. The Russian Information Agency quoted the Russian ambassador to Belarus as saying that the Foreign Ministry summoned him after the arrest of the Russian mercenaries.

12. On Turkish affairs.

Greek media reported that Turkey withdrew several warships from a disputed area with Greece and deleted a controversial tweet about the excavations that had being announced to start in the Mediterranean after a "strong reaction" by Athens. The Greek City Times newspaper said in a report published, Sunday, that the Turkish research vessel "Uruge Rais" is still anchored near Antalya, although Turkey was "announcing that it will violate Greek water from last Tuesday to August 2". On Wednesday, the Greek navy announced that it had deployed battleships in the Aegean Sea after it declared a state of "alert" due to Turkish activities to explore energy resources near a Greek island in an area that Turkey says is on its continental shelf. This comes a day after the Greek Foreign Ministry formally protested to Ankara after it announced the dispatch of a Turkish drilling ship to carry out excavations in the marine region south of Kastelorizo Island. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dundas said that Turkey's "illegal" behavior in the eastern Mediterranean threatens the cohesion of NATO and Ankara's relations with the European Union. The Turkish retreat also comes in conjunction with the arrival of military shipments from the United States in addition to 2000 American soldiers and dozens of American helicopters to conduct joint military exercises within NATO last Thursday to the Greek strategic port of Alexandroupolis, which is about 30 km from the border with Turkey. Observers believe that these American moves will serve as a warning to Ankara, especially that the American ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Piatt, called on the same day and from the same city (Alexandroupolis) Turkey to stop drilling for oil in Greek territorial waters, and to stop destabilizing the region.

In a sign aimed at easing severe tension with Athens, Turkey announced, on Tuesday, the suspension of its project to explore hydrocarbons in a disputed area in the eastern Mediterranean. Ibrahim Kallin, spokesman for the Turkish president, said: "Our president has announced that as long as negotiations are in progress, we will wait a little while to adopt a constructive position." "Greece is an important neighboring country for us (...) we are ready to engage with it," he added in an interview with CNN Turk.

13. On Chinese affairs

The US ambassador to London, Liu Xiaoming, said Thursday that the United States is trying to spark a new cold war with his country because of its search for scapegoats ahead of the November presidential elections. “China is not a self-proclaimed aggressive country, but the other side of the Pacific (the United States) is the one who wants to start a new cold war on China, and we have to respond to that. We have no interest in any cold war or in any war," the ambassador told reporters.

The Chinese ambassador to London also accused Britain, of destabilizing Hong Kong. The ambassador said, "Britain had poisoned the relations with China."